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10. Devatārocana (The Deities' Report)

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At Ukkaṭṭhā the Bhagavā visits the gods of the Pure Abodes, who repeat the seven Buddhas' particulars to him, and the sutta closes. The last part of the Mahāpadānasutta (7D/1), translated from the Dīgha Nikāya.

Original text: 7D/1.17 Devatārocana 181–189 in the World Tipitaka Edition

The close of the Mahāpadānasutta (7D/1). The Bhagavā tells the bhikkhū how, alone at Ukkaṭṭhā, he visited the gods of the Pure Abodes, from the Aviha to the Akaniṭṭha, and how in each class thousands of gods who had lived the optimal life under Vipassī, Sikhī, Vessabhū, Kakusandha, Koṇāgamana, Kassapa and himself recited to him the particulars of part 1, with each Buddha’s going forth, striving, awakening and first teaching. The Tathāgata knows the past Buddhas both by his own penetration and by the gods’ report; the bhikkhū rejoice.

flowchart TB
    A["The Bhagavā alone at Ukkaṭṭhā"] --> B["He visits the gods of the Pure Abodes"]
    B --> C["Aviha"]
    C --> D["Atappa"]
    D --> E["Sudassa"]
    E --> F["Sudassī"]
    F --> G["Akaniṭṭha"]
    B --> H["Thousands of gods report each Buddha's particulars"]
    H --> I["Vipassī to Kassapa"]
    H --> J["Gotama himself"]
    H --> K["Known by his own penetration and by the gods' report"]
    K --> L["The bhikkhū rejoice"]

(91.)

181. At one time, Bhikkhave, I was dwelling at Ukkaṭṭhā, in the Subhaga Wood, at the foot of a royal Sāla tree. While I was there, Bhikkhave, alone in seclusion, this reflection arose in my mind: ‘Indeed, that abode of beings is not easy to find which I have not dwelt in before during this long time, apart from the gods of the Pure Abodes. What if I were to approach the gods of the Pure Abodes?’ Then, Bhikkhave, I — just as a strong man might extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm; even so — having vanished at Ukkaṭṭhā, in the Subhaga Wood, at the foot of a royal Sāla tree, appeared among the Aviha gods. Bhikkhave, in that class of gods, many thousands of gods, many hundreds of thousands of gods approached me; having approached, they bowed to me and stood to one side. Standing to one side, Bhikkhave, those gods said this to me: ‘It was in the ninety-first kappa (aeon) from now, Mārisā (venerable sirs), that Vipassī the Bhagavā, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, arose in the world. Vipassī the Bhagavā, Mārisā, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was a Khattiya by birth; he arose in a Khattiya family. Vipassī the Bhagavā, Mārisā, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was Koṇḍañña by clan. The lifespan of Vipassī the Bhagavā, Mārisā, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was eighty thousand years. Vipassī the Bhagavā, Mārisā, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was fully awakened at the foot of a Pāṭalī tree. Vipassī the Bhagavā, Mārisā, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, had a pair of disciples named Khaṇḍa and Tissa, a chief, excellent pair. Vipassī the Bhagavā, Mārisā, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, had three assemblies of disciples. One assembly of disciples was of six million eight hundred thousand bhikkhū. One assembly of disciples was of one hundred thousand bhikkhū. One assembly of disciples was of eighty thousand bhikkhū. These three assemblies of disciples of Vipassī the Bhagavā, Mārisā, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, were entirely of those whose āsava (defilements) were destroyed. Vipassī the Bhagavā, Mārisā, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, had a bhikkhu attendant named Asoka, a chief attendant. The father of Vipassī the Bhagavā, Mārisā, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was King Bandhumā. Queen Bandhumatī was his mother, his birth mother. The city named Bandhumatī was King Bandhumā’s royal capital. The renunciation of Vipassī the Bhagavā, Mārisā, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was thus, his going forth was thus, his striving was thus, his full awakening was thus, his setting in motion the Wheel of Dhamma was thus. We, Mārisā, having lived the brahmacariya (the optimal life) under Vipassī the Bhagavā, having become dispassionate towards sensual pleasures, have arisen here.’ … and so on …

182. Bhikkhave, in that very class of gods, many thousands of gods, many hundreds of thousands of gods approached me; having approached, they bowed to me and stood to one side. Standing to one side, Bhikkhave, those gods said this to me: ‘Indeed, Mārisā, in this very fortunate aeon, the Bhagavā, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, has now arisen in the world. The Bhagavā, Mārisā, is a Khattiya by birth, arisen in a Khattiya family. The Bhagavā, Mārisā, is Gotama by clan. The Bhagavā’s lifespan, Mārisā, is short, limited, brief; [in this age] one who lives long lives for a hundred years or a little more. The Bhagavā, Mārisā, was fully awakened at the foot of an Assattha tree. The Bhagavā, Mārisā, had a pair of disciples named Sāriputta and Moggallāna, a chief, excellent pair. The Bhagavā, Mārisā, had one assembly of disciples of twelve hundred and fifty bhikkhū. The Bhagavā, Mārisā, this one assembly of disciples was entirely of those whose āsavā (“defilements”) were destroyed. The Bhagavā, Mārisā, had a bhikkhu attendant named Ānanda, a chief attendant. The Bhagavā’s father, Mārisā, was King Suddhodana. Queen Māyā was his mother, his birth mother. The city named Kapilavatthu was the royal capital. The Bhagavā’s, Mārisā, renunciation was thus, his going forth was thus, his striving was thus, his full awakening was thus, his setting in motion the Wheel of Dhamma was thus. We, Mārisā, having lived the brahmacariyaṃ (the optimal life) under the Bhagavā, having become dispassionate towards sensual pleasures, have arisen here.

(92.)

183. Then, Bhikkhave, together with the Aviha gods I approached the Atappa gods … and so on … then, Bhikkhave, together with the Aviha gods and the Atappa gods I approached the Sudassa gods. Then, Bhikkhave, together with the Aviha gods, the Atappa gods and the Sudassa gods I approached the Sudassī gods. Then, Bhikkhave, together with the Aviha gods, the Atappa gods, the Sudassa gods and the Sudassī gods I approached the Akaniṭṭha gods. Bhikkhave, in that class of gods, many thousands of gods, many hundreds of thousands of gods approached me, and having approached, they bowed to me and stood to one side.

184. Standing to one side, Bhikkhave, those gods said this to me: ‘It was in the ninety-first aeon from now, Mārisā, that Vipassī the Bhagavā, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, arose in the world. Vipassī the Bhagavā, Mārisā, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was a Khattiya by birth. He arose in a Khattiya family. Vipassī the Bhagavā, Mārisā, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was Koṇḍañña by clan. The lifespan of Vipassī the Bhagavā, Mārisā, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was eighty thousand years. Vipassī the Bhagavā, Mārisā, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was fully awakened at the foot of a Pāṭalī tree. Vipassī the Bhagavā, Mārisā, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, had a pair of disciples named Khaṇḍa and Tissa, a chief, excellent pair. Vipassī the Bhagavā, Mārisā, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, had three assemblies of disciples. One assembly of disciples was of six million eight hundred thousand bhikkhū. One assembly of disciples was of one hundred thousand bhikkhū. One assembly of disciples was of eighty thousand bhikkhū. These three assemblies of disciples of Vipassī the Bhagavā, Mārisā, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, were entirely of those whose āsava were destroyed. Vipassī the Bhagavā, Mārisā, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, had a bhikkhu attendant named Asoka, a chief attendant. The father of Vipassī the Bhagavā, Mārisā, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was King Bandhumā; Queen Bandhumatī was his mother, his birth mother. The city named Bandhumatī was King Bandhumā’s royal capital. The renunciation of Vipassī the Bhagavā, Mārisā, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, was thus, his going forth was thus, his striving was thus, his full awakening was thus, his setting in motion the Wheel of Dhamma was thus. We, Mārisā, having lived the optimal life under Vipassī the Bhagavā, having become dispassionate towards sensual pleasures, have arisen here.’ Bhikkhave, in that very class of gods, many thousands of gods, many hundreds of thousands of gods approached me; having approached, they bowed to me and stood to one side. Standing to one side, Bhikkhave, those gods said this to me: ‘It was in the thirty-first aeon from now, Mārisā, that Sikhī the Bhagavā … and so on … We, Mārisā, under Sikhī the Bhagavā; indeed, in that very thirty-first aeon, Mārisā, Vessabhū the Bhagavā … and so on … We, Mārisā, under Vessabhū the Bhagavā … and so on … Indeed, Mārisā, in this very fortunate aeon, Kakusandha, Koṇāgamana, Kassapa the Bhagavā … and so on … We, Mārisā, having lived the optimal life under Kakusandha, Koṇāgamana, Kassapa the Bhagavā, having become dispassionate towards sensual pleasures, have arisen here.’

(93.)

185. Bhikkhave, in that very class of gods, many thousands of gods, many hundreds of thousands of gods approached me; having approached, they bowed to me and stood to one side. Standing to one side, Bhikkhave, those gods said this to me: ‘Indeed, Mārisā, in this very fortunate aeon, the Bhagavā, a liberated one, a perfectly awakened one, has now arisen in the world. The Bhagavā, Mārisā, is a Khattiya by birth, arisen in a Khattiya family. The Bhagavā, Mārisā, is Gotama by clan. The Bhagavā’s lifespan, Mārisā, is short, limited, brief; [in this age] one who lives long lives for a hundred years or a little more. The Bhagavā, Mārisā, was fully awakened at the foot of an Assattha tree. The Bhagavā, Mārisā, had a pair of disciples named Sāriputta and Moggallāna, a chief, excellent pair. The Bhagavā, Mārisā, had one assembly of disciples of twelve hundred and fifty bhikkhū. The Bhagavā, Mārisā, this one assembly of disciples was entirely of those whose āsavā (“defilements”) were destroyed. The Bhagavā, Mārisā, had a bhikkhu attendant named Ānanda, a chief attendant. The Bhagavā’s father, Mārisā, was King Suddhodana. Queen Māyā was his mother, his birth mother. The city named Kapilavatthu was the royal capital. The Bhagavā’s, Mārisā, renunciation was thus, his going forth was thus, his striving was thus, his full awakening was thus, his setting in motion the Wheel of Dhamma was thus. We, Mārisā, having lived the brahmacariyaṃ (the optimal life) under the Bhagavā, having become dispassionate towards sensual pleasures, have arisen here.

(94.)

186. Thus, Bhikkhave, this dhammadhātu (nature of reality) has been thoroughly penetrated by the Tathāgata alone, through the thorough penetration of which dhammadhātu the Tathāgata recollects the Buddhas of the past who attained final extinguishment, who had cut off papañca (mental proliferation), cut off the road, exhausted the cycle of existence, transcended all suffering, also by birth, recollects them also by name, recollects them also by clan, recollects them also by lifespan, recollects them also by pair of disciples, recollects them also by assembly of disciples, ‘Those Bhagavants were of such birth,’ thus too. ‘Those Bhagavants were of such name, of such clan, of such virtue, of such nature, of such wisdom, of such dwelling, of such liberation,’ thus too.

187. Gods too reported this matter to the Tathāgata, whereby the Tathāgata recollects the Buddhas of the past who attained final extinguishment, who had cut off papañca, cut off the road, exhausted the cycle of existence, transcended all suffering, also by birth, recollects them also by name, recollects them also by clan, recollects them also by lifespan, recollects them also by pair of disciples, recollects them also by assembly of disciples, ‘Those Bhagavants were of such birth,’ thus too. ‘Those Bhagavants were of such name, of such clan, of such virtue, of such nature, of such wisdom, of such dwelling, of such liberation,’ thus too.”

188. This the Bhagavā said. Those bhikkhū, delighted, rejoiced in the Bhagavā’s words.

189. The Great Discourse on the Life Stories, the first, is finished.

  • The sutta’s answer to the question of part 1: gods of the Pure Abodes, once disciples of the seven Buddhas, repeat the particulars given there and add each Buddha’s going forth, striving, awakening and first teaching; the Tathāgata knows them both by the dhammadhātu and by their report.
  • Paragraphs 182 and 185, the gods’ report of Gotama, are the author’s own translation on buddhavacana (A very short biography) and stand here verbatim; the Vipassī sentences repeat part 1 with the vocative Mārisā.
  • Renderings: mārisa “Mārisā (venerable sirs)”; suddhāvāsa “the Pure Abodes”, its five classes in Pāḷi as in the Saṅgītisutta’s Fives; sattāvāsa “abode of beings”; the arm simile is a twin of Brahmā’s request.
  • The vanishing and the thousands of gods certify the account within the narrative: the gods are each Buddha’s surviving witnesses.
  • The edition’s 181–189 are CST 91–94, in parentheses in the tabs.

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