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SN 48.57PTS SN 5.2321 min read

With the Divinity Sahampati

Sahampatibrahmasutta

Just after the Buddha’s awakening, Brahmā Sahampati supports the Buddha’s reflection that the five faculties lead to the deathless.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 48.57Linked Discourses 48.57
  • 0.26. Sūkarakhatavagga6. The Boar’s Cave

0.3SahampatibrahmasuttaWith the Divinity Sahampati

1.1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā uruvelāyaṁ viharati najjā nerañjarāya tīre ajapālanigrodhe paṭhamābhisambuddho.At one time, when he was first awakened, the Buddha was staying in Uruvelā at the goatherd’s banyan tree on the bank of the Nerañjarā River.1

1.2Atha kho bhagavato rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi:Then as he was in private retreat this thought came to his mind,1.3“pañcindriyāni bhāvitāni bahulīkatāni amatogadhāni honti amataparāyaṇāni amatapariyosānāni.“When these five faculties are developed and cultivated they have freedom from death as their objective, destination, and culmination.1.4Katamāni pañca?What five?1.5Saddhindriyaṁ bhāvitaṁ bahulīkataṁ amatogadhaṁ hoti amataparāyaṇaṁ amatapariyosānaṁ.The faculties of faith,1.6Vīriyindriyaṁ …pe…energy,1.7satindriyaṁ …pe…mindfulness,1.8samādhindriyaṁ …pe…immersion,1.9paññindriyaṁ bhāvitaṁ bahulīkataṁ amatogadhaṁ hoti amataparāyaṇaṁ amatapariyosānaṁ.and wisdom.1.10Imāni pañcindriyāni bhāvitāni bahulīkatāni amatogadhāni honti amataparāyaṇāni amatapariyosānānī”ti.When these five faculties are developed and cultivated they have freedom from death as their objective, destination, and culmination.”

2.1PTS 5.233Atha kho brahmā sahampati bhagavato cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evameva brahmaloke antarahito bhagavato purato pāturahosi.Then the divinity Sahampati knew the Buddha’s train of thought. As easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, he vanished from the realm of divinity and reappeared in front of the Buddha.2.2Atha kho brahmā sahampati ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:He arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his cupped palms toward the Buddha, and said:

2.3“evametaṁ, bhagavā, evametaṁ sugata.“That’s so true, Blessed One! That’s so true, Holy One!2.4Pañcindriyāni bhāvitāni bahulīkatāni amatogadhāni honti amataparāyaṇāni amatapariyosānāni.When these five faculties are developed and cultivated they have freedom from death as their objective, destination, and culmination.2.5Katamāni pañca?What five?2.6Saddhindriyaṁ bhāvitaṁ bahulīkataṁ amatogadhaṁ hoti amataparāyaṇaṁ amatapariyosānaṁ …pe… paññindriyaṁ bhāvitaṁ bahulīkataṁ amatogadhaṁ hoti amataparāyaṇaṁ amatapariyosānaṁ.The faculties of faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom.2.7Imāni pañcindriyāni bhāvitāni bahulīkatāni amatogadhāni honti amataparāyaṇāni amatapariyosānāni.When these five faculties are developed and cultivated they have freedom from death as their objective, destination, and culmination.

3.1Bhūtapubbāhaṁ, bhante, kassape sammāsambuddhe brahmacariyaṁ acariṁ.Once upon a time, sir, I lived the spiritual life under the fully awakened Buddha Kassapa.23.2Tatrapi maṁ evaṁ jānanti:There they knew me as3.3‘sahako bhikkhu, sahako bhikkhū’ti.the mendicant Sahaka.3.4So khvāhaṁ, bhante, imesaṁyeva pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā kāmesu kāmacchandaṁ virājetvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ brahmalokaṁ upapanno.Because of developing and cultivating these same five faculties I lost desire for sensual pleasures. When my body broke up, after death, I was reborn in a good place, in the realm of divinity.3.5Tatrapi maṁ evaṁ jānanti:There they know me as3.6‘brahmā sahampati, brahmā sahampatī’ti.the divinity Sahampati.

3.7Evametaṁ, bhagavā, evametaṁ sugata.That’s so true, Blessed One! That’s so true, Holy One!3.8Ahametaṁ jānāmi, ahametaṁ passāmi yathā imāni pañcindriyāni bhāvitāni bahulīkatāni amatogadhāni honti amataparāyaṇāni amatapariyosānānī”ti.I know and see how when these five faculties are developed and cultivated they have freedom from death as their objective, destination, and culmination.”

3.9Sattamaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. Compare the similar framing in the context of mindfulness meditation at SN 47.18.

    ↩ sn48.57:1.1
  2. This detail is not mentioned elsewhere. Given that in a past life as Jotipāla, the Buddha also went forth under Kassapa, this implies that Sahampati and the Buddha were fellow monks in Kassapa’s community (MN 81).

    ↩ sn48.57:3.1