Brahmalokasutta
The Negligent Divinity
Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā divāvihāragato hoti paṭisallīno.
Now at that time the Buddha had gone into retreat for the day’s meditation.
Atha kho subrahmā ca paccekabrahmā suddhāvāso ca paccekabrahmā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā paccekaṁ dvārabāhaṁ upanissāya aṭṭhaṁsu. Atha kho subrahmā paccekabrahmā suddhāvāsaṁ paccekabrahmānaṁ etadavoca:
Then the independent divinities Subrahmā and Suddhāvāsa went to the Buddha and stationed themselves one by each door-post. But Subrahmā said to Suddhāvāsa,
“akālo kho tāva, mārisa, bhagavantaṁ payirupāsituṁ;
“Good fellow, it’s the wrong time to pay homage to the Buddha.
divāvihāragato bhagavā paṭisallīno ca.
He has gone into retreat for the day’s meditation.
Asuko ca brahmaloko iddho ceva phīto ca, brahmā ca tatra pamādavihāraṁ viharati.
But such and such realm of divinity is successful and prosperous, while the divinity living there is negligent.
Āyāma, mārisa, yena so brahmaloko tenupasaṅkamissāma; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ brahmānaṁ saṁvejeyyāmā”ti.
Come, let’s go to that realm of divinity and inspire awe in that Divinity!”
“Evaṁ, mārisā”ti kho suddhāvāso paccekabrahmā subrahmuno paccekabrahmuno paccassosi.
“Yes, good fellow,” replied Suddhāvāsa.
Atha kho subrahmā ca paccekabrahmā suddhāvāso ca paccekabrahmā—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso …pe… evameva—bhagavato purato antarahitā tasmiṁ brahmaloke pāturahesuṁ.
Then, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, they vanished from in front of the Buddha and appeared in that realm of divinity.
Addasā kho so brahmā te brahmāno dūratova āgacchante. Disvāna te brahmāno etadavoca:
That divinity saw those divinities coming off in the distance and said to them,
“handa kuto nu tumhe, mārisā, āgacchathā”ti?
“Well now, good fellows, where have you come from?”
“Āgatā kho mayaṁ, mārisa, amha tassa bhagavato santikā arahato sammāsambuddhassa.
“Good good fellow, we’ve come from the presence of the Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha.
Gaccheyyāsi pana tvaṁ, mārisa, tassa bhagavato upaṭṭhānaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassā”ti?
Shouldn’t you go to attend on that Blessed One?”
Evaṁ vutto, kho so brahmā taṁ vacanaṁ anadhivāsento sahassakkhattuṁ attānaṁ abhinimminitvā subrahmānaṁ paccekabrahmānaṁ etadavoca:
When they had spoken, that divinity refused to accept their advice. He multiplied himself a thousand times and said to Subrahmā,
“passasi me no tvaṁ, mārisa, evarūpaṁ iddhānubhāvan”ti?
“Good fellow, can’t you see that I have such psychic power?”
“Passāmi kho tyāhaṁ, mārisa, evarūpaṁ iddhānubhāvan”ti.
“I see that, good fellow.”
“So khvāhaṁ, mārisa, evaṁmahiddhiko evaṁmahānubhāvo kassa aññassa samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā upaṭṭhānaṁ gamissāmī”ti?
“Since I have such psychic power and might, what other ascetic or brahmin should I go to and attend upon?”
Atha kho subrahmā paccekabrahmā dvisahassakkhattuṁ attānaṁ abhinimminitvā taṁ brahmānaṁ etadavoca:
Then Subrahmā multiplied himself two thousand times and said to that Divinity,
“passasi me no tvaṁ, mārisa, evarūpaṁ iddhānubhāvan”ti?
“Good fellow, can’t you see that I have such psychic power?”
“Passāmi kho tyāhaṁ, mārisa, evarūpaṁ iddhānubhāvan”ti.
“I see that, good fellow.”
“Tayā ca kho, mārisa, mayā ca sveva bhagavā mahiddhikataro ceva mahānubhāvataro ca.
“That Buddha has even more psychic power and might than you or me.
Gaccheyyāsi tvaṁ, mārisa, tassa bhagavato upaṭṭhānaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassā”ti?
Shouldn’t you go to attend on that Blessed One?”
Atha kho so brahmā subrahmānaṁ paccekabrahmānaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:
Then that divinity addressed Subrahmā in verse:
“Tayo supaṇṇā caturo ca haṁsā, “There are three hundreds of phoenixes,
four of swans, and five of eagles. Byagghīnisā pañcasatā ca jhāyino; This palace belongs to him who practiced absorption.
Tayidaṁ vimānaṁ jalate ca brahme,
It shines, Divinity,
Obhāsayaṁ uttarassaṁ disāyan”ti. lighting up the northern quarter!”
“Kiñcāpi te taṁ jalate vimānaṁ, “So what if your palace shines,
Obhāsayaṁ uttarassaṁ disāyaṁ; lighting up the northern quarter?
Rūpe raṇaṁ disvā sadā pavedhitaṁ, A clever person who has seen the deficiency in form,
Tasmā na rūpe ramatī sumedho”ti. its chronic trembling, takes no pleasure in it.”
Atha kho subrahmā ca paccekabrahmā suddhāvāso ca paccekabrahmā taṁ brahmānaṁ saṁvejetvā tatthevantaradhāyiṁsu.
Then after inspiring awe in that divinity, the independent divinities Subrahmā and Suddhāvāsa vanished right there.
Agamāsi ca kho so brahmā aparena samayena bhagavato upaṭṭhānaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassāti.
And after some time that divinity went to attend on the Buddha.
