The Medium Discourses

Chapter 7: King Dīrghāyu

73. The Gods

1. Thus have I heard:[1] One time, the Buddha traveled to Cedi and stayed at Waterside Grove.

1. Purifying Knowledge and Vision

2. It was then that the Bhagavān addressed the monks, “Before I had awakened to the unsurpassed and correct awakening, I had the thought, ‘I’d like to be able to produce their light. As a result of their light, I’ll see shapes and forms. Thus, my knowledge and vision will be fully and radiantly purified.’

3. “In order for knowledge and vision to be fully and radiantly purified, I lived alone in seclusion, my mind wasn’t careless, and I cultivated diligence. As a result of living alone in seclusion, not being careless, and cultivating diligence, I apprehended light and then saw forms. That was before I had met with those gods, before we exchanged greetings, before any conversation, and before any reply.

2. Meeting and Conversing with Gods

4. “Again, I thought, ‘I’d like to be able to produce their light. As a result of their light, then I’ll see shapes and forms. I’ll also meet with those gods, exchange greetings, and have some conversation and receive replies from them. Thus, my knowledge and vision will be fully and radiantly purified.’

5. “In order for knowledge and vision to be fully and radiantly purified, I lived alone in seclusion, my mind wasn’t careless, and I cultivated diligence. As a result of living alone in seclusion, not being careless, and cultivating diligence, I apprehended light and then saw forms. I also met with those gods, exchanged greetings, and had some conversation and received some replies from them. Still, I didn’t know about the clans, names, or births of those gods.

3. The Names and Births of Gods

6. “Again, I thought, ‘I’d like to be able to produce their light. As a result of their light, then I’ll see shapes and forms. I’ll meet with those gods, exchange greetings, and have some conversation and receive some replies from them. I’ll also know about the clans, names, or births of those gods. Thus, my knowledge and vision will be fully and radiantly purified.’

7. “In order for knowledge and vision to be fully and radiantly purified, I lived alone in seclusion, my mind wasn’t careless, and I cultivated diligence. As a result of living alone in seclusion, not being careless, and cultivating diligence, I apprehended light and then saw forms. I met with those gods, exchanged greetings, and had some conversation and received some replies from them. I also knew about the clans, names, or births of those gods. Still, I didn’t know about their food or the pains and pleasures experienced by those gods.

4. The Food and Experiences of Gods

8. “Again, I thought, ‘I’d like to be able to produce their light. As a result of their light, then I’ll see shapes and forms. I’ll meet with those gods, exchange greetings, and have some conversation and receive some replies from them. I’ll know about the clans, names, or births of those gods. I’ll also know about their food and the pains and pleasures experienced by those gods. Thus, my knowledge and vision will be fully and radiantly purified.’

9. “In order for knowledge and vision to be fully and radiantly purified, I lived alone in seclusion, my mind wasn’t careless, and I cultivated diligence. As a result of living alone in seclusion, not being careless, and cultivating diligence, I apprehended light and then saw forms. I met with those gods, exchanged greetings, and had some conversation and received some replies from them. I knew about the clans, names, or births of those gods. I also knew about their food and the pains and pleasures experienced by those gods. Still, I didn’t know about the life spans, durations, or the ends of those gods’ lives.

5. The Life Spans of Gods

10. “Again, I thought, ‘I’d like to be able to produce their light. As a result of their light, then I’ll see shapes and forms. I’ll meet with those gods, exchange greetings, and have some conversation and receive some replies from them. I’ll know about the clans, names, or births of those gods. I’ll know about their food and the pains and pleasures experienced by those gods. I’ll also know about the life spans, durations, or the ends of those gods’ lives. Thus, my knowledge and vision will be fully and radiantly purified.’

11. “In order for knowledge and vision to be fully and radiantly purified, I lived alone in seclusion, my mind wasn’t careless, and I cultivated diligence. As a result of living alone in seclusion, not being careless, and cultivating diligence, I apprehended light and then saw forms. I met with those gods, exchanged greetings, and had some conversation and received some replies from them. I knew about the clans, names, or births of those gods. I knew about their food and the pains and pleasures experienced by those gods. I also knew about the life spans, durations, or the ends of those gods’ lives. Still, I didn’t know about what actions those gods had done to die and be born there.

6. Actions That Lead to Birth in the Heavens

12. “Again, I thought, ‘I’d like to be able to produce their light. As a result of their light, then I’ll see shapes and forms. I’ll meet with those gods, exchange greetings, and have some conversation and receive some replies from them. I’ll know about the clans, names, or births of those gods. I’ll know about their food and the pains and pleasures experienced by those gods. I’ll know about the life spans, durations, or the ends of those gods’ lives. I’ll also know about what actions those gods had done to die and be born there. Thus, my knowledge and vision will be fully and radiantly purified.’

13. “In order for knowledge and vision to be fully and radiantly purified, I lived alone in seclusion, my mind wasn’t careless, and I cultivated diligence. As a result of living alone in seclusion, not being careless, and cultivating diligence, I apprehended light and then saw forms. I met with those gods, exchanged greetings, and had some conversation and received some replies from them. I knew about the clans, names, or births of those gods. I knew about their food and the pains and pleasures experienced by those gods. I knew about the life spans, durations, or the ends of those gods’ lives. I also knew about what actions those gods had done to die and be born there. Still, I didn’t know in what heavens those gods were.

7. The Heavens Where Gods Are Born

14. “Again, I thought, ‘I’d like to be able to produce their light. As a result of their light, then I’ll see shapes and forms. I’ll meet with those gods, exchange greetings, and have some conversation and receive some replies from them. I’ll know about the clans, names, or births of those gods. I’ll know about their food and the pains and pleasures experienced by those gods. I’ll know about the life spans, durations, or the ends of those gods’ lives. I’ll know about what actions those gods had done to die and be born there. I’ll also know in what heavens those gods are. Thus, my knowledge and vision will be fully and radiantly purified.’

15. “In order for knowledge and vision to be fully and radiantly purified, I lived alone in seclusion, my mind wasn’t careless, and I cultivated diligence. As a result of living alone in seclusion, not being careless, and cultivating diligence, I apprehended light and then saw forms. I met with those gods, exchanged greetings, and had some conversation and received some replies from them. I knew about the clans, names, or births of those gods. I knew about their food and the pains and pleasures experienced by those gods. I knew about the life spans, durations, or the ends of those gods’ lives. I knew about what actions those gods had done to die and be born there. I also knew in what heavens those gods were. Still, I didn’t know whether I had previously been born or never been born in those heavens above.

8. Previous Births in the Heavens

16. “Again, I thought, ‘I’d like to be able to produce their light. As a result of their light, then I’ll see shapes and forms. I’ll meet with those gods, exchange greetings, and have some conversation and receive some replies. I’ll know about the clans, names, or births of those gods. I’ll know about their food and the pains and pleasures experienced by those gods. I’ll know about the life spans, durations, or the ends of those gods’ lives. I’ll know about what actions those gods had done to die and be born there. I’ll know in what heavens those gods are. I’ll also know whether I had previously been born or never been born in those heavens above. Thus, my knowledge and vision will be fully and radiantly purified.’

17. “In order for knowledge and vision to be fully and radiantly purified, I lived alone in seclusion. My mind was without carelessness, and I cultivated diligence. As a result of living alone in seclusion, my mind being without carelessness, and cultivating diligence, I apprehended light and then saw forms. I met with those gods, exchanged greetings, and had some conversation and receive some replies. I knew about the clans, names, or births of those gods. I knew about their food and the pains and pleasures experienced by those gods. I knew about the life spans, durations, or the ends of those gods’ lives. I knew about what actions those gods had done to die and be born there. I knew in what heavens those gods were. I also knew whether I had previously been born or never been born in those heavens above.

Conclusion

18. “If I didn’t rightly know and apprehend these eight practices, then I couldn’t thoroughly declare their attainment. I wouldn’t know that I had awakened to the unsurpassed and correct awakening, nor could I have gone beyond this world’s gods, Māra, Brahmā, ascetics, and priests. I wouldn’t have been liberated by various liberations. I wasn’t yet free from delusions. I also wouldn’t have truly known: ‘Birth has been ended, the religious practice has been established, the task has been accomplished, and I will not again be subject to existence.’

19. “If I rightly knew and attained these eight practices, then I could thoroughly declare their attainment. I knew I had awakened to the unsurpassed and correct awakening. I had gone beyond this world’s gods, Māra, Brahmā, ascetics, and priests. I was liberated by various liberations. My mind was free of delusions. I also truly knew: ‘Birth has been ended, the religious practice has been established, the task has been accomplished, and I will not again be subject to existence.’”

20. The Buddha spoke thus. Those monks who heard what the Buddha taught rejoiced and approved.

Notes

1. For the source text, cf. T26.1.539b19-40c16. The direct parallel for this sūtra is AN 8.64. [Back]

Translator: Charles Patton

Last Revised: 15 October 2024