Aruṇavatīsuttaṃ [SN 6.14, PTS 1.155–1.157]

4.

The Discourse on Aruṇavatī

185. Thus have I heard - On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī, etc. There the Blessed One addressed the monks thus: "Monks." "Venerable sir," those monks assented to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this:

"Once in the past, monks, there was a king named Aruṇavā. Now, monks, King Aruṇavā had a royal city named Aruṇavatī. Now, monks, the Blessed One Sikhī, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, dwelt in dependence on the royal city of Aruṇavatī. Now, monks, the Blessed One Sikhī, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, had a pair of disciples named Abhibhū and Sambhava, the foremost, the best pair. Then, monks, the Blessed One Sikhī, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, addressed the monk Abhibhū - 'Come, brahmin, let us go to a certain Brahma world, until it is time for the meal.' 'Yes, venerable sir,' monks, the monk Abhibhū assented to the Blessed One Sikhī, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One. Then, monks, the Blessed One Sikhī, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, and the monk Abhibhū - just as a strong man might extend his bent arm or bend his extended arm, even so - having vanished from the royal city of Aruṇavatī, appeared in that Brahma world.

Then, monks, the Blessed One Sikhī, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, addressed the monk Abhibhū - 'Let a talk on the Teaching occur to you, brahmin, for Brahmā and the assembly of Brahmā and the members of Brahmā's assembly.' 'Yes, venerable sir,' monks, the monk Abhibhū, having assented to the Blessed One Sikhī, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, instructed, encouraged, inspired, and gladdened Brahmā and the assembly of Brahmā and the members of Brahmā's assembly with a talk on the Teaching. Thereupon, monks, Brahmā and the assembly of Brahmā and the members of Brahmā's assembly grumbled, criticised, and complained - 'Wonderful indeed, friend, marvellous indeed, friend, how indeed could a disciple expound the Teaching when the Teacher is present before him!'

Then, monks, the Blessed One Sikhī, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, addressed the monk Abhibhū - 'They are grumbling, brahmin, Brahmā and the assembly of Brahmā and the members of Brahmā's assembly - "Wonderful indeed, friend, marvellous indeed, friend, how indeed could a disciple expound the Teaching when the Teacher is present before him!" Well then, brahmin, stir them even more exceedingly - Brahmā and the assembly of Brahmā and the members of Brahmā's assembly.' 'Yes, venerable sir,' monks, the monk Abhibhū, having assented to the Blessed One Sikhī, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, expounded the Teaching with a visible body, expounded the Teaching with an invisible body, expounded the Teaching with the lower half of the body visible and the upper half of the body invisible, expounded the Teaching with the upper half of the body visible and the lower half of the body invisible. Thereupon, monks, Brahmā and the assembly of Brahmā and the members of Brahmā's assembly were filled with wonder and amazement - 'Wonderful indeed, friend, marvellous indeed, friend, is the great supernormal power and great majesty of the ascetic!'

Then the monk Abhibhū said this to the Blessed One Sikhī, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One - 'I directly know, venerable sir, having spoken such words in the midst of the community of monks - "I am able, friends, standing in the Brahma world, to inform the thousandfold world system with my voice."' 'This is the time for that, brahmin, this is the time for that; that you, brahmin, standing in the Brahma world, should inform the thousandfold world system with your voice.' 'Yes, venerable sir,' monks, the monk Abhibhū, having assented to the Blessed One Sikhī, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, standing in the Brahma world, spoke these verses -

"Then, monks, the Blessed One Sikhī, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, and the monk Abhibhū, having stirred Brahmā and the assembly of Brahmā and the retinue of Brahmā - just as... etc... having vanished from that Brahma world, appeared in the royal city of Aruṇavatī. Then, monks, the Blessed One Sikhī, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, addressed the monks - 'Did you hear, monks, the verses of the monk Abhibhū standing in the Brahma world while speaking?' 'We heard indeed, venerable sir, the verses of the monk Abhibhū standing in the Brahma world while speaking.' 'But in what way did you, monks, hear the verses of the monk Abhibhū standing in the Brahma world while speaking?' Thus indeed we, venerable sir, heard the verses of the monk Abhibhū standing in the Brahma world while speaking -

'Thus indeed we, venerable sir, heard the verses of the monk Abhibhū standing in the Brahma world while speaking.' 'Good, good, monks; good indeed you, monks! You heard the verses of the monk Abhibhū standing in the Brahma world while speaking.'"

This is what the Blessed One said. Delighted, those monks rejoiced in what the Blessed One had said.