Table of Contents

  • Synopsis
    • AN 8.64 gayā-sīsa
      • (1. I perceived light, but saw NO forms;)
      • (2. I perceived light and saw forms;)
      • (3. Associate and converse with devas;)
      • (4. Know different classes/hosts/realms of devas)
      • (5. What kind of kamma led to deva being reborn in that class)
      • (6. Know result of kamma experienced as pleasure/pain in different deva classes;)
      • (7. Know the result of kamma why devas have certain life span length;)
      • (8. Buddha knows whether he previous lived with those devas or not;)
      • (conclusion: knowledge and vision not complete until… these permutations satisfied)

Synopsis

AN 8.64 gayā-sīsa

AN 8.64 gayā-sīsa-sutta
 (at) Gayā-head [place] - discourse (thai AN 8:71)
(cst4)
 (thanissaro trans.)
♦ 64. ekaṃ samayaṃ bhagavā gayāyaṃ viharati gayāsīse.
 I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Gayā at Gayā Head.
tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi ... pe...
 There he addressed the monks, “Monks!”
...
 “Yes, lord,” the monks responded to the Blessed One.

(1. I perceived light, but saw NO forms;)

(1) pe ... “pubbāhaṃ, bhikkhave, sambodhā anabhisambuddho bodhisattova samāno
 (1) The Blessed One said, “Monks, before my self-awakening, when I was still just an unawakened bodhisatta,
obhāsaññeva kho sañjānāmi,
 I perceived light
no ca rūpāni passāmi”.
 but did not see forms.
♦ “tassa mayhaṃ, bhikkhave, etadahosi —
 The thought occurred to me,
‘sace kho ahaṃ obhāsañceva sañjāneyyaṃ rūpāni ca passeyyaṃ;
 ‘If I perceived light and saw forms,
evaṃ me idaṃ ñāṇadassanaṃ parisuddhataraṃ assā’”ti.
 then this knowledge-&-vision of mine would be purer.’

(2. I perceived light and saw forms;)

(2) ♦ “so kho ahaṃ, bhikkhave, aparena samayena
 (2) “So, at a later time—
appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto
 staying heedful, ardent, & resolute—
obhāsañceva sañjānāmi, rūpāni ca passāmi;
 I perceived light and saw forms,
no ca kho tāhi devatāhi saddhiṃ santiṭṭhāmi sallapāmi sākacchaṃ samāpajjāmi.
 but I did not associate with those devas, didn’t converse with them, or engage them in discussion.
♦ “tassa mayhaṃ, bhikkhave, etadahosi —
 The thought occurred to me,
‘sace kho ahaṃ obhāsañceva sañjāneyyaṃ, rūpāni ca passeyyaṃ,
 ‘If I perceived light and saw forms;
tāhi ca devatāhi saddhiṃ santiṭṭheyyaṃ sallapeyyaṃ sākacchaṃ samāpajjeyyaṃ;
 and associated with those devas, conversed with them, and engaged them in discussion,
evaṃ me idaṃ ñāṇadassanaṃ parisuddhataraṃ assā’”ti.
 then this knowledge-&-vision of mine would be purer.

(3. Associate and converse with devas;)

(3) ♦ “so kho ahaṃ, bhikkhave, aparena samayena
 (3) “So, at a later time—
appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto
 staying heedful, ardent, & resolute—
obhāsañceva sañjānāmi, rūpāni ca passāmi,
 2. I perceived light and saw forms;
tāhi ca devatāhi saddhiṃ santiṭṭhāmi sallapāmi sākacchaṃ samāpajjāmi;
 3. and I also associated with those devas, conversed with them, and engaged them in discussion;
no ca kho tā devatā jānāmi —
 4. but I did not know of those devas that
imā devatā amukamhā vā amukamhā vā devanikāyāti.
 ‘These devas are from this or that deva host.’
♦ “tassa mayhaṃ, bhikkhave, etadahosi —
 The thought occurred to me,
‘sace kho ahaṃ obhāsañceva sañjāneyyaṃ, rūpāni ca passeyyaṃ,
 ‘If I perceived light and saw forms;
tāhi ca devatāhi saddhiṃ santiṭṭheyyaṃ sallapeyyaṃ sākacchaṃ samāpajjeyyaṃ,
 and associated with those devas, conversed with them, and engaged them in discussion;
tā ca devatā jāneyyaṃ —
 and I also knew of those devas that
imā devatā amukamhā vā amukamhā vā devanikāyā’ti;
 ‘These devas are from this or that deva host,’
evaṃ me idaṃ ñāṇadassanaṃ parisuddhataraṃ assā’”ti.
 then this knowledge-&-vision of mine would be purer.

(4. Know different classes/hosts/realms of devas)

(4)♦ “so kho ahaṃ, bhikkhave, aparena samayena
 (4) “So, at a later time—
appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto
 staying heedful, ardent, & resolute—
obhāsañceva sañjānāmi, rūpāni ca passāmi,
 2. I perceived light and saw forms;
tāhi ca devatāhi saddhiṃ santiṭṭhāmi sallapāmi sākacchaṃ samāpajjāmi,
 3. and associated with those devas, conversed with them, and engaged them in discussion;
tā ca devatā jānāmi —
 4. and I also knew of those devas that
‘imā devatā amukamhā vā amukamhā vā devanikāyā’ti;
 ‘These devas are from this or that deva host’;
no ca kho tā devatā jānāmi —
 but I did not know of those devas that
‘imā devatā imassa kammassa vipākena ito cutā tattha upapannā’ti
 5. ‘As a result of this kamma, these devas fell away from here and reappeared there.’

(5. What kind of kamma led to deva being reborn in that class)

(5)... pe ...
 The thought occurred to me,
tā ca devatā jānāmi —
 ‘If I perceived light and saw forms; and associated with those devas, conversed with them, and engaged them in discussion; and I also knew of those devas that ‘These devas are from this or that deva host’; and I also knew of those devas that ‘As a result of this kamma, these devas fell away from here and reappeared there,’ then this knowledge-&-vision of mine would be purer.’
‘imā devatā imassa kammassa vipākena ito cutā tattha upapannā’ti;
no ca kho tā devatā jānāmi —
 (5) “… I also knew of those devas that,
‘imā devatā imassa kammassa vipākena evamāhārā evaṃsukhadukkhappaṭisaṃvediniyo’ti
 5. ‘As a result of this kamma, these devas fell away from here and reappeared there,’
but I did not know of those devas that
6. ‘As a result of this kamma, these devas are nourished on such food and experience such pleasure & pain.’ …

(6. Know result of kamma experienced as pleasure/pain in different deva classes;)

(6) ... pe ... tā ca devatā jānāmi —
 (6) “… I also knew of those devas that,
‘imā devatā imassa kammassa vipākena evamāhārā evaṃsukhadukkhappaṭisaṃvediniyo’ti;
 ‘As a result of this kamma, these devas are nourished on such food and experience such pleasure & pain,’
no ca kho tā devatā jānāmi —
 but I did not know of those devas that
7. ‘imā devatā evaṃ-dīgh-āyukā evaṃ-ciraṭ-ṭhitikā’ti
 7. ‘As a result of this kamma, these devas have such a lifespan and are of such long standing.’ …

(7. Know the result of kamma why devas have certain life span length;)

(7) ... pe ... tā ca devatā jānāmi —
 (7) “… I also knew of those devas that,
‘imā devatā evaṃdīghāyukā evaṃciraṭṭhitikā’ti;
 7. ‘As a result of this kamma, these devas have such a lifespan and are of such long standing,’
no ca kho tā devatā jānāmi
 8. but I did not know of those devas
8. yadi vā me imāhi devatāhi saddhiṃ sannivutthapubbaṃ yadi vā na sannivutthapubbanti.
 whether I had lived together with these devas or not.
♦ “tassa mayhaṃ, bhikkhave, etadahosi —
 The thought occurred to me,
2. ‘sace kho ahaṃ obhāsañceva sañjāneyyaṃ, rūpāni ca passeyyaṃ,
 2. ‘If I perceived light and saw forms;
3. tāhi ca devatāhi saddhiṃ santiṭṭheyyaṃ sallapeyyaṃ sākacchaṃ samāpajjeyyaṃ,
 3. and associated with those devas, conversed with them, and engaged them in discussion;
tā ca devatā jāneyyaṃ —
 and I also knew of those devas that
4. ‘imā devatā amukamhā vā amukamhā vā devanikāyā’ti,
 4. ‘These devas are from this or that deva host’;
tā ca devatā jāneyyaṃ —
 and I also knew of those devas that
5. ‘imā devatā imassa kammassa vipākena ito cutā tattha upapannā’ti,
 5. ‘As a result of this kamma, these devas fell away from here and reappeared there’;
tā ca devatā jāneyyaṃ —
 and I also knew of those devas that
6. ‘imā devatā evamāhārā evaṃsukhadukkhappaṭisaṃvediniyo’ti,
 6. ‘As a result of this kamma, these devas are nourished on such food and experience such pleasure & pain’;
tā ca devatā jāneyyaṃ —
 and I also knew of those devas that
7. ‘imā devatā evaṃdīghāyukā evaṃciraṭṭhitikā’ti,
 7. ‘As a result of this kamma, these devas have such a lifespan and are of such long standing’;
tā ca devatā jāneyyaṃ
 and I also knew of those devas
8. yadi vā me imāhi devatāhi saddhiṃ sannivutthapubbaṃ yadi vā na sannivutthapubbanti;
 8. whether I had previously lived together with them or not,
evaṃ me idaṃ ñāṇadassanaṃ parisuddhataraṃ assā’”ti.
 then this knowledge-&-vision of mine would be purer.’

(8. Buddha knows whether he previous lived with those devas or not;)

(8) ♦ “so kho ahaṃ, bhikkhave, aparena samayena
 (8) “So, at a later time—
appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto
 staying heedful, ardent, & resolute—
2. obhāsañceva sañjānāmi, rūpāni ca passāmi,
 2. I perceived light and saw forms;
3. tāhi ca devatāhi saddhiṃ santiṭṭhāmi sallapāmi sākacchaṃ samāpajjāmi,
 3. and associated with those devas, conversed with them, and engaged them in discussion;
tā ca devatā jānāmi —
 and I also knew of those devas that
4. ‘imā devatā amukamhā vā amukamhā vā devanikāyā’ti,
 4. ‘These devas are from this or that deva host’;
tā ca devatā jānāmi —
 and I also knew of those devas that
5. ‘imā devatā imassa kammassa vipākena ito cutā tattha upapannā’ti,
 5. ‘As a result of this kamma, these devas fell away from here and reappeared there’;
tā ca devatā jānāmi —
 and I also knew of those devas that
6. ‘imā devatā evamāhārā evaṃsukhadukkhappaṭisaṃvediniyo’ti,
 6. ‘As a result of this kamma, these devas are nourished on such food and experience such pleasure & pain’;
tā ca devatā jānāmi —
 and I also knew of those devas that
7. ‘imā devatā evaṃdīghāyukā evaṃciraṭṭhitikā’ti,
 7. ‘As a result of this kamma, these devas have such a lifespan and are of such long standing’;
tā ca devatā jānāmi
 and I also knew of those devas
8. yadi vā me devatāhi saddhiṃ sannivutthapubbaṃ yadi vā na sannivutthapubbanti.
 8. whether I had previously lived together with them or not.

(conclusion: knowledge and vision not complete until… these permutations satisfied)

♦ “yāvakīvañca me, bhikkhave,
 “And, monks, as long as this—
evaṃ aṭṭhaparivaṭṭaṃ adhidevañāṇadassanaṃ na suvisuddhaṃ ahosi,
 my eight-round heightened deva-knowledge-&-vision—was not pure,
neva tāvāhaṃ, bhikkhave,
 I did not claim
‘sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya anuttaraṃ sammāsambodhiṃ abhisambuddho’ti VAR paccaññāsiṃ.
 to have directly awakened to the right self-awakening unexcelled in the cosmos with its devas, Māras, & Brahmās, with its people with their contemplatives & brahmans, their royalty & commonfolk.
yato ca kho me, bhikkhave,
 But as soon as this—
evaṃ aṭṭhaparivaṭṭaṃ adhidevañāṇadassanaṃ suvisuddhaṃ ahosi,
 my eight-round heightened deva-knowledge-&-vision—was truly pure,
athāhaṃ, bhikkhave,
 then I did claim
‘sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya anuttaraṃ sammāsambodhiṃ abhisambuddho’ti paccaññāsiṃ; ñāṇañca pana me dassanaṃ udapādi; akuppā me cetovimutti VAR; ayamantimā jāti natthi dāni punabbhavo”ti.
 to have directly awakened to the right self-awakening unexcelled in the cosmos with its devas, Māras, & Brahmās, with its people with their contemplatives & brahmans, their royalty & commonfolk. Knowledge & vision arose in me: ‘Unprovoked is my release. This is the last birth. There is now no further becoming.’”
catutthaṃ.
 (end of sutta)