Aruṇavatīsutta
About Aruṇavatī
Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
So I have heard.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati …pe…
At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī.
tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:
There he addressed the mendicants,
“bhikkhavo”ti.
“Mendicants!”
“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.
“Venerable sir,” they replied.
Bhagavā etadavoca:
The Buddha said this:
“Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, rājā ahosi aruṇavā nāma.
“Once upon a time, mendicants, there was a king named Aruṇavā.
Rañño kho pana, bhikkhave, aruṇavato aruṇavatī nāma rājadhānī ahosi.
He had a capital named Aruṇavatī.
Aruṇavatiṁ kho pana, bhikkhave, rājadhāniṁ sikhī bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho upanissāya vihāsi.
Sikhī the Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha lived supported by Aruṇavatī.
Sikhissa kho pana, bhikkhave, bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa abhibhūsambhavaṁ nāma sāvakayugaṁ ahosi aggaṁ bhaddayugaṁ.
Sikhī had a fine pair of chief disciples named Abhibhū and Sambhava.
Atha kho, bhikkhave, sikhī bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho abhibhuṁ bhikkhuṁ āmantesi:
Then the Buddha Sikhī addressed the mendicant Abhibhū,
‘āyāma, brāhmaṇa, yena aññataro brahmaloko tenupasaṅkamissāma, yāva bhattassa kālo bhavissatī’ti.
‘Come, brahmin, let’s go to one of the realms of divinity until it’s time for our meal.’
‘Evaṁ, bhante’ti kho bhikkhave, abhibhū bhikkhu sikhissa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa paccassosi.
‘Yes, sir,’ replied Abhibhū.
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.
Then, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, they vanished from Aruṇavatī and appeared in that realm of divinity.
Atha kho, bhikkhave, sikhī bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho abhibhuṁ bhikkhuṁ āmantesi:
Then the Buddha Sikhī addressed the mendicant Abhibhū,
‘paṭibhātu, brāhmaṇa, taṁ brahmuno ca brahmaparisāya ca brahmapārisajjānañca dhammī kathā’ti.
‘Brahmin, teach the Dhamma as you feel inspired for that Divinity, his assembly, and the members of his retinue.’
‘Evaṁ, bhante’ti kho, bhikkhave, abhibhū bhikkhu sikhissa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa paṭissutvā, brahmānañca brahmaparisañca brahmapārisajje ca dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi.
‘Yes, sir,’ replied Abhibhū. Then he educated, encouraged, fired up, and inspired them with a Dhamma talk.
Tatra sudaṁ, bhikkhave, brahmā ca brahmaparisā ca brahmapārisajjā ca ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti:
But the Divinity, his assembly, and his retinue complained, grumbled, and objected,
‘acchariyaṁ vata, bho, abbhutaṁ vata bho, kathañhi nāma satthari sammukhībhūte sāvako dhammaṁ desessatī’ti.
‘Oh lord, how incredible, how amazing! How on earth can a disciple teach Dhamma in the presence of the Teacher?’
Atha kho, bhikkhave, sikhī bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho abhibhuṁ bhikkhuṁ āmantesi:
Then the Buddha Sikhī addressed the mendicant Abhibhū,
‘ujjhāyanti kho te, brāhmaṇa, brahmā ca brahmaparisā ca brahmapārisajjā ca—
‘Brahmin, the Divinity, his assembly, and his retinue are complaining
acchariyaṁ vata bho, abbhutaṁ vata bho, kathañhi nāma satthari sammukhībhūte sāvako dhammaṁ desessatīti.
that a disciple teaches Dhamma in the presence of the Teacher.
Tena hi tvaṁ, brāhmaṇa, bhiyyoso mattāya brahmānañca brahmaparisañca brahmapārisajje ca saṁvejehī’ti.
Well then, brahmin, stir them up even more!’
‘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.
‘Yes, sir,’ replied Abhibhū. Then he taught Dhamma with his body visible; with his body invisible; with the lower half visible and the upper half invisible; and with the upper half visible and the lower half invisible.
Tatra sudaṁ, bhikkhave, brahmā ca brahmaparisā ca brahmapārisajjā ca acchariyabbhutacittajātā ahesuṁ:
And the Divinity, his assembly, and his retinue, their minds full of wonder and amazement, thought,
‘acchariyaṁ vata bho, abbhutaṁ vata bho, samaṇassa mahiddhikatā mahānubhāvatā’ti.
‘Oh lord, how incredible, how amazing! The ascetic has such psychic power and might!’
Atha kho abhibhū bhikkhu sikhiṁ bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ etadavoca:
Then Abhibhū said to the Buddha Sikhī,
‘abhijānāmi khvāhaṁ, bhante, bhikkhusaṅghassa majjhe evarūpiṁ vācaṁ bhāsitā—
‘Sir, I recall having said this in the middle of the Saṅgha:
pahomi khvāhaṁ, āvuso, brahmaloke ṭhito sahassilokadhātuṁ sarena viññāpetun’ti.
“Standing in the realm of divinity, I can make my voice heard throughout the thousandfold galaxy.”’
‘Etassa, brāhmaṇa, kālo, etassa, brāhmaṇa, kālo;
‘Now is the time, brahmin! Now is the time, brahmin!
yaṁ tvaṁ, brāhmaṇa, brahmaloke ṭhito sahassilokadhātuṁ sarena viññāpeyyāsī’ti.
Standing in the realm of divinity, make your voice heard throughout the thousandfold galaxy.’
‘Evaṁ, bhante’ti kho, bhikkhave, abhibhū bhikkhu sikhissa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa paṭissutvā brahmaloke ṭhito imā gāthāyo abhāsi:
‘Yes, sir,’ replied Abhibhū. Standing in the realm of divinity, he recited this verse:
‘Ārambhatha nikkamatha,
‘Rouse yourselves! Try harder!
Yuñjatha buddhasāsane; Devote yourselves to the teachings of the Buddha!
Dhunātha maccuno senaṁ, Crush the army of Death,
Naḷāgāraṁva kuñjaro. as an elephant a hut of reeds.
Yo imasmiṁ dhammavinaye, Whoever shall meditate diligently
appamatto vihassati; in this teaching and training,
Pahāya jātisaṁsāraṁ, giving up transmigration through rebirths,
dukkhassantaṁ karissatī’ti. will make an end of suffering.’
Atha kho, bhikkhave, sikhī ca bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho abhibhū ca bhikkhu brahmānañca brahmaparisañca brahmapārisajje ca saṁvejetvā—
Having inspired that Divinity, his assembly, and his retinue with a sense of awe,
seyyathāpi nāma …pe… tasmiṁ brahmaloke antarahitā aruṇavatiyā rājadhāniyā pāturahesuṁ.
as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, Sikhī and Abhibhū vanished from that realm of divinity and appeared in Aruṇavatī.
Atha kho, bhikkhave, sikhī bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho bhikkhū āmantesi:
Then the Buddha Sikhī addressed the mendicants,
‘assuttha no tumhe, bhikkhave, abhibhussa bhikkhuno brahmaloke ṭhitassa gāthāyo bhāsamānassā’ti?
‘Mendicants, did you hear the mendicant Abhibhū speaking a verse while standing in a realm of divinity?’
‘Assumha kho mayaṁ, bhante, abhibhussa bhikkhuno brahmaloke ṭhitassa gāthāyo bhāsamānassā’ti.
‘We did, sir.’
‘Yathā kathaṁ pana tumhe, bhikkhave, assuttha abhibhussa bhikkhuno brahmaloke ṭhitassa gāthāyo bhāsamānassā’ti?
‘But what exactly did you hear?’
Evaṁ kho mayaṁ, bhante, assumha abhibhussa bhikkhuno brahmaloke ṭhitassa gāthāyo bhāsamānassa:
‘This is what we heard, sir:
‘Ārambhatha nikkamatha, “Rouse yourselves! Try harder!
yuñjatha buddhasāsane; Devote yourselves to the teachings of the Buddha!
Dhunātha maccuno senaṁ, Crush the army of Death,
naḷāgāraṁva kuñjaro. as an elephant a hut of reeds.
Yo imasmiṁ dhammavinaye, Whoever shall meditate diligently
appamatto vihassati; in this teaching and training,
Pahāya jātisaṁsāraṁ, giving up transmigration through rebirths,
dukkhassantaṁ karissatī’ti. will make an end of suffering.”
‘Evaṁ kho mayaṁ, bhante, assumha abhibhussa bhikkhuno brahmaloke ṭhitassa gāthāyo bhāsamānassā’ti.
That’s what we heard, sir.’
‘Sādhu sādhu, bhikkhave;
‘Good, good, mendicants!
sādhu kho tumhe, bhikkhave, assuttha abhibhussa bhikkhuno brahmaloke ṭhitassa gāthāyo bhāsamānassā’”ti.
It’s good that you heard the mendicant Abhibhū speaking this verse while standing in a realm of divinity.’”
Idamavoca bhagavā, attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.
That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said.
