1Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī … . There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus: "Bhikkhus!"

"Venerable sir!" those bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:

2"Bhikkhus, once in the past there was a king name Aruṇava whose capital was named Aruṇavati. The Blessed One Sikhi, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, dwelt in dependence on the capital Aruṇavati. [n.418] Sikhī was the fifth Buddha of antiquity counting back from Gotama. He arose thirty-one aeons ago (see DN14). The chief pair of disciples of the Blessed One Sikhi were named Abhibhū and Sambhava, an excellent pair. Then the Blessed One Sikhi addressed the bhikkhu Abhibhū: ‘Come, brahmin, let us go to a certain brahma 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 Sikhi, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, and the bhikkhu Abhibhū disappeared from the capital Aruṇavati and reappeared in that brahma world.

3Then the Blessed One Sikhi addressed the bhikkhu Abhibhū thus: ‘Give a Dhamma talk, brahmin, to Brahma and to Brahma's retinue and to Brahma's assembly.’ - ‘Yes, venerable sir,’ the bhikkhu Abhibhū replied. Then, by means of a Dhamma talk, he instructed, exhorted, inspired, and gladdened Brahma and Brahma's retinue and Brahma's assembly. Thereupon Brahma and Brahma's retinue and sn.i.156 Brahma'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?’

4"Then, bhikkhus, the Blessed One Sikhi addressed the bhikkhu Abhibhū thus: ‘Brahmin, Brahma and Brahma's retinue and Brahma'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 Brahma and in Brahma's retinue and in Brahma'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. [n.419] For a more detailed account of Abhibhū's power of transformation (vikubbana-iddhi) see Paṭis II 210,14–30. Thereupon, bhikkhus, Brahma and Brahma's retinue and Brahma'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!’

5"Then, bhikkhus, the bhikkhu Abhibhū said to the Blessed One Sikhi, 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 brahma 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 brahma world you should make your voice heard throughout the thousandfold world system.’ - ‘Yes, venerable sir,’ the bhikkhu Abhibhū replied. Then, while standing in the brahma world, he recited these verses: [n.420] This incident is referred to elsewhere by Ānanda, and in response the Buddha describes the structure of the world system (AN I 227-28). There the Buddha claims that he himself is capable of making his voice heard throughout a three-thousand great thousandfold world system.
Spk: The elder first asked himself what kind of Dhamma discourse would be pleasing and agreeable to everyone, and he then realized that all devas and humans praise manly effort. Thus he taught a discourse concerning energy (viriya-paṭisamyutta). The two verses are ascribed to an Abhibhūta Thera at Th 256–57; perhaps the similarity of names has resulted from a garbled transmission. See Horner’s trans. of Mil, Milinda’s Questions, 2:51, n. 5, for ascriptions of the first verse in Pāli and Skt Buddhist literature.

6v.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. sn.i.157

7v.605 "‘One who dwells diligently
In this Dhamma and Discipline,
Having abandoned the wandering on in birth,
Will make an end to suffering.’

8"Then, bhikkhus, having stirred up a sense of urgency in Brahma and in Brahma's retinue and in Brahma's assembly, just as quickly as a strong man might extend his drawn-in arm or draw in his extended arm, the Blessed One Sikhi, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, and the bhikkhu Abhibhū disappeared from that brahma world and reappeared in the capital Aruṇavati. Then the Blessed One Sikhi addressed the bhikkhus thus: ‘Bhikkhus, did you hear the verses that the bhikkhu Abhibhū recited while he was standing in the brahma world?’ — ‘We did, venerable sir.’ — ‘What were the verses that you heard, bhikkhus?’ - ‘We heard the verses of the bhikkhu Abhibhū thus:

9v.606 "‘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. sn.i.157

10v.607 "‘One who dwells diligently
In this Dhamma and Discipline,
Having abandoned the wandering on in birth,
Will make an end to suffering.’

11Such were the verses that we heard the bhikkhu Abhibhū recite while he was standing in the brahma world.’ - ‘Good, good, bhikkhus! It is good that you heard the verses that the bhikkhu Abhibhū recited while he was standing in the brahma world.’"

12This is what the Blessed One said. Elated, those bhikkhus delighted in the Blessed One's statement.

1Evaṁ me sutaṁ—​ ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ vihārati … pe … tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: "bhikkhavo"ti.

"Bhadante"ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:

2"Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, rājā ahosi aruṇavā nāma. Rañño kho pana, bhikkhave, aruṇavato aruṇavatī nāma rājadhānī ahosi. Aruṇavatiṁ kho pana, bhikkhave, rājadhāniṁ sikhī bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho upanissāya vihāsi. Sikhissa kho pana, bhikkhave, bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa abhibhūsambhavaṁ nāma sāvakayugaṁ ahosi aggaṁ bhaddayugaṁ. Atha kho, bhikkhave, sikhī bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho abhibhuṁ bhikkhuṁ āmantesi: ‘āyāma, brāhmaṇa, yena aññataro brahmaloko tenupasaṅkamissāma, yāva bhattassa kālo bhavissatī’ti. ‘Evaṁ, bhante’ti kho bhikkhave, abhibhū bhikkhu sikhissa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa paccassosi.

Atha kho, bhikkhave, sikhī bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho abhibhū ca bhikkhu – seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evameva – aruṇavatiyā rājadhāniyā antarahitā tasmiṁ brahmaloke pāturahesuṁ.

3Atha kho, bhikkhave, sikhī bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho abhibhuṁ bhikkhuṁ āmantesi: ‘paṭibhātu, brāhmaṇa, taṁ brahmuno ca brahmaparisāya ca brahmapārisajjānañca dhammī kathā’ti. ‘Evaṁ, bhante’ti kho, bhikkhave, abhibhū bhikkhu sikhissa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa paṭissutvā, brahmānañca brahmaparisañca brahmapārisajje ca dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi. Tatra sudaṁ, bhikkhave, brahmā ca brahmaparisā ca brahmapārisajjā ca ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti: ‘acchariyaṁ vata, bho, abbhutaṁ vata bho, kathañhi nāma satthari sammukhībhūte sāvako dhammaṁ desessatī’ti.

4Atha kho, bhikkhave, sikhī bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho abhibhuṁ bhikkhuṁ āmantesi: ‘ujjhāyanti kho te, brāhmaṇa, brahmā ca brahmaparisā ca brahmapārisajjā ca – acchariyaṁ vata bho, abbhutaṁ vata bho, kathañhi nāma satthari sammukhībhūte sāvako dhammaṁ desessatīti. Tena hi tvaṁ, brāhmaṇa, bhiyyoso mattāya brahmānañca brahmaparisañca brahmapārisajje ca saṁvejehī’ti. ‘Evaṁ, bhante’ti kho, bhikkhave, abhibhū bhikkhu sikhissa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa paṭissutvā dissamānenapi kāyena dhammaṁ desesi, adissamānenapi kāyena dhammaṁ desesi, dissamānenapi heṭṭhimena upaḍḍhakāyena adissamānena uparimena upaḍḍhakāyena dhammaṁ desesi, dissamānenapi uparimena upaḍḍhakāyena adissamānena heṭṭhimena upaḍḍhakāyena dhammaṁ desesi. Tatra sudaṁ, bhikkhave, brahmā ca brahmaparisā ca brahmapārisajjā ca acchariyabbhutacittajātā ahesuṁ: ‘acchariyaṁ vata bho, abbhutaṁ vata bho, samaṇassa mahiddhikatā mahānubhāvatā’ti.

5Atha kho abhibhū bhikkhu sikhiṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ etadavoca: ‘abhijānāmi khvāhaṁ, bhante, bhikkhusaṅghassa majjhe evarūpiṁ vācaṁ bhāsitā – pahomi khvāhaṁ, āvuso, brahmaloke ṭhito sahassilokadhātuṁ sarena viññāpetun’ti. ‘Etassa, brāhmaṇa, kālo, etassa, brāhmaṇa, kālo; yaṁ tvaṁ, brāhmaṇa, brahmaloke ṭhito sahassilokadhātuṁ sarena viññāpeyyāsī’ti. ‘Evaṁ, bhante’ti kho, bhikkhave, abhibhū bhikkhu sikhissa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa paṭissutvā brahmaloke ṭhito imā gāthāyo abhāsi:

6‘Ārambhatha nikkamatha,
Yuñjatha buddhasāsane;
Dhunātha maccuno senaṁ,
Naḷāgāraṁva kuñjaro.

7Yo imasmiṁ dhammavinaye,
appamatto vihassati;
Pahāya jātisaṁsāraṁ,
dukkhassantaṁ karissatī’ti.

8Atha kho, bhikkhave, sikhī ca bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho abhibhū ca bhikkhu brahmānañca brahmaparisañca brahmapārisajje ca saṁvejetvā – seyyathāpi nāma … pe … tasmiṁ brahmaloke antarahitā aruṇavatiyā rājadhāniyā pāturahesuṁ. Atha kho, bhikkhave, sikhī bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho bhikkhū āmantesi: ‘assuttha no tumhe, bhikkhave, abhibhussa bhikkhuno brahmaloke ṭhitassa gāthāyo bhāsamānassā’ti? ‘Assumha kho mayaṁ, bhante, abhibhussa bhikkhuno brahmaloke ṭhitassa gāthāyo bhāsamānassā’ti. ‘Yathā kathaṁ pana tumhe, bhikkhave, assuttha abhibhussa bhikkhuno brahmaloke ṭhitassa gāthāyo bhāsamānassā’ti? Evaṁ kho mayaṁ, bhante, assumha abhibhussa bhikkhuno brahmaloke ṭhitassa gāthāyo bhāsamānassa:

9‘Ārambhatha nikkamatha,
yuñjatha buddhasāsane;
Dhunātha maccuno senaṁ,
naḷāgāraṁva kuñjaro.

10Yo imasmiṁ dhammavinaye,
appamatto vihassati;
Pahāya jātisaṁsāraṁ,
dukkhassantaṁ karissatī’ti.

11‘Evaṁ kho mayaṁ, bhante, assumha abhibhussa bhikkhuno brahmaloke ṭhitassa gāthāyo bhāsamānassā’ti. ‘Sādhu sādhu, bhikkhave; sādhu kho tumhe, bhikkhave, assuttha abhibhussa bhikkhuno brahmaloke ṭhitassa gāthāyo bhāsamānassā’"ti.

12Idamavoca bhagavā, attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.