mn49:1.1So I have heard.This sutta is a unique fusion of high philosophy and cosmic drama, positing an unthinkable alliance between what in Christian terms would be called God and the Devil. Nonetheless, due to a plethora of textual difficulties and uncertain readings, caution in interpretation would be wise. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants!”

mn49:1.5“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

mn49:2.1“This one time, mendicants, I was staying near Ukkaṭṭhā, in the Subhaga Forest at the root of a magnificent sal tree.SN6.4, which otherwise opens with the same events, is simply set in Sāvatthī with no mention of Ukkaṭṭhā, which is the same setting as MN1, with which this sutta shares some themes. Both critique the sophisticated philosophy of the Kosalan brahmins, and hence are set in the town of their leader Pokkharasāti (DN3:1.2.1). Now at that time Baka the Divinity had the following harmful misconception:Baka maintains the same wrong view at SN6.4, where his past lives are revealed. The word baka means “stork” or “crane”. To search for a high divinity of this name in Brahmanism is to be disappointed, for instead we find a man-eating demon (rakṣasa) in bird form whose fate is to be slain by the hero Bhīma (or Kṛṣṇa). Pali stories tell of how the stork dozes peacefully as if meditating by the water, while in reality he is trying to fool fish into approaching so he can snatch them up (Jataka 38 and Jataka 236). A cunning, large, white, high-flying, predatory bird who fakes meditation is a fitting image for the antagonist of these suttas. ‘This is permanent, this is everlasting, this is eternal, this is whole, this is not liable to pass away. For this is where there’s no being born, growing old, dying, passing away, or being reborn. And there’s no other escape beyond this.’The use of the impersonal pronoun (idaṁ) to refer to the self as divinity is a characteristic Upaniṣadic idiom: “you are that” (tat tvam asi, Chāndogya Upaniṣad 6.8.7); “that self is divinity” (ayam ātmā brahma, Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad 1.2); “I am that” (so’ham asmi, Īśa Upaniṣad 16); “this is that self hidden in all” (eṣa ta ātmā sarvāntaraḥ, Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 3.4.1, etc.); “this, verily, is that” (etad vai tat, Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.1.5).
For idaṁ niccaṁ see eṣa nityo (Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 4.4.23); for idaṁ dhuvaṁ see etad apramayaṁ dhruvam (4.4.20).

mn49:3.1Then I knew what Baka the Divinity was thinking. As easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, I vanished from the Subhaga Forest and reappeared in that realm of divinity.

mn49:3.3Baka saw me coming off in the distance and said, ‘Come, good fellow! Welcome, good fellow!“Good fellow” (mārisa; Sanskrit mārṣa, māriṣa) is a special term of address used by deities and sometimes by kings. The term harks back to Sanskrit mādṛśa, “one like me”, in the sense of having a comparable status. It’s been a long time since you took the opportunity to come here. For this is permanent, this is everlasting, this is eternal, this is complete, this is not liable to pass away. For this is where there’s no being born, growing old, dying, passing away, or being reborn. And there’s no other escape beyond this.’

mn49:4.1When he had spoken, I said to him, ‘Oh lord, Baka the Divinity is lost in ignorance! Oh lord, Baka the Divinity is lost in ignorance! Because what is actually impermanent, not lasting, transient, incomplete, and liable to pass away, he says is permanent, everlasting, eternal, complete, and not liable to pass away. And where there is being born, growing old, dying, passing away, and being reborn, he says that there’s no being born, growing old, dying, passing away, or being reborn. And although there is another escape beyond this, he says that there’s no other escape beyond this.’

mn49:5.1Then Māra the Wicked took possession of a member of the retinue of Divinity and said this to me,From this point the text diverges from SN6.4. ‘Mendicant, mendicant! Don’t attack this one! Don’t attack this one! For this is the Divinity, the Great Divinity, the Vanquisher, the Unvanquished, the Universal Seer, the Wielder of Power, God Almighty, the Maker, the Creator, the First, the Begetter, the Controller, the Father of those who have been born and those yet to be born.Māra adopts the boast of Brahmā (DN1:2.5.1).
It is rare for the Buddha to be addressed as “mendicant” (bhikkhu) and it is probably meant in a slighting sense.

---

mn49:5.3There have been ascetics and brahmins before you, mendicant, who criticized and loathed earth, water, fire, air, creatures, gods, the Progenitor, and the Divinity.This is a summary of the items in MN1.
The “ascetics and brahmins” referred to here would include the ancient practitioners of movements such as Jainism, whose rejection of Vedism predates the Buddha. When their bodies broke up and their breath was cut off they were reborn in a lower realm.“With breath cut off” (pāṇupacchedā) is a unique idiom for death in Pali, but compare Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 1.5.14: prāṇaṁ na vicchindyāt; Atharvaveda 19.58.1c: prāṇo’chinno.

mn49:5.5There have been ascetics and brahmins before you, mendicant, who praised and approved earth, water, fire, air, creatures, gods, the Progenitor, and the Divinity.This would be the ancient sages revered in the Vedic tradition. When their bodies broke up and their breath was cut off they were reborn in a higher realm.

mn49:5.7So, mendicant, I tell you this: please, good fellow, do exactly what the Divinity says. Don’t go beyond the word of the Divinity. If you do, then you’ll end up like a person who, when approached by Lady Luck, would ward her off with a staff; or who, as they are falling over a cliff, would lose grip of the ground with their hands and feet.“Lady Luck” is Siri, later famed as goddess of fortune and prosperity. The same idiom recurs at Theragatha 8 verse 511. As to why someone would ward her off, Siri (Sanskrit śrī) is identified with Lakṣmī “the undeparting” (Śrī Sūkta 2, lakṣmīmanapagāminīm). Atharva Veda 7.115 opens with, “Fly away wicked Lakṣmī, vanish, fly hence”. Apparently 101 Lakṣmīs attach to a man when born, and the spell chases away the wicked (pāpi) while keeping the good (puṇya). In this case the Pali text does not draw directly from the Veda, as there is no close verbal parallel, and the Pali presents as irrational an action that makes good sense in the context of the Vedic passage. Rather, it would seem, the Pali draws from a more general cultural awareness.
For “falling over a cliff” see DN12:78.2. Please, good fellow, do exactly what the Divinity says. Don’t go beyond the word of the Divinity. Do you not see the assembly of the Divinity gathered here?’

---

mn49:5.12And so Māra the Wicked presented the assembly of the Divinity to me.

mn49:6.1When he had spoken, I said to Māra, ‘I know you, Wicked One. Do not think, “He does not know me.” You are Māra the Wicked. And the Divinity, the Divinity’s assembly, and the retinue of Divinity have all fallen into your hands; they’re under your sway.Normally Māra is believed to hold sway over all the sensual realms, while the jhānas (and their corresponding planes of rebirth) are beyond him (MN25:12.1). Here his reach goes even further, as even the Brahmā realms, while freed from sensuality, are not freed from the attachment to continued existence. And you think, “Maybe this one, too, has fallen into my hands; maybe he’s under my sway!” But I haven’t fallen into your hands; I’m not under your sway.’

mn49:7.1When I had spoken, Baka the Divinity said to me, ‘But, good fellow, what I say is permanent, everlasting, eternal, complete, and not liable to pass away is in fact permanent, everlasting, eternal, complete, and not liable to pass away. And where I say there’s no being born, growing old, dying, passing away, or being reborn there is in factOne of Māra’s talents is making people believe that his malign ideas are in fact their own. no being born, growing old, dying, passing away, or being reborn. And when I say there’s no other escape beyond this there is in fact no other escape beyond this. There have been ascetics and brahmins in the world before you, mendicant, whose deeds of fervent mortification lasted as long as your entire life.Note the use of kasiṇa in the sense “entire”. When there was another escape beyond this they knew it, and when there was no other escape beyond this, they knew it. So, mendicant, I tell you this: you will never find another escape beyond this, and you will eventually get weary and frustrated. If you attach to earth, you will lie close to me, in my domain, subject to my will, and expendable. If you attach to water … fire … air … creatures … gods … the Progenitor … the Divinity, you will lie close to me, in my domain, subject to my will, and expendable.’

mn49:8.1‘Divinity, I too know that if I attach to earth, I will lie close to you, in your domain, subject to your will, and expendable. If I attach to water … fire … air … creatures … gods … the Progenitor … the Divinity, I will lie close to you, in your domain, subject to your will, and expendable. And in addition, Divinity, I understand your range and your light:The measuring of a Brahmā by their “light” (juti) shows the close connection between divinity and the stars. “That’s how powerful is Baka the Divinity, how illustrious and mighty.”’

---

mn49:8.11‘But in what way do you understand my range and my light?’

---

---

mn49:9.9That’s how I understand your range and your light.

mn49:10.1But there are three other realms that you don’t know or see,MS reads añño kāyo (“another realm”), but the PTS and BJT reading aññe tayo kāyā is supported by the Chinese parallel (MA 78 at T i 548a28). Possibly this change was necessitated by the addition of a fourth realm below. but which I know and see.PTS and BJT have tyāhaṁ (= te ahaṁ), consistent with their plural reading, as opposed to MS’s singular tamahaṁ. This shows that this variation, which is not decided by the commentary, was a deliberate editorial choice. There is the realm named after the gods of streaming radiance. You passed away from there and were reborn here.Here ābhassarā is masculine plural, hence not an adjective of kāyo but a reference to the “gods” of that realm. MS is inconsistent in this point, for below we find subhakiṇho and vehapphalo as singular adjectives, where PTS and BJT consistently use the plural form. You’ve dwelt here so long that you’ve forgotten about that, so you don’t know it or see it.Brahmā also forgets his origins at DN1:2.5.1. But I know it and see it. So Divinity, I am not your equal in knowledge, let alone your inferior. Rather, I know more than you.

mn49:10.8There is the realm named after the gods of universal beauty … There is the realm named after the gods of abundant fruit, which you don’t know or see.MS adds a fourth class here, abhibhū (“the Vanquisher”), which is not supported by PTS or BJT, or the Chinese parallel. But I know it and see it. So Divinity, I am not your equal in knowledge, let alone your inferior. Rather, I know more than you.

mn49:11.1Since directly knowing earth as earth, and since directly knowing that which does not fall within the scope of experience characterized by earth, I have not become earth, I have not become in earth, I have not become as earth, I have not become one who thinks ‘earth is mine’, I have not affirmed earth.This difficult passage directly echoes MN1:3.3.
Anubhūta has its normal sense of “experiences”, “undergoes” (Therigatha 10 verse 220, more commonly paccanubhūta, eg. MN79:8.1, SN15.1). Commentary has appattaṁ, “not attained” (i.e. not within the scope of absorption).
That which “falls within the scope of experience characterized by earth” (yāvatā pathaviyā pathavattena ananubhūtaṁ) is sense experience and the four absorptions; that which does not fall in such a scope are the formless attainments and especially Nibbana.
For nāhosiṁ (prefer over MS nāpahosiṁ) the commentary glosses “grasps”. The sense is that he does not identify.
For abhivadati, compare Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 2.4.14, which says that so long as there is the appearance of duality, one sees, hears, smells, “speaks about” (abhivadati), “conceives” (manute), and “cognizes” (vijānāti) particulars. Notice that this employs abhivadati alongside manute, just as abhivadati in the Pali appears alongside where maññati appears in MN1:3.1. So Divinity, I am not your equal in knowledge, let alone your inferior. Rather, I know more than you.

mn49:12.1Since directly knowing water … fire … air … creatures … gods … the Progenitor … the Divinity … the gods of streaming radiance … the gods of universal beauty … the gods of abundant fruit … the Vanquisher … Since directly knowing all as all, and since directly knowing that which does not fall within the scope of experience characterized by all, I have not become all, I have not become in all, I have not become as all, I have not become one who thinks ‘all is mine’, I have not affirmed all.This whole passage seems designed to culminate with “experience characterized by all” (sabbassa sabbattena ananubhūtaṁ) in answer to Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 2.5.19, which says that “this self that experiences all is divinity” (ayam ātmā brahma sarvānubhūḥ). In surpassing even the “experience of all” the Buddha unequivocally asserts his superiority to the Upaniṣadic teaching. So Divinity, I am not your equal in knowledge, let alone your inferior. Rather, I know more than you.’

mn49:24.1‘Well, good fellow, if you have directly known that which does not fall within the scope of experience characterized by all, may that not be vacuous and hollow for you!The close -ti in MS edition indicates the end of Baka’s speech, but this is not found in PTS or BJT editions. If the close -ti is accepted here, then the next paragraph is spoken by the Buddha and it should also end with close -ti, but no edition has this. We would also expect the Buddha to use a vocative, but there is none. The only reading that is both coherent and attested is that Baka’s speech begins here and ends when he says he will vanish. This is supported by the Chinese parallel, which while lacking an exact equivalent, attributes a similar claim to Brahmā (MA 78 at T i 548b11).

mn49:25.1Consciousness where no form appears,These two lines, which appear to be an independent, free-floating expression of the Upaniṣadic view, are quoted at DN11:85.18. Baka is asserting that what the Buddha has described is none other than the domain of “infinite consciousness”, which is one of the highest attainments attributed to Brahmanical sages.
“Where no form appears” (anidassanaṁ) here is a synonym for “formless” (see eg. MN21:14.6, “space is formless and invisible”, ākāso arūpī anidassano). Normally the colors and images seen in the “form” absorptions are described as “visible” (eg. DN16:3.29.1), so this indicates the formless attainments.
infinite, luminous all-round.That is what does not fall within the scope of experience characterized by earth, water, fire, air, creatures, gods, the Progenitor, the Divinity, the gods of streaming radiance, the gods of universal beauty, the gods of abundant fruit, the Vanquisher, and the all.

---

mn49:26.1Well look now, good fellow, I will vanish from you!’

mn49:26.2‘All right, then, Divinity, vanish from me—if you can.’

mn49:26.3Then Baka the Divinity said, ‘I will vanish from the ascetic Gotama! I will vanish from the ascetic Gotama!’ But he was unable to vanish from me.Since he believes the dimension of infinite consciousness is that which the Buddha speaks of, he mistakenly assumes he has the power.

mn49:26.5So I said to him, ‘Well now, Divinity, I will vanish from you!’

mn49:26.7‘All right, then, good fellow, vanish from me—if you can.’

mn49:26.8Then I used my psychic power to will that my voice would extend so that Divinity, his assembly, and his retinue would hear me, but they would not see me.This is a dramatic expression of the philosophical gulf between the Buddha and Baka. Baka’s power manifests as “light”, whereas the Buddha demonstrates invisibility. And while vanished I recited this verse:

---

---

mn49:28.1Then the Divinity, his assembly, and his retinue, their minds full of wonder and amazement, thought, ‘Oh lord, how incredible, how amazing! The ascetic Gotama has such psychic power and might! We’ve never before seen or heard of any other ascetic or brahmin with psychic power and might like the ascetic Gotama, who has gone forth from the Sakyan clan. Though people enjoy continued existence, loving it so much, he has extracted it, root and all.’

mn49:29.1Then Māra the Wicked took possession of a member of the retinue of Divinity and said this to me, ‘If such is your understanding, good fellow, do not present it to your disciples or those gone forth!The verb upanesi here is used above at MN49:5.12 in the opposite case, where Māra “presents” Brahmā’s assembly to the Buddha. Do not teach this Dhamma to your disciples or those gone forth! Do not wish this for your disciples or those gone forth!

mn49:29.5There have been ascetics and brahmins before you, mendicant, who claimed to be perfected ones, fully awakened Buddhas. They presented, taught, and wished this for their disciples and those gone forth. When their bodies broke up and their breath was cut off they were reborn in a lower realm.

mn49:29.8But there have also been other ascetics and brahmins before you, mendicant, who claimed to be perfected ones, fully awakened Buddhas. They did not present, teach, or wish this for their disciples and those gone forth. When their bodies broke up and their breath was cut off they were reborn in a higher realm.

mn49:29.11So, mendicant, I tell you this: please, good fellow, remain passive, dwelling in blissful meditation in this life, for this is better left unsaid. Good fellow, do not instruct others.’

mn49:30.1When he had spoken, I said to Māra, ‘I know you, Wicked One. Do not think, “He doesn’t know me.” You are Māra the Wicked. You don’t speak to me like this out of sympathy, but with no sympathy. For you think, “Those who the ascetic Gotama teaches will go beyond my reach.”

mn49:30.9Those who formerly claimed to be fully awakened Buddhas were not in fact fully awakened Buddhas. But I am. The Realized One remains as such whether or not he teaches disciples. The Realized One remains as such whether or not he presents the teaching to disciples. Why is that? Because the Realized One has given up the defilements that are corrupting, leading to future lives, hurtful, resulting in suffering and future rebirth, old age, and death. He has cut them off at the root, made them like a palm stump, obliterated them so they are unable to arise in the future. Just as a palm tree with its crown cut off is incapable of further growth, the Realized One has given up the defilements that are corrupting, leading to future lives, hurtful, resulting in suffering and future rebirth, old age, and death. He has cut them off at the root, made them like a palm stump, obliterated them so they are unable to arise in the future.’”

mn49:31.1And so, because of the silencing of Māra, and because of the invitation of the Divinity, the name of this discussion is “On the Invitation of Divinity”.There is no record of Baka’s conversion.

1Evaṁ me sutaṁ — ​ ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: "bhikkhavo"ti.

"Bhadante"ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:

2"Ekamidāhaṁ, bhikkhave, samayaṁ ukkaṭṭhāyaṁ viharāmi subhagavane sālarājamūle. Tena kho pana, bhikkhave, samayena bakassa brahmuno evarūpaṁ pāpakaṁ diṭṭhigataṁ uppannaṁ hoti: ‘idaṁ niccaṁ, idaṁ dhuvaṁ, idaṁ sassataṁ, idaṁ kevalaṁ, idaṁ acavanadhammaṁ, idañhi na jāyati na jīyati na mīyati na cavati na upapajjati, ito ca panaññaṁ uttari nissaraṇaṁ natthī’ti.

Atha khvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, bakassa brahmuno cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya — seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evameva — ukkaṭṭhāyaṁ subhagavane sālarājamūle antarahito tasmiṁ brahmaloke pāturahosiṁ.

Addasā kho maṁ, bhikkhave, bako brahmā dūratova āgacchantaṁ; disvāna maṁ etadavoca: ‘ehi kho, mārisa, svāgataṁ, mārisa. Cirassaṁ kho, mārisa, imaṁ pariyāyamakāsi yadidaṁ idhāgamanāya. Idañhi, mārisa, niccaṁ, idaṁ dhuvaṁ, idaṁ sassataṁ, idaṁ kevalaṁ, idaṁ acavanadhammaṁ, idañhi na jāyati na jīyati na mīyati na cavati na upapajjati. Ito ca panaññaṁ uttari nissaraṇaṁ natthī’ti.

3Evaṁ vutte, ahaṁ, bhikkhave, bakaṁ brahmānaṁ etadavocaṁ: ‘avijjāgato vata bho bako brahmā, avijjāgato vata bho bako brahmā; yatra hi nāma aniccaṁyeva samānaṁ niccanti vakkhati, addhuvaṁyeva samānaṁ dhuvanti vakkhati, asassataṁyeva samānaṁ sassatanti vakkhati, akevalaṁyeva samānaṁ kevalanti vakkhati, cavanadhammaṁyeva samānaṁ acavanadhammanti vakkhati; yattha ca pana jāyati jīyati mīyati cavati upapajjati tañca vakkhati: "idañhi na jāyati na jīyati na mīyati na cavati na upapajjatī"ti; santañca panaññaṁ uttari nissaraṇaṁ "natthaññaṁ uttari nissaraṇan"ti vakkhatī’ti.

4Atha kho, bhikkhave, māro pāpimā aññataraṁ brahmapārisajjaṁ anvāvisitvā maṁ etadavoca: ‘bhikkhu bhikkhu, metamāsado metamāsado, eso hi, bhikkhu, brahmā mahābrahmā abhibhū anabhibhūto aññadatthudaso vasavattī issaro kattā nimmātā seṭṭho sajitā vasī pitā bhūtabhabyānaṁ.

---

Ahesuṁ kho ye, bhikkhu, tayā pubbe samaṇabrāhmaṇā lokasmiṁ pathavīgarahakā pathavījigucchakā, āpagarahakā āpajigucchakā, tejagarahakā tejajigucchakā, vāyagarahakā vāyajigucchakā, bhūtagarahakā bhūtajigucchakā, devagarahakā devajigucchakā, pajāpatigarahakā pajāpatijigucchakā, brahmagarahakā brahmajigucchakā — te kāyassa bhedā pāṇupacchedā hīne kāye patiṭṭhitā ahesuṁ.

Ye pana, bhikkhu, tayā pubbe samaṇabrāhmaṇā lokasmiṁ pathavīpasaṁsakā pathavābhinandino, āpapasaṁsakā āpābhinandino, tejapasaṁsakā tejābhinandino, vāyapasaṁsakā vāyābhinandino, bhūtapasaṁsakā bhūtābhinandino, devapasaṁsakā devābhinandino, pajāpatipasaṁsakā pajāpatābhinandino, brahmapasaṁsakā brahmābhinandino — te kāyassa bhedā pāṇupacchedā paṇīte kāye patiṭṭhitā.

Taṁ tāhaṁ, bhikkhu, evaṁ vadāmi: "iṅgha tvaṁ, mārisa, yadeva te brahmā āha tadeva tvaṁ karohi, mā tvaṁ brahmuno vacanaṁ upātivattittho". Sace kho tvaṁ, bhikkhu, brahmuno vacanaṁ upātivattissasi, seyyathāpi nāma puriso siriṁ āgacchantiṁ daṇḍena paṭippaṇāmeyya, seyyathāpi vā pana, bhikkhu, puriso narakappapāte papatanto hatthehi ca pādehi ca pathaviṁ virādheyya, evaṁ sampadamidaṁ, bhikkhu, tuyhaṁ bhavissati. Iṅgha tvaṁ, mārisa, yadeva te brahmā āha tadeva tvaṁ karohi, mā tvaṁ brahmuno vacanaṁ upātivattittho. Nanu tvaṁ, bhikkhu, passasi brahmaparisaṁ sannipatitan’ti?

---

Iti kho maṁ, bhikkhave, māro pāpimā brahmaparisaṁ upanesi.

5Evaṁ vutte, ahaṁ, bhikkhave, māraṁ pāpimantaṁ etadavocaṁ: ‘jānāmi kho tāhaṁ, pāpima; mā tvaṁ maññittho: "na maṁ jānātī"ti. Māro tvamasi, pāpima. Yo ceva, pāpima, brahmā, yā ca brahmaparisā, ye ca brahmapārisajjā, sabbeva tava hatthagatā sabbeva tava vasaṅgatā. Tuyhañhi, pāpima, evaṁ hoti: "esopi me assa hatthagato, esopi me assa vasaṅgato"ti. Ahaṁ kho pana, pāpima, neva tava hatthagato neva tava vasaṅgato’ti.

6Evaṁ vutte, bhikkhave, bako brahmā maṁ etadavoca: ‘ahañhi, mārisa, niccaṁyeva samānaṁ "niccan"ti vadāmi, dhuvaṁyeva samānaṁ "dhuvan"ti vadāmi, sassataṁyeva samānaṁ "sassatan"ti vadāmi, kevalaṁyeva samānaṁ "kevalan"ti vadāmi, acavanadhammaṁyeva samānaṁ "acavanadhamman"ti vadāmi, yattha ca pana na jāyati na jīyati na mīyati na cavati na upapajjati tadevāhaṁ vadāmi: "idañhi na jāyati na jīyati na mīyati na cavati na upapajjatī"ti. Asantañca panaññaṁ uttari nissaraṇaṁ "natthaññaṁ uttari nissaraṇan"ti vadāmi. Ahesuṁ kho, bhikkhu, tayā pubbe samaṇabrāhmaṇā lokasmiṁ yāvatakaṁ tuyhaṁ kasiṇaṁ āyu tāvatakaṁ tesaṁ tapokammameva ahosi. Te kho evaṁ jāneyyuṁ santañca panaññaṁ uttari nissaraṇaṁ "atthaññaṁ uttari nissaraṇan"ti, asantaṁ vā aññaṁ uttari nissaraṇaṁ "natthaññaṁ uttari nissaraṇan"ti. Taṁ tāhaṁ, bhikkhu, evaṁ vadāmi: "na cevaññaṁ uttari nissaraṇaṁ dakkhissasi, yāvadeva ca pana kilamathassa vighātassa bhāgī bhavissasi. Sace kho tvaṁ, bhikkhu, pathaviṁ ajjhosissasi, opasāyiko me bhavissasi vatthusāyiko, yathākāmakaraṇīyo bāhiteyyo. Sace āpaṁ … tejaṁ … vāyaṁ … bhūte … deve … pajāpatiṁ … brahmaṁ ajjhosissasi, opasāyiko me bhavissasi vatthusāyiko, yathākāmakaraṇīyo bāhiteyyo"’ti.

7‘Ahampi kho evaṁ, brahme, jānāmi: "Sace pathaviṁ ajjhosissāmi, opasāyiko te bhavissāmi vatthusāyiko, yathākāmakaraṇīyo bāhiteyyo. Sace āpaṁ … tejaṁ … vāyaṁ … bhūte … deve … pajāpatiṁ … brahmaṁ ajjhosissāmi, opasāyiko te bhavissāmi vatthusāyiko, yathākāmakaraṇīyo bāhiteyyo"ti api ca te ahaṁ, brahme, gatiñca pajānāmi, jutiñca pajānāmi: "evaṁ mahiddhiko bako brahmā, evaṁ mahānubhāvo bako brahmā, evaṁ mahesakkho bako brahmā"ti.

---

8Yathākathaṁ pana me tvaṁ, mārisa, gatiñca pajānāsi, jutiñca pajānāsi: "evaṁ mahiddhiko bako brahmā, evaṁ mahānubhāvo bako brahmā, evaṁ mahesakkho bako brahmā"’ti?

---

---

11Evaṁ kho te ahaṁ, brahme, gatiñca pajānāmi jutiñca pajānāmi: "evaṁ mahiddhiko bako brahmā, evaṁ mahānubhāvo bako brahmā, evaṁ mahesakkho bako brahmā"ti.

12Atthi kho, brahme, añño kāyo, taṁ tvaṁ na jānāsi na passasi; tamahaṁ jānāmi passāmi. Atthi kho, brahme, ābhassarā nāma kāyo yato tvaṁ cuto idhūpapanno. Tassa te aticiranivāsena sā sati pamuṭṭhā, tena taṁ tvaṁ na jānāsi na passasi; tamahaṁ jānāmi passāmi. Evampi kho ahaṁ, brahme, neva te samasamo abhiññāya, kuto nīceyyaṁ? Atha kho ahameva tayā bhiyyo.

Atthi kho, brahme, subhakiṇho nāma kāyo, vehapphalo nāma kāyo, abhibhū nāma kāyo, taṁ tvaṁ na jānāsi na passasi; tamahaṁ jānāmi passāmi. Evampi kho ahaṁ, brahme, neva te samasamo abhiññāya, kuto nīceyyaṁ?

Atha kho ahameva tayā bhiyyo. Pathaviṁ kho ahaṁ, brahme, pathavito abhiññāya yāvatā pathaviyā pathavattena ananubhūtaṁ tadabhiññāya pathaviṁ nāpahosiṁ, pathaviyā nāpahosiṁ, pathavito nāpahosiṁ, pathaviṁ meti nāpahosiṁ, pathaviṁ nābhivadiṁ. Evampi kho ahaṁ, brahme, neva te samasamo abhiññāya, kuto nīceyyaṁ?

Atha kho ahameva tayā bhiyyo. Āpaṁ kho ahaṁ, brahme … pe … tejaṁ kho ahaṁ, brahme … pe … vāyaṁ kho ahaṁ, brahme … pe … bhūte kho ahaṁ, brahme … pe … deve kho ahaṁ, brahme … pe … pajāpatiṁ kho ahaṁ, brahme … pe … brahmaṁ kho ahaṁ, brahme … pe … ābhassare kho ahaṁ, brahme … pe … subhakiṇhe kho ahaṁ, brahme … … pe … vehapphale kho ahaṁ, brahme … pe … abhibhuṁ kho ahaṁ, brahme … pe … sabbaṁ kho ahaṁ, brahme, sabbato abhiññāya yāvatā sabbassa sabbattena ananubhūtaṁ tadabhiññāya sabbaṁ nāpahosiṁ sabbasmiṁ nāpahosiṁ sabbato nāpahosiṁ sabbaṁ meti nāpahosiṁ, sabbaṁ nābhivadiṁ. Evampi kho ahaṁ, brahme, neva te samasamo abhiññāya, kuto nīceyyaṁ? Atha kho ahameva tayā bhiyyo’ti.

13‘Sace kho, mārisa, sabbassa sabbattena ananubhūtaṁ, tadabhiññāya mā heva te rittakameva ahosi, tucchakameva ahosīti.

14Viññāṇaṁ anidassanaṁ anantaṁ sabbato pabhaṁ, taṁ pathaviyā pathavattena ananubhūtaṁ, āpassa āpattena ananubhūtaṁ, tejassa tejattena ananubhūtaṁ, vāyassa vāyattena ananubhūtaṁ, bhūtānaṁ bhūtattena ananubhūtaṁ, devānaṁ devattena ananubhūtaṁ, pajāpatissa pajāpatittena ananubhūtaṁ, brahmānaṁ brahmattena ananubhūtaṁ, ābhassarānaṁ ābhassarattena ananubhūtaṁ, subhakiṇhānaṁ subhakiṇhattena ananubhūtaṁ, vehapphalānaṁ vehapphalattena ananubhūtaṁ, abhibhussa abhibhuttena ananubhūtaṁ, sabbassa sabbattena ananubhūtaṁ.

---

15Handa carahi te, mārisa, passa antaradhāyāmī’ti.

Handa carahi me tvaṁ, brahme, antaradhāyassu, sace visahasī’ti.

16Atha kho, bhikkhave, bako brahmā: ‘antaradhāyissāmi samaṇassa gotamassa, antaradhāyissāmi samaṇassa gotamassā’ti nevassu me sakkoti antaradhāyituṁ.

Evaṁ vutte, ahaṁ, bhikkhave, bakaṁ brahmānaṁ etadavocaṁ: ‘handa carahi te brahme antaradhāyāmī’ti.

‘Handa carahi me tvaṁ, mārisa, antaradhāyassu sace visahasī’ti.

Atha kho ahaṁ, bhikkhave, tathārūpaṁ iddhābhisaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkhāsiṁ: ‘ettāvatā brahmā ca brahmaparisā ca brahmapārisajjā ca saddañca me sossanti, na ca maṁ dakkhantī’ti. Antarahito imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsiṁ:

---

---

---

18Atha kho, bhikkhave, brahmā ca brahmaparisā ca brahmapārisajjā ca acchariyabbhutacittajātā ahesuṁ: ‘acchariyaṁ vata bho, abbhutaṁ vata bho. Samaṇassa gotamassa mahiddhikatā mahānubhāvatā, na ca vata no ito pubbe diṭṭho vā, suto vā, añño samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā evaṁ mahiddhiko evaṁ mahānubhāvo yathāyaṁ samaṇo gotamo sakyaputto sakyakulā pabbajito. Bhavarāmāya vata, bho, pajāya bhavaratāya bhavasammuditāya samūlaṁ bhavaṁ udabbahī’ti.

19Atha kho, bhikkhave, māro pāpimā aññataraṁ brahmapārisajjaṁ anvāvisitvā maṁ etadavoca: ‘sace kho tvaṁ, mārisa, evaṁ pajānāsi, sace tvaṁ evaṁ anubuddho, mā sāvake upanesi, mā pabbajite; mā sāvakānaṁ dhammaṁ desesi, mā pabbajitānaṁ; mā sāvakesu gedhimakāsi, mā pabbajitesu.

Ahesuṁ kho, bhikkhu, tayā pubbe samaṇabrāhmaṇā lokasmiṁ arahanto sammāsambuddhā paṭijānamānā. Te sāvake upanesuṁ pabbajite, sāvakānaṁ dhammaṁ desesuṁ pabbajitānaṁ, sāvakesu gedhimakaṁsu pabbajitesu, te sāvake upanetvā pabbajite, sāvakānaṁ dhammaṁ desetvā pabbajitānaṁ, sāvakesu gedhitacittā pabbajitesu, kāyassa bhedā pāṇupacchedā hīne kāye patiṭṭhitā.

Ahesuṁ ye pana, bhikkhu, tayā pubbe samaṇabrāhmaṇā lokasmiṁ arahanto sammāsambuddhā paṭijānamānā. Te na sāvake upanesuṁ na pabbajite, na sāvakānaṁ dhammaṁ desesuṁ na pabbajitānaṁ, na sāvakesu gedhimakaṁsu na pabbajitesu, te na sāvake upanetvā na pabbajite, na sāvakānaṁ dhammaṁ desetvā na pabbajitānaṁ, na sāvakesu gedhitacittā na pabbajitesu, kāyassa bhedā pāṇupacchedā paṇīte kāye patiṭṭhitā.

Taṁ tāhaṁ, bhikkhu, evaṁ vadāmi — iṅgha tvaṁ, mārisa, appossukko diṭṭhadhammasukhavihāramanuyutto viharassu, anakkhātaṁ kusalañhi, mārisa, mā paraṁ ovadāhī’ti.

20Evaṁ vutte, ahaṁ, bhikkhave, māraṁ pāpimantaṁ etadavocaṁ: ‘jānāmi kho tāhaṁ, pāpima, mā tvaṁ maññittho: "na maṁ jānātī"ti. Māro tvamasi, pāpima. Na maṁ tvaṁ, pāpima, hitānukampī evaṁ vadesi; ahitānukampī maṁ tvaṁ, pāpima, evaṁ vadesi. Tuyhañhi, pāpima, evaṁ hoti: "yesaṁ samaṇo gotamo dhammaṁ desessati, te me visayaṁ upātivattissantī"ti.

Asammāsambuddhāva pana te, pāpima, samānā sammāsambuddhāmhāti paṭijāniṁsu. Ahaṁ kho pana, pāpima, sammāsambuddhova samāno sammāsambuddhomhīti paṭijānāmi. Desentopi hi, pāpima, tathāgato sāvakānaṁ dhammaṁ tādisova adesentopi hi, pāpima, tathāgato sāvakānaṁ dhammaṁ tādisova. Upanentopi hi, pāpima, tathāgato sāvake tādisova, anupanentopi hi, pāpima, tathāgato sāvake tādisova. Taṁ kissa hetu? Tathāgatassa, pāpima, ye āsavā saṅkilesikā ponobbhavikā sadarā dukkhavipākā āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇiyā — te pahīnā ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppādadhammā. Seyyathāpi, pāpima, tālo matthakacchinno abhabbo puna virūḷhiyā; evameva kho, pāpima, tathāgatassa ye āsavā saṅkilesikā ponobbhavikā sadarā dukkhavipākā āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇiyā — te pahīnā ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppādadhammā’ti.

21Iti hidaṁ mārassa ca anālapanatāya brahmuno ca abhinimantanatāya, tasmā imassa veyyākaraṇassa brahmanimantanikantveva adhivacanan"ti.

Brahmanimantanikasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ navamaṁ.