Brahmāyācanasuttaṃ [SN 6.1, PTS 1.136–1.138]

1.

The Discourse on Brahmā's Request

172. Thus have I heard - On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Uruvelā on the bank of the river Nerañjarā at the root of the goatherd's banyan tree, newly fully enlightened. Then, when the Blessed One had gone to a private place and was in seclusion, this reflection arose in his mind: "This Teaching attained by me is deep, difficult to see, difficult to understand, peaceful, sublime, unattainable by mere reasoning, subtle, to be experienced by the wise. But this generation delights in attachment, rejoices in attachment, is pleased with attachment. For a generation delighting in attachment, rejoicing in attachment, pleased with attachment, this state is difficult to see, that is to say, specific conditionality, dependent origination. This state too is difficult to see, that is to say, the stilling of all activities, the relinquishment of all clinging, the elimination of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna. And if I were to expound the Teaching, and others would not understand me; that would be weariness for me, that would be harming for me." So much so that these simple verses, never heard before, came to the mind of the Blessed One -

Thus as the Blessed One reflected, his mind inclined to living at ease, not to expounding the Teaching.

Then to Brahmā Sahampati, having known with his mind the reflection in the mind of the Blessed One, this occurred - "Alas, the world is perishing, alas, the world is being destroyed, for the mind of the Truth-finder, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, inclines to living at ease, not to expounding the Teaching." Then Brahmā Sahampati - just as a strong man might extend his bent arm or bend his extended arm, even so - having vanished from the Brahma world, appeared before the Blessed One. Then Brahmā Sahampati, having arranged his upper robe on one shoulder, having placed his right knee on the ground, having extended joined palms in salutation towards the Blessed One, said this to the Blessed One - "Let the Blessed One expound the Teaching, venerable sir, let the Fortunate One expound the Teaching. There are beings with little dust in their eyes; through not hearing the Teaching they are declining. There will be those who understand the Teaching." This Brahmā Sahampati said, having said this, he further said this -

Then the Blessed One, having understood Brahmā's request and dependent on compassion for beings, surveyed the world with the Buddha-eye. The Blessed One, surveying the world with the Buddha-eye, saw beings with little dust in their eyes and with much dust in their eyes, with sharp faculties and with soft faculties, of good disposition and of poor disposition, easy to instruct and difficult to instruct, some dwelling seeing the danger in the world beyond and in fault, some not dwelling seeing the danger in the world beyond and in fault. Just as in a pond of water lilies, or a pond of lotuses, or a pond of white lotuses, some water lilies, or lotuses, or white lotuses are born in the water, grow in the water, do not rise above the water, and are nourished while submerged within; some water lilies, or lotuses, or white lotuses are born in the water, grow in the water, and stand level with the water; some water lilies, or lotuses, or white lotuses are born in the water, grow in the water, and having risen above the water, stand untainted by the water; so too the Blessed One, surveying the world with the Buddha-eye, saw beings with little dust in their eyes and with much dust in their eyes, with sharp faculties and with soft faculties, of good disposition and of poor disposition, easy to instruct and difficult to instruct, some dwelling seeing the danger in the world beyond and in fault, some not dwelling seeing the danger in the world beyond and in fault. Having seen, he replied to Brahmā Sahampati in verse:

Then Brahmā Sahampati, thinking 'I have created the opportunity for the Blessed One to expound the Teaching,' paid respect to the Blessed One, circumambulated him keeping him on his right, and disappeared right there.