Atha kho bhagavā sattāhassa accayena tamhā samādhimhā vuṭṭhahitvā rājāyatanamūlā yena ajapālanigrodho tenupasaṅkami. Tatra sudaṁ bhagavā ajapālanigrodhamūle viharati.
Then, at the end of those seven days, the Blessed One emerged from that perfect peace of mind and went from the foot of the Rājāyatana tree to the goatherd’s banyan. There the Blessed One stayed at the foot of the goatherd’s banyan.
Atha kho bhagavato rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi— “adhigato kho myāyaṁ dhammo gambhīro duddaso duranubodho santo paṇīto atakkāvacaro nipuṇo paṇḍitavedanīyo. Ālayarāmā kho panāyaṁ pajā ālayaratā ālayasammuditā. Ālayarāmāya kho pana pajāya ālayaratāya ālayasammuditāya duddasaṁ idaṁ ṭhānaṁ yadidaṁ idappaccayatāpaṭiccasamuppādo; idampi kho ṭhānaṁ sududdasaṁ yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhākkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānaṁ. Ahañceva kho pana dhammaṁ deseyyaṁ, pare ca me na ājāneyyuṁ, so mamassa kilamatho, sā mamassa vihesā”ti.
Then, while the Blessed One was alone in seclusion, this reflection arose in his mind: “The Dhamma I have attained is profound, hard to perceive, difficult to comprehend, tranquil, sublime, beyond the realm of conjecture, subtle, to be experienced by the wise. But this generation delights in attachment, is devoted to attachment, and is pleased with attachment. For a generation that delights in attachment, is devoted to attachment and is pleased with attachment, this fact is difficult to see, that is, the general law of conditionality and dependent co-arising. And this fact too is very difficult to see, that is, the stilling of all intentional constructs, the relinquishing of all acquisitions, wearing away of craving, fading of desire, cessation, Nibbāna. If I were to teach the Dhamma and others did not understand me, that would be wearying for me, that would be troublesome for me.”
Apissu bhagavantaṁ imā anacchariyā gāthāyo paṭibhaṁsu pubbe assutapubbā—
Then these verses, never heard before, spontaneously occurred to the Blessed One:
“Kicchena me adhigataṁ,
halaṁ dāni pakāsituṁ;
Rāgadosaparetehi,
nāyaṁ dhammo susambudho.
Paṭisotagāmiṁ nipuṇaṁ,
gambhīraṁ duddasaṁ aṇuṁ;
Rāgarattā na dakkhanti,
tamokhandhena āvuṭā”ti.
“With difficulty I have attained this,
there is no need to now teach;
For those overwhelmed by craving and aversion,
this Dhamma is not easily understood —
Against the [worldly] flow, refined,
profound, hard to perceive, and subtle;
Those delighting in passion will not see,
veiled as they are by the mountain of ignorance.”
Itiha bhagavato paṭisañcikkhato appossukkatāya cittaṁ namati, no dhammadesanāya. Atha kho brahmuno sahampatissa bhagavato cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya etadahosi— “nassati vata bho loko, vinassati vata bho loko, yatra hi nāma tathāgatassa arahato sammāsambuddhassa appossukkatāya cittaṁ namati, no dhammadesanāyā”ti.
As the Blessed One reflected thus, his mind inclined toward being unconcerned, not toward teaching the Dhamma. Then Brahmā Sahampati, perceiving with his own mind the chain of thought in the Blessed One’s mind, thought: “The world is lost, truly, the world is utterly lost, in that the mind of the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the perfectly Awakened One, inclines toward being unconcerned and not toward teaching the Dhamma.”
Atha kho brahmā sahampati—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evameva—brahmaloke antarahito bhagavato purato pāturahosi.
Then, just as easily as a strong man might extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm, Brahmā Sahampati disappeared from the Brahmā world and appeared in front of the Blessed One.
Atha kho brahmā sahampati ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā dakkhiṇajāṇumaṇḍalaṁ pathaviyaṁ nihantvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca— “desetu, bhante, bhagavā dhammaṁ, desetu sugato dhammaṁ. Santi sattā apparajakkhajātikā, assavanatā dhammassa parihāyanti, bhavissanti dhammassa aññātāro”ti.
Then Brahmā Sahampati arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, placed his right knee on the ground, and raised his hands in reverence toward the Blessed One, and said: “Venerable sir, may the Blessed One teach the Dhamma, may the Accomplished One teach the Dhamma. There are beings with little dust in their eyes who are suffering loss from not hearing the Dhamma. There will be those who understand the Dhamma.”
Idamavoca brahmā sahampati, idaṁ vatvāna athāparaṁ etadavoca—
Brahmā Sahampati said this. Having said this, he added further:
“Pāturahosi magadhesu pubbe,
Dhammo asuddho samalehi cintito;
Apāpuretaṁ amatassa dvāraṁ,
Suṇantu dhammaṁ vimalenānubuddhaṁ.
Sele yathā pabbatamuddhaniṭṭhito,
Yathāpi passe janataṁ samantato;
Tathūpamaṁ dhammamayaṁ sumedha,
Pāsādamāruyha samantacakkhu;
Sokāvatiṇṇaṁ janatamapetasoko,
Avekkhassu jātijarābhibhūtaṁ.
Uṭṭhehi vīra vijitasaṅgāma,
Satthavāha aṇaṇa vicara loke;
Desassu bhagavā dhammaṁ,
Aññātāro bhavissantī”ti.
“In Magadha, there has appeared in times past
an impure teaching, devised by the defiled;
open the door to the deathless!
Let them hear the Dhamma that the Unblemished One has discovered.
Just as one who stands on a mountain peak
can see below the people all around;
so too, O wise one, bearer of the Dhamma,
ascend the palace of wisdom, all-seeing one;
let the Sorrowless One survey the world
engulfed in sorrow, overcome by birth and old age.
Arise, hero! Victor in battle,
leader of the caravan, debtless one;
wander in the world, Blessed One, teach the Dhamma,
there will be those who will understand.”
Evaṁ vutte, bhagavā brahmānaṁ sahampatiṁ etadavoca— “mayhampi kho, brahme, etadahosi— ‘adhigato kho myāyaṁ dhammo gambhīro duddaso duranubodho santo paṇīto atakkāvacaro nipuṇo paṇḍitavedanīyo. Ālayarāmā kho panāyaṁ pajā ālayaratā ālayasammuditā. Ālayarāmāya kho pana pajāya ālayaratāya ālayasammuditāya duddasaṁ idaṁ ṭhānaṁ yadidaṁ idappaccayatāpaṭiccasamuppādo; idampi kho ṭhānaṁ sududdasaṁ yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhākkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānaṁ. Ahañceva kho pana dhammaṁ deseyyaṁ, pare ca me na ājāneyyuṁ, so mamassa kilamatho, sā mamassa vihesā’ti. Apissu maṁ, brahme, imā anacchariyā gāthāyo paṭibhaṁsu pubbe assutapubbā— ‘Kicchena me adhigataṁ, halaṁ dāni pakāsituṁ; Rāgadosaparetehi, nāyaṁ dhammo susambudho. Paṭisotagāmiṁ nipuṇaṁ, gambhīraṁ duddasaṁ aṇuṁ; Rāgarattā na dakkhanti, tamokhandhena āvuṭā’ti. Itiha me, brahme, paṭisañcikkhato appossukkatāya cittaṁ namati no dhammadesanāyā”ti.
When this was said, the Blessed One said to Brahmā Sahampati: “It occurred to me too, Brahmā: ‘The Dhamma I have attained is profound, hard to perceive, difficult to comprehend, tranquil, sublime, beyond the realm of conjecture, subtle, to be experienced by the wise. But this generation delights in attachment, is devoted to attachment, and is pleased with attachment. For a generation that delights in attachment, is devoted to attachment and is pleased with attachment, this fact is difficult to see, that is, the general law of conditionality and dependent co-arising. And this fact too is very difficult to see, that is, the stilling of all intentional constructs, the relinquishing of all acquisitions, the wearing away of craving, fading of desire, cessation, Nibbāna. If I were to teach the Dhamma and others did not understand me, that would be wearying for me, that would be troublesome for me.’ And these verses, never heard before, spontaneously occurred to me, Brahmā: ‘With difficulty I have attained this,
there is no need to now teach;
For those overwhelmed by craving and aversion,
this Dhamma is not easily understood —
Against the [worldly] flow, refined,
profound, hard to perceive, and subtle;
Those delighting in passion will not see,
veiled as they are by the mountain of ignorance.’
As I reflected thus, Brahmā, my mind inclined toward being unconcerned, not toward teaching the Dhamma.”
Dutiyampi kho brahmā sahampati bhagavantaṁ etadavoca— “desetu, bhante, bhagavā dhammaṁ, desetu sugato dhammaṁ; santi sattā apparajakkhajātikā, assavanatā dhammassa parihāyanti, bhavissanti dhammassa aññātāro”ti. Idamavoca brahmā sahampati, idaṁ vatvāna athāparaṁ etadavoca— “Pāturahosi magadhesu pubbe, Dhammo asuddho samalehi cintito; Apāpuretaṁ amatassa dvāraṁ, Suṇantu dhammaṁ vimalenānubuddhaṁ. Sele yathā pabbatamuddhaniṭṭhito, Yathāpi passe janataṁ samantato; Tathūpamaṁ dhammamayaṁ sumedha, Pāsādamāruyha samantacakkhu; Sokāvatiṇṇaṁ janatamapetasoko, Avekkhassu jātijarābhibhūtaṁ. Uṭṭhehi vīra vijitasaṅgāma, Satthavāha aṇaṇa vicara loke; Desassu bhagavā dhammaṁ, Aññātāro bhavissantī”ti. Dutiyampi kho bhagavā brahmānaṁ sahampatiṁ etadavoca— “mayhampi kho, brahme, etadahosi— ‘adhigato kho myāyaṁ dhammo gambhīro duddaso duranubodho santo paṇīto atakkāvacaro nipuṇo paṇḍitavedanīyo. Ālayarāmā kho panāyaṁ pajā ālayaratā ālayasammuditā. Ālayarāmāya kho pana pajāya ālayaratāya ālayasammuditāya duddasaṁ idaṁ ṭhānaṁ yadidaṁ idappaccayatāpaṭiccasamuppādo; idampi kho ṭhānaṁ sududdasaṁ yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhākkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānaṁ. Ahañceva kho pana dhammaṁ deseyyaṁ, pare ca me na ājāneyyuṁ, so mamassa kilamatho, sā mamassa vihesā’ti. Apissu maṁ, brahme, imā anacchariyā gāthāyo paṭibhaṁsu pubbe assutapubbā— ‘Kicchena me adhigataṁ, halaṁ dāni pakāsituṁ; Rāgadosaparetehi, nāyaṁ dhammo susambudho. Paṭisotagāmiṁ nipuṇaṁ, gambhīraṁ duddasaṁ aṇuṁ; Rāgarattā na dakkhanti, tamokhandhena āvuṭā’ti. Itiha me, brahme, paṭisañcikkhato appossukkatāya cittaṁ namati, no dhammadesanāyā”ti. Tatiyampi kho brahmā sahampati bhagavantaṁ etadavoca— “desetu, bhante, bhagavā dhammaṁ, desetu sugato dhammaṁ. Santi sattā apparajakkhajātikā, assavanatā dhammassa parihāyanti, bhavissanti dhammassa aññātāro”ti. Idamavoca brahmā sahampati, idaṁ vatvāna athāparaṁ etadavoca— “Pāturahosi magadhesu pubbe, Dhammo asuddho samalehi cintito; Apāpuretaṁ amatassa dvāraṁ, Suṇantu dhammaṁ vimalenānubuddhaṁ. Sele yathā pabbatamuddhaniṭṭhito, Yathāpi passe janataṁ samantato; Tathūpamaṁ dhammamayaṁ sumedha, Pāsādamāruyha samantacakkhu; Sokāvatiṇṇaṁ janatamapetasoko, Avekkhassu jātijarābhibhūtaṁ. Uṭṭhehi vīra vijitasaṅgāma, Satthavāha aṇaṇa vicara loke; Desassu bhagavā dhammaṁ, Aññātāro bhavissantī”ti.
A second time Brahmā Sahampati made the same request and spoke the same verses, and a second time the Blessed One gave the same reply. A third time Brahmā Sahampati said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, may the Blessed One teach the Dhamma. May the Accomplished One teach the Dhamma. There are beings with little dust in their eyes who are suffering loss from not hearing the Dhamma. There will be those who understand the Dhamma.” And a third time he spoke the same verses.
Atha kho bhagavā brahmuno ca ajjhesanaṁ viditvā sattesu ca kāruññataṁ paṭicca buddhacakkhunā lokaṁ volokesi.
Then the Blessed One, knowing Brahmā’s request and out of compassion for beings, surveyed the world with the Buddha’s eye.
Addasā kho bhagavā buddhacakkhunā lokaṁ volokento satte apparajakkhe mahārajakkhe tikkhindriye mudindriye svākāre dvākāre suviññāpaye duviññāpaye, appekacce paralokavajjabhayadassāvine viharante, appekacce na paralokavajjabhayadassāvine viharante. Seyyathāpi nāma uppaliniyaṁ vā paduminiyaṁ vā puṇḍarīkiniyaṁ vā appekaccāni uppalāni vā padumāni vā puṇḍarīkāni vā udake jātāni udake saṁvaḍḍhāni udakānuggatāni anto nimuggaposīni, appekaccāni uppalāni vā padumāni vā puṇḍarīkāni vā udake jātāni udake saṁvaḍḍhāni samodakaṁ ṭhitāni, appekaccāni uppalāni vā padumāni vā puṇḍarīkāni vā udake jātāni udake saṁvaḍḍhāni udakaṁ accuggamma ṭhitāni anupalittāni udakena; evamevaṁ bhagavā buddhacakkhunā lokaṁ volokento addasa satte apparajakkhe mahārajakkhe tikkhindriye mudindriye svākāre dvākāre suviññāpaye duviññāpaye, appekacce paralokavajjabhayadassāvine viharante, appekacce na paralokavajjabhayadassāvine viharante;
Surveying the world with the Buddha’s eye, the Blessed One saw beings with little dust in their eyes and with much dust in their eyes, with sharp faculties and with dull faculties, with good qualities and with bad qualities, easy to instruct and difficult to instruct, some who dwelt seeing the problems and the dangers of the next world, and others who dwelt without seeing the problems and the dangers of the next world. Just as in a pond of blue or red or white lotuses, some lotuses that are born and grown in the water thrive immersed in the water without rising out of it, and some other lotuses that are born and grow in the water rest on the water’s surface, and some other lotuses that are born and grow in the water rise out of the water and stand clear, unsoiled by the water; so too, surveying the world with the Buddha’s eye, the Blessed One saw beings with little dust in their eyes and with much dust in their eyes, with sharp faculties and with dull faculties, with good qualities and with bad qualities, easy to instruct and difficult to instruct, some who dwelt seeing the problems and the dangers of the next world, and others who dwelt without seeing the problems and the dangers of the next world.
disvāna brahmānaṁ sahampatiṁ gāthāya paccabhāsi—
Having seen this, he replied to Brahmā Sahampati in verse:
“Apārutā tesaṁ amatassa dvārā,
Ye sotavanto pamuñcantu saddhaṁ;
Vihiṁsasaññī paguṇaṁ na bhāsiṁ,
Dhammaṁ paṇītaṁ manujesu brahme”ti.
“The doors to the deathless are open,
let those with ears now show their faith;
perceiving as troublesome, I did not speak, O Brahma!
the subtle and refined Dhamma to humankind.”
Atha kho brahmā sahampati— “katāvakāso khomhi bhagavatā dhammadesanāyā”ti bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyi.
Then Brahmā Sahampati, thinking, “The Blessed One has consented to my request that he teach the Dhamma,” paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated him keeping him on the right, and disappeared right there.