Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha on the bank of the river SappinI. Then, when the night had advanced, Brahmā Sanaṅkumāra, of stunning beauty, illuminating the entire bank of the river SappinI, approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and stood to one side. Standing to one side, he recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:
596 “The khattiya is the best among people
For those whose standard is the clan,
But one accomplished in knowledge and conduct
Is best among devas and humans.”
This is what Brahmā Sanaṅkumāra said. The Teacher approved. Then Brahmā Sanaṅkumāra, thinking, “The Teacher has approved of me,” paid homage to the Blessed One and, keeping him on his right, he disappeared right there.
Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha on Mount Vulture Peak not long after Devadatta had left. Then, when the night had advanced, Brahmā Sahampati, of stunning beauty, illuminating the entire Mount Vulture Peak, approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and stood to one side. Standing to one side, referring to Devadatta, he recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:
597 “As its own fruit brings destruction
To the plantain, bamboo, and reed,
As its embryo destroys the mule,
So do honours destroy the scoundrel.”
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Magadhans at Andhakavinda. Now on that occasion the Blessed One was sitting out in the open in the thick darkness of the night while it was drizzling. Then, when the night had advanced, Brahmā Sahampati … approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and stood to one side. Standing to one side, he recited these verses in the presence of the Blessed One:
598 “One should resort to remote lodgings,
Practise for release from the fetters.
But if one does not find delight there,
Guarded and mindful, dwell in the Saṅgha.
599 “Walking for alms from family to family,
Faculties guarded, discreet, mindful,
One should resort to remote lodgings,
Freed from fear, liberated in the fearless.
600 “Where terrible serpents glide,
Where lightning flashes and the sky thunders,
In the thick darkness of the night
There sits a Bhikkhu devoid of terror.
601 “For this has actually been seen by me,
It is not merely hearsay:
Within a single holy life
A thousand have left Death behind.
602 “There are five hundred more trainees,
And ten times a tenfold ten:
All have entered the stream,
Never returning to the animal realm.
603 “As for the other people who remain —
Who, to my mind, partake of merit —
I cannot even number them
From dread of speaking falsely.”
Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi…. There the Blessed One addressed the Bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus!”
“Venerable sir!” those Bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:
“Bhikkhus, once in the past there was a king name Aruṇavā whose capital was named Aruṇavatī. The Blessed One Sikhī, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, dwelt in dependence on the capital Aruṇavatī. The chief pair of disciples of the Blessed One Sikhī were named Abhibhū and Sambhava, an excellent pair. Then the Blessed One Sikhī addressed the Bhikkhu Abhibhū: ‘Come, brahmin, let us go to a certain brahmā world until it is time for our meal.’ – ‘Yes, venerable sir,’ the Bhikkhu Abhibhū replied.
“Then, Bhikkhus, just as quickly as a strong man might extend his drawn-in arm or draw in his extended arm, so the Blessed One Sikhī, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, and the Bhikkhu Abhibhū disappeared from the capital Aruṇavatī and reappeared in that brahmā world. Then the Blessed One Sikhī addressed the Bhikkhu Abhibhū thus: ‘Give a Dhamma talk, brahmin, to Brahmā and to Brahmā’s retinue and to Brahmā’s assembly.’ – ‘Yes, venerable sir,’ the Bhikkhu Abhibhū replied. Then, by means of a Dhamma talk, he instructed, exhorted, inspired, and gladdened Brahmā and Brahmā’s retinue and Brahmā’s assembly. Thereupon Brahmā and Brahmā’s retinue and Brahmā’s assembly found fault with this, grumbled, and complained about it, saying: ‘It is wonderful indeed, sir! It is amazing indeed, sir! How can a disciple teach the Dhamma in the very presence of the Teacher?’
“Then, Bhikkhus, the Blessed One Sikhī addressed the Bhikkhu Abhibhū thus: ‘Brahmin, Brahmā and Brahmā’s retinue and Brahmā’s assembly deplore this, saying, “It is wonderful indeed, sir! It is amazing indeed, sir! How can a disciple teach the Dhamma in the very presence of the Teacher?” Well then, brahmin, stir up an even greater sense of urgency in Brahmā and in Brahmā’s retinue and in Brahmā’s assembly.’ – ‘Yes, venerable sir,’ the Bhikkhu Abhibhū replied. Then he taught the Dhamma with his body visible, and with his body invisible, and with the lower half of his body visible and the upper half invisible, and with the upper half of his body visible and the lower half invisible. Thereupon, Bhikkhus, Brahmā and Brahmā’s retinue and Brahmā’s assembly were struck with wonder and amazement, saying: ‘It is wonderful indeed, sir! It is amazing indeed, sir! How the ascetic has such great power and might!’
“Then, Bhikkhus, the Bhikkhu Abhibhū said to the Blessed One Sikhī, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One: ‘I recall, venerable sir, having made such a statement as this in the midst of the Bhikkhu Saṅgha: “Friends, while standing in the brahmā world I can make my voice heard throughout the thousandfold world system.”’ – ‘Now is the time for that, brahmin! Now is the time for that, brahmin! While standing in the brahmā world you should make your voice heard throughout the thousandfold world system.’ – ‘Yes, venerable sir,’ the Bhikkhu Abhibhū replied. Then, while standing in the brahmā world, he recited these verses:
604 “‘Arouse your energy, strive on!
Exert yourself in the Buddha’s Teaching.
Sweep away the army of Death
As an elephant does a hut of reeds.
605 “‘One who dwells diligently
In this Dhamma and Discipline,
Having abandoned the wandering on in birth,
Will make an end to suffering.’
“Then, Bhikkhus, having stirred up a sense of urgency in Brahmā and in Brahmā’s retinue and in Brahmā’s assembly, just as quickly as a strong man might extend his drawn-in arm or draw in his extended arm, the Blessed One Sikhī, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, and the Bhikkhu Abhibhū disappeared from that brahmā world and reappeared in the capital Aruṇavatī. Then the Blessed One Sikhī addressed the Bhikkhus thus: ‘Bhikkhus, did you hear the verses that the Bhikkhu Abhibhū recited while he was standing in the brahmā world?’ – ‘We did, venerable sir.’ – ‘What were the verses that you heard, Bhikkhus?’ – ‘We heard the verses of the Bhikkhu Abhibhū thus:
606–7 “Arouse your energy, strive on!…
Will make an end to suffering.”
Such were the verses that we heard the Bhikkhu Abhibhū recite while he was standing in the brahmā world.’ – ‘Good, good, Bhikkhus! It is good that you heard the verses that the Bhikkhu Abhibhū recited while he was standing in the brahmā world.’”
This is what the Blessed One said. Elated, those Bhikkhus delighted in the Blessed One’s statement.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Kusinārā in Upavattana, the sal tree grove of the Mallans, between the twin sal trees, on the occasion of his final Nibbāna. Then the Blessed One addressed the Bhikkhus thus: “Now I address you, Bhikkhus: Formations are bound to vanish. Strive to attain the goal by diligence.” This was the last utterance of the Tathāgata.
Then the Blessed One attained the first jhāna. Having emerged from the first jhāna, he attained the second jhāna. Having emerged from the second jhāna, he attained the third jhāna. Having emerged from the third jhāna, he attained the fourth jhāna. Having emerged from the fourth jhāna, he attained the base of the infinity of space. Having emerged from the base of the infinity of space, he attained the base of the infinity of consciousness. Having emerged from the base of the infinity of consciousness, he attained the base of nothingness. Having emerged from the base of nothingness, he attained the base of neither-perception-nor-nonperception. Having emerged from the base of neither-perception-nor-nonperception, he attained the cessation of perception and feeling.
Having emerged from the cessation of perception and feeling, he attained the base of neither-perception-nor-nonperception. Having emerged from the base of neither-perception-nor-nonperception, he attained the base of nothingness. Having emerged from the base of nothingness, he attained the base of the infinity of consciousness. Having emerged from the base of the infinity of consciousness, he attained the base of the infinity of space. Having emerged from the base of the infinity of space, he attained the fourth jhāna. Having emerged from the fourth jhāna, he attained the third jhāna. Having emerged from the third jhāna, he attained the second jhāna. Having emerged from the second jhāna, he attained the first jhāna.
Having emerged from the first jhāna, he attained the second jhāna. Having emerged from the second jhāna, he attained the third jhāna. Having emerged from the third jhāna, he attained the fourth jhāna. Having emerged from the fourth jhāna, immediately after this the Blessed One attained final Nibbāna.
When the Blessed One attained final Nibbāna, simultaneously with his final Nibbāna Brahmā Sahampati recited this verse:
608 “All beings in the world
Will finally lay the body down,
Since such a one as the Teacher,
The peerless person in the world,
The Tathāgata endowed with the powers,
The Buddha, has attained final Nibbāna.”
When the Blessed One attained final Nibbāna, simultaneously with his final Nibbāna Sakka, lord of the devas, recited this verse:
609 “Impermanent indeed are formations;
Their nature is to arise and vanish.
Having arisen, they cease:
Their appeasement is blissful.”
When the Blessed One attained final Nibbāna, simultaneously with his final Nibbāna the Venerable Ānanda recited this verse:
610 “Then there was terror,
Then there was trepidation,
When the one perfect in all excellent qualities,
The Buddha, attained final Nibbāna.”
When the Blessed One attained final Nibbāna, simultaneously with his final Nibbāna the Venerable Anuruddha recited these verses:
611 “There was no more in-and-out breathing
In the Stable One of steady mind
When unstirred, bent on peace,
The One with Vision attained final Nibbāna.
612 “With unshrinking mind
He endured the pain;
Like the quenching of a lamp
Was the deliverance of the mind.”