1So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Now at that time a certain brahmin lady had a son called Brahmadeva, who had gone forth from the lay life to homelessness in the presence of the Buddha.

2Then Venerable Brahmadeva, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, soon realized the supreme end of the spiritual path in this very life. He lived having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.

He understood: “Rebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is no return to any state of existence.” And Venerable Brahmadeva became one of the perfected.

3Then Brahmadeva robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms. Wandering indiscriminately for alms-food in Sāvatthī, he approached his own mother’s house.

Now at that time Brahmadeva’s mother, the brahmin lady, was offering up a regular oblation to Brahmā.

Then Brahmā Sahampati thought: “This Venerable Brahmadeva’s mother, the brahmin lady, offers up a regular oblation to Brahmā. Why don’t I go and stir up a sense of urgency in her?”

Then, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, he vanished from the Brahmā realm and reappeared in the house of Brahmadeva’s mother. Then Brahmā Sahampati, while standing in the air, addressed Brahmadeva’s mother in verse:

4“Far from here is the Brahmā realm, madam,
to which you offer a regular oblation.
But Brahmā doesn’t eat that kind of food.
Why make invocations, when you don’t know the path to Brahmā?

5This Brahmadeva, madam,
free of attachments, has surpassed the gods.
A mendicant without possessions or dependents,
he has entered your house for alms.

6He’s worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, a knowledge master, self-developed.
He’s worthy of a religious donation from gods and men.
Having shunned all evils, he’s unsullied.
Cool at heart, he wanders looking for food.

7He has no before and after,
peaceful, unclouded, untroubled, with no need for hope,
he has laid down the rod for all creatures firm and frail.
So let him enjoy your offering of choice alms.

8With peaceful mind, he has left the crowd,
he wanders like a tamed elephant, unperturbed.
He’s a mendicant fair in ethics, with heart well freed.
So let him enjoy your offering of choice alms.

9With unwavering confidence in him,
present your religious donation to one who is worthy of it.
Now that you’ve seen the sage who has crossed over, madam,
make merit for the sake of future happiness!”

10With unwavering confidence in him,
she presented her religious donation to one who is worthy of it.
After seeing the sage who had crossed over, the brahmin lady
made merit for the sake of future happiness.

1Evaṁ me sutaṁ — ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ vihārati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

Tena kho pana samayena aññatarissā brāhmaṇiyā brahmadevo nāma putto bhagavato santike agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti.

2Atha kho āyasmā brahmadevo eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto vihāranto nacirasseva – yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ – brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihāsi.

"Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā"ti abbhaññāsi. Aññataro ca panāyasmā brahmadevo arahataṁ ahosi.

3Atha kho āyasmā brahmadevo pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi. Sāvatthiyaṁ sapadānaṁ piṇḍāya caramāno yena sakamātu nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmato brahmadevassa mātā brāhmaṇī brahmuno āhutiṁ niccaṁ paggaṇhāti.

Atha kho brahmuno sahampatissa etadahosi: "Ayaṁ kho āyasmato brahmadevassa mātā brāhmaṇī brahmuno āhutiṁ niccaṁ paggaṇhāti. Yannūnāhaṁ taṁ upasaṅkamitvā saṁvejeyyan"ti.

Atha kho brahmā sahampati – seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evameva – brahmaloke antarahito āyasmato brahmadevassa mātu nivesane pāturahosi. Atha kho brahmā sahampati vehāsaṁ ṭhito āyasmato brahmadevassa mātaraṁ brāhmaṇiṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi: 

4"Dūre ito brāhmaṇi brahmaloko,
Yassāhutiṁ paggaṇhāsi niccaṁ;
Netādiso brāhmaṇi brahmabhakkho,
Kiṁ jappasi brahmapathaṁ ajānaṁ.

5Eso hi te brāhmaṇi brahmadevo,
Nirūpadhiko atidevapatto;
Akiñcano bhikkhu anaññaposī,
Yo te so piṇḍāya gharaṁ paviṭṭho.

6Āhuneyyo vedagu bhāvitatto,
Narānaṁ devānañca dakkhiṇeyyo;
Bāhitvā pāpāni anūpalitto,
Ghāsesanaṁ iriyati sītibhūto.

7Na tassa pacchā na puratthamatthi,
Santo vidhūmo anigho nirāso;
Nikkhittadaṇḍo tasathāvaresu,
So tyāhutiṁ bhuñjatu aggapiṇḍaṁ.

8Visenibhūto upasantacitto,
Nāgova danto carati anejo;
Bhikkhu susīlo suvimuttacitto,
So tyāhutiṁ bhuñjatu aggapiṇḍaṁ.

9Tasmiṁ pasannā avikampamānā,
Patiṭṭhapehi dakkhiṇaṁ dakkhiṇeyye;
Karohi puññaṁ sukhamāyatikaṁ,
Disvā muniṁ brāhmaṇi oghatiṇṇanti.

10Tasmiṁ pasannā avikampamānā,
Patiṭṭhapesi dakkhiṇaṁ dakkhiṇeyye;
Akāsi puññaṁ sukhamāyatikaṁ,
Disvā muniṁ brāhmaṇī oghatiṇṇan"ti.