7: The Book of the Sevens
VII. The Great Chapter — AN 7.69: The Shady Orchid Tree
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhante Sujato. (More copyright information)
1“Mendicants, when the leaves on the Shady Orchid Tree belonging to the Gods of the Thirty-Three turn brown, the gods are elated. They think: ‘Now the leaves on the Shady Orchid Tree have turned brown! It won’t be long until they fall.’
2When the leaves have fallen, the gods are elated. They think: ‘Now the leaves on the Shady Orchid Tree have fallen. It won’t be long until its foliage starts to regrow.’
3When the foliage starts to regrow, the gods are elated. They think: ‘Now the foliage of the Shady Orchid Tree has started to regrow. It won’t be long until it’s ready to grow flowers and leaves separately.’
4When it’s ready to grow flowers and leaves separately, the gods are elated. They think: ‘Now the Shady Orchid Tree is ready to grow flowers and leaves separately. It won’t be long until buds start to form.’
5When the buds start to form, the gods are elated. They think: ‘Now the buds of the Shady Orchid Tree have started to form. It won’t be long until the buds burst.’
6When the buds have burst, the gods are elated. They think: ‘Now the buds of the Shady Orchid Tree have burst. It won’t be long until it fully blossoms.’
7When the Shady Orchid Tree of the Gods of the Thirty-Three has fully blossomed, the gods are elated. For four heavenly months they amused themselves at the root of the tree, supplied and provided with the five kinds of sensual stimulation.
8When the Shady Orchid Tree has fully blossomed, its radiance spreads for fifty leagues, while its fragrance wafts for a hundred leagues. Such is the majesty of the Shady Orchid Tree.
9In the same way, when a noble disciple plans to go forth from the lay life to homelessness, they’re like the Shady Orchid Tree when its leaves turn brown.
10When a noble disciple shaves off their hair and beard, dresses in ocher robes, and goes forth from the lay life to homelessness, they’re like the Shady Orchid Tree when its leaves fall.
11When a noble disciple, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected, they’re like the Shady Orchid Tree when its foliage starts to regrow.
12When, as the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, a noble disciple enters and remains in the second absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of immersion, with internal clarity and confidence, and unified mind, without placing the mind and keeping it connected, they’re like the Shady Orchid Tree when it’s ready to grow flowers and leaves separately.
13When, with the fading away of rapture, a noble disciple enters and remains in the third absorption, where they meditate with equanimity, mindful and aware, personally experiencing the bliss of which the noble ones declare, ‘Equanimous and mindful, one meditates in bliss’, they’re like the Shady Orchid Tree when its buds start to form.
14When, giving up pleasure and pain, and ending former happiness and sadness, a noble disciple enters and remains in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness, they’re like the Shady Orchid Tree when its buds burst.
15When a noble disciple realizes the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life, and they live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements, they’re like the Shady Orchid tree when it fully blossoms.
16At that time the earth gods raised the cry: ‘This venerable named so-and-so, from such-and-such village or town, the pupil of the venerable named so-and-so, went forth from the lay life to homelessness. They’ve realized the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. And they live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements.’
Hearing the cry of the Earth Gods, the Gods of the Four Great Kings … the Gods of the Thirty-Three … the Gods of Yama … the Joyful Gods … the Gods Who Love to Create … the Gods Who Control the Creations of Others … the Gods of Brahmā’s Host raised the cry: ‘This venerable named so-and-so, from such-and-such village or town, the pupil of the venerable named so-and-so, went forth from the lay life to homelessness. They’ve realized the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. And they live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements.’ And so in a moment, in an instant, the sound soared up to the Brahmā realm.”
1"Yasmiṁ, bhikkhave, samaye devānaṁ tāvatiṁsānaṁ pāricchattako koviḷāro paṇḍupalāso hoti, attamanā, bhikkhave, devā tāvatiṁsā tasmiṁ samaye honti: ‘paṇḍupalāso dāni pāricchattako koviḷāro nacirasseva dāni pannapalāso bhavissatī’ti. (1)
2Yasmiṁ, bhikkhave, samaye devānaṁ tāvatiṁsānaṁ pāricchattako koviḷāro pannapalāso hoti, attamanā, bhikkhave, devā tāvatiṁsā tasmiṁ samaye honti: ‘pannapalāso dāni pāricchattako koviḷāro nacirasseva dāni jālakajāto bhavissatī’ti. (2)
3Yasmiṁ, bhikkhave, samaye devānaṁ tāvatiṁsānaṁ pāricchattako koviḷāro jālakajāto hoti, attamanā, bhikkhave, devā tāvatiṁsā tasmiṁ samaye honti: ‘jālakajāto dāni pāricchattako koviḷāro nacirasseva dāni khārakajāto bhavissatī’ti. (3)
4Yasmiṁ, bhikkhave, samaye devānaṁ tāvatiṁsānaṁ pāricchattako koviḷāro khārakajāto hoti, attamanā, bhikkhave, devā tāvatiṁsā tasmiṁ samaye honti: ‘khārakajāto dāni pāricchattako koviḷāro nacirasseva dāni kuṭumalakajāto bhavissatī’ti. (4)
5Yasmiṁ, bhikkhave, samaye devānaṁ tāvatiṁsānaṁ pāricchattako koviḷāro kuṭumalakajāto hoti, attamanā, bhikkhave, devā tāvatiṁsā tasmiṁ samaye honti: ‘kuṭumalakajāto dāni pāricchattako koviḷāro nacirasseva dāni korakajāto bhavissatī’ti. (5)
6Yasmiṁ, bhikkhave, samaye devānaṁ tāvatiṁsānaṁ pāricchattako koviḷāro korakajāto hoti, attamanā, bhikkhave, devā tāvatiṁsā tasmiṁ samaye honti: ‘korakajāto dāni pāricchattako koviḷāro nacirasseva dāni sabbaphāliphullo bhavissatī’ti. (6)
7Yasmiṁ, bhikkhave, samaye devānaṁ tāvatiṁsānaṁ pāricchattako koviḷāro sabbaphāliphullo hoti, attamanā, bhikkhave, devā tāvatiṁsā pāricchattakassa koviḷārassa mūle dibbe cattāro māse pañcahi kāmaguṇehi samappitā samaṅgībhūtā paricārenti. (7)
8Sabbaphāliphullassa kho pana, bhikkhave, pāricchattakassa koviḷārassa samantā paññāsayojanāni ābhāya phuṭaṁ hoti, anuvātaṁ yojanasataṁ gandho gacchati, ayamānubhāvo pāricchattakassa koviḷārassa.
9Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, yasmiṁ samaye ariyasāvako agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajjāya ceteti, paṇḍupalāso, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako tasmiṁ samaye hoti devānaṁva tāvatiṁsānaṁ pāricchattako koviḷāro. (1)
10Yasmiṁ, bhikkhave, samaye ariyasāvako kesamassuṁ ohāretvā kāsāyāni vatthāni acchādetvā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti, pannapalāso, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako tasmiṁ samaye hoti devānaṁva tāvatiṁsānaṁ pāricchattako koviḷāro. (2)
11Yasmiṁ, bhikkhave, samaye ariyasāvako vivicceva kāmehi … pe … paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati, jālakajāto, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako tasmiṁ samaye hoti devānaṁva tāvatiṁsānaṁ pāricchattako koviḷāro. (3)
12Yasmiṁ, bhikkhave, samaye ariyasāvako vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā … pe … dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati, khārakajāto, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako tasmiṁ samaye hoti devānaṁva tāvatiṁsānaṁ pāricchattako koviḷāro. (4)
13Yasmiṁ, bhikkhave, samaye ariyasāvako pītiyā ca virāgā … pe … tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati, kuṭumalakajāto, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako tasmiṁ samaye hoti devānaṁva tāvatiṁsānaṁ pāricchattako koviḷāro. (5)
14Yasmiṁ, bhikkhave, samaye ariyasāvako sukhassa ca pahānā dukkhassa ca pahānā … pe … catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati, korakajāto, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako tasmiṁ samaye hoti devānaṁva tāvatiṁsānaṁ pāricchattako koviḷāro. (6)
15Yasmiṁ, bhikkhave, samaye ariyasāvako āsavānaṁ khayā … pe … sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati, sabbaphāliphullo, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako tasmiṁ samaye hoti devānaṁva tāvatiṁsānaṁ pāricchattako koviḷāro. (7)
16Tasmiṁ, bhikkhave, samaye bhummā devā saddamanussāventi: ‘eso itthannāmo āyasmā itthannāmassa āyasmato saddhivihāriko amukamhā gāmā vā nigamā vā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharatī’ti.
Bhummānaṁ devānaṁ saddaṁ sutvā cātumahārājikā devā … pe … tāvatiṁsā devā … yāmā devā … tusitā devā … nimmānaratī devā … paranimmitavasavattī devā … brahmakāyikā devā saddamanussāventi: ‘eso itthannāmo āyasmā itthannāmassa āyasmato saddhivihāriko amukamhā gāmā vā nigamā vā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharatī’ti. Itiha tena khaṇena tena muhuttena yāva brahmalokā saddo abbhuggacchati, ayamānubhāvo khīṇāsavassa bhikkhuno"ti.
Pañcamaṁ.