5: The Book of the Fives
XX. Brahmins — AN 5.196: The Great Dreams
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhante Sujato. (More copyright information)
1“Mendicants, before his awakening five great dreams appeared to the Realized One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha, when he was still not awake but intent on awakening. What five?
This great earth was his bed. Himalaya, king of mountains, was his pillow. His left hand was laid down in the eastern sea. His right hand was laid down in the western sea. And both his feet were laid down in the southern sea. This is the first great dream that appeared to the Realized One before his awakening.
2Next, a kind of grass called ‘the crosser’ grew up from his navel and stood pressing against the cloudy sky. This is the second great dream that appeared to the Realized One before his awakening.
3Next, white caterpillars with black heads crawled up from his feet and covered his knees. This is the third great dream that appeared to the Realized One before his awakening.
4Next, four birds of different colors came from the four directions. They fell at his feet, turning pure white. This is the fourth great dream that appeared to the Realized One before his awakening.
5Next, he walked back and forth on top of a huge mountain of filth while remaining unsoiled. This is the fifth great dream that appeared to the Realized One before his awakening.
6Now, as to when, before his awakening, the Realized One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha was still not awake but intent on awakening. This great earth was his bed. Himalaya, king of mountains, was his pillow. His left hand was laid down in the eastern sea. His right hand was laid down in the western sea. And both his feet were laid down in the southern sea. This was fulfilled when the Buddha awakened to the perfect awakening. This was the first great dream that appeared to him while he was still not awakened.
7As to when a kind of grass called ‘the crosser’ grew up from his navel and stood pressing against the cloudy sky. This was fulfilled when, after the Buddha had awakened to the noble eightfold path, it was well proclaimed wherever there are gods and humans. This was the second great dream that appeared to him while he was still not awakened.
8As to when white caterpillars with black heads crawled up from his feet and covered his knees. This was fulfilled when many white-clothed laypeople went for refuge to him for life. This was the third great dream that appeared to him while he was still not awakened.
9As to when four birds of different colors came from the four directions. They fell at his feet, turning pure white. This was fulfilled when members of the four castes — aristocrats, brahmins, merchants, and workers — went forth from the lay life to homelessness in the teaching and training proclaimed by the Realized One and realized supreme freedom. This was the fourth great dream that appeared to him while he was still not awakened.
10As to when he walked back and forth on top of a huge mountain of filth while remaining unsoiled. This was fulfilled when the Realized One received robes, alms-food, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. And he used them untied, uninfatuated, unattached, seeing the drawbacks, and understanding the escape. This was the fifth great dream that appeared to him while he was still not awakened.
11Before his awakening these five great dreams appeared to the Realized One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha, when he was still not awake but intent on awakening.”
1"Tathāgatassa, bhikkhave, arahato sammāsambuddhassa pubbeva sambodhā anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato pañca mahāsupinā pāturahesuṁ. Katame pañca?
Tathāgatassa, bhikkhave, arahato sammāsambuddhassa pubbeva sambodhā anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato ayaṁ mahāpathavī mahāsayanaṁ ahosi, himavā pabbatarājā bibbohanaṁ ahosi, puratthime samudde vāmo hattho ohito ahosi, pacchime samudde dakkhiṇo hattho ohito ahosi, dakkhiṇe samudde ubho pādā ohitā ahesuṁ. Tathāgatassa, bhikkhave, arahato sammāsambuddhassa pubbeva sambodhā anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato ayaṁ paṭhamo mahāsupino pāturahosi.
2Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, tathāgatassa arahato sammāsambuddhassa pubbeva sambodhā anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato tiriyā nāma tiṇajāti nābhiyā uggantvā nabhaṁ āhacca ṭhitā ahosi. Tathāgatassa, bhikkhave, arahato sammāsambuddhassa pubbeva sambodhā anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato ayaṁ dutiyo mahāsupino pāturahosi.
3Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, tathāgatassa arahato sammāsambuddhassa pubbeva sambodhā anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato setā kimī kaṇhasīsā pādehi ussakkitvā () yāva jāṇumaṇḍalā paṭicchādesuṁ. Tathāgatassa, bhikkhave, arahato sammāsambuddhassa pubbeva sambodhā anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato ayaṁ tatiyo mahāsupino pāturahosi.
4Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, tathāgatassa arahato sammāsambuddhassa pubbeva sambodhā anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato cattāro sakuṇā nānāvaṇṇā catūhi disāhi āgantvā pādamūle nipatitvā sabbasetā sampajjiṁsu. Tathāgatassa, bhikkhave, arahato sammāsambuddhassa pubbeva sambodhā anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato ayaṁ catuttho mahāsupino pāturahosi.
5Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, tathāgato arahaṁ sammāsambuddho pubbeva sambodhā anabhisambuddho bodhisattova samāno mahato mīḷhapabbatassa uparūpari caṅkamati alippamāno mīḷhena. Tathāgatassa, bhikkhave, arahato sammāsambuddhassa pubbeva sambodhā anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato ayaṁ pañcamo mahāsupino pāturahosi.
6Yampi, bhikkhave, tathāgatassa arahato sammāsambuddhassa pubbeva sambodhā anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato ayaṁ mahāpathavī mahāsayanaṁ ahosi, himavā pabbatarājā bibbohanaṁ ahosi, puratthime samudde vāmo hattho ohito ahosi, pacchime samudde dakkhiṇo hattho ohito ahosi, dakkhiṇe samudde ubho pādā ohitā ahesuṁ; tathāgatena, bhikkhave, arahatā sammāsambuddhena anuttarā sammāsambodhi abhisambuddhā. Tassā abhisambodhāya ayaṁ paṭhamo mahāsupino pāturahosi.
7Yampi, bhikkhave, tathāgatassa arahato sammāsambuddhassa pubbeva sambodhā anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato tiriyā nāma tiṇajāti nābhiyā uggantvā nabhaṁ āhacca ṭhitā ahosi; tathāgatena, bhikkhave, arahatā sammāsambuddhena ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo abhisambujjhitvā yāva devamanussehi suppakāsito. Tassa abhisambodhāya ayaṁ dutiyo mahāsupino pāturahosi.
8Yampi, bhikkhave, tathāgatassa arahato sammāsambuddhassa pubbeva sambodhā anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato setā kimī kaṇhasīsā pādehi ussakkitvā yāva jāṇumaṇḍalā paṭicchādesuṁ; bahū, bhikkhave, gihī odātavasanā tathāgataṁ pāṇupetā saraṇaṁ gatā. Tassa abhisambodhāya ayaṁ tatiyo mahāsupino pāturahosi.
9Yampi, bhikkhave, tathāgatassa arahato sammāsambuddhassa pubbeva sambodhā anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato cattāro sakuṇā nānāvaṇṇā catūhi disāhi āgantvā pādamūle nipatitvā sabbasetā sampajjiṁsu; cattārome, bhikkhave, vaṇṇā khattiyā brāhmaṇā vessā suddā te tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajitvā anuttaraṁ vimuttiṁ sacchikaronti. Tassa abhisambodhāya ayaṁ catuttho mahāsupino pāturahosi.
10Yampi, bhikkhave, tathāgato arahaṁ sammāsambuddho pubbeva sambodhā anabhisambuddho bodhisattova samāno mahato mīḷhapabbatassa uparūpari caṅkamati alippamāno mīḷhena; lābhī, bhikkhave, tathāgato cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānaṁ, taṁ tathāgato agathito amucchito anajjhosanno ādīnavadassāvī nissaraṇapañño paribhuñjati. Tassa abhisambodhāya ayaṁ pañcamo mahāsupino pāturahosi.
11Tathāgatassa, bhikkhave, arahato sammāsambuddhassa pubbeva sambodhā anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato ime pañca mahāsupinā pāturahesun"ti.
Chaṭṭhaṁ.