{"id":"sn6.4","title":"With Baka the Divinity","languageCodes":["en","pi"],"languageNotes":{"en":"Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0","pi":"Mahāsaṅgīti edition · SuttaCentral"},"chapters":[{"id":"sn6.4","title":"With Baka the Divinity","units":[{"id":"sn6.4:0","sourceIds":["sn6.4:0.1","sn6.4:0.2","sn6.4:0.3"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Saṁyutta Nikāya 6.4\n1. Paṭhamavagga\nBakabrahmasutta","en":"Linked Discourses 6.4\n1. The Appeal\nWith Baka the Divinity"}},{"id":"sn6.4:1","sourceIds":["sn6.4:1.1","sn6.4:1.2","sn6.4:1.3","sn6.4:1.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Evaṁ me sutaṁ—\nekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.\nTena kho pana samayena bakassa brahmuno evarūpaṁ pāpakaṁ diṭṭhigataṁ uppannaṁ hoti:\n“idaṁ niccaṁ, idaṁ dhuvaṁ, idaṁ sassataṁ, idaṁ kevalaṁ, idaṁ acavanadhammaṁ, idañhi na jāyati na jīyati na mīyati na cavati na upapajjati, ito ca panaññaṁ uttari nissaraṇaṁ natthī”ti.","en":"So I have heard.\nAt one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.\nNow at that time Baka the Divinity had the following harmful misconception:\n“This is permanent, this is everlasting, this is eternal, this is whole, this is not liable to pass away. For this is where there’s no being born, growing old, dying, passing away, or being reborn. And there’s no other escape beyond this.”"}},{"id":"sn6.4:2","sourceIds":["sn6.4:2.1","sn6.4:2.2","sn6.4:2.3","sn6.4:2.4","sn6.4:2.5","sn6.4:2.6"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Atha kho bhagavā bakassa brahmuno cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evameva—jetavane antarahito tasmiṁ brahmaloke pāturahosi.\nAddasā kho bako brahmā bhagavantaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ.\nDisvāna bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:\n“ehi kho, mārisa, svāgataṁ te, mārisa.\nCirassaṁ kho, mārisa, imaṁ pariyāyamakāsi yadidaṁ idhāgamanāya.\nIdañhi, mārisa, niccaṁ, idaṁ dhuvaṁ, idaṁ sassataṁ, idaṁ kevalaṁ, idaṁ acavanadhammaṁ, idañhi na jāyati na jīyati na mīyati na cavati na upapajjati. Ito ca panaññaṁ uttari nissaraṇaṁ natthī”ti.","en":"Then the Buddha knew Baka the Divinity’s train of thought. As easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, he vanished from Jeta’s Grove and reappeared in that realm of divinity.\nBaka the Divinity saw the Buddha coming off in the distance\nand said to him,\n“Come, good fellow! Welcome, good fellow!\nIt’s been a long time since you took the opportunity to come here.\nFor this is permanent, this is everlasting, this is eternal, this is whole, this is not liable to pass away. For this is where there’s no being born, growing old, dying, passing away, or being reborn. And there’s no other escape beyond this.”"}},{"id":"sn6.4:3","sourceIds":["sn6.4:3.1","sn6.4:3.2","sn6.4:3.3","sn6.4:3.4","sn6.4:3.5","sn6.4:3.6"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Evaṁ vutte, bhagavā bakaṁ brahmānaṁ etadavoca:\n“avijjāgato vata bho bako brahmā, avijjāgato vata bho bako brahmā.\nYatra hi nāma aniccaṁyeva samānaṁ niccanti vakkhati, adhuvaṁyeva samānaṁ dhuvanti vakkhati, asassataṁyeva samānaṁ sassatanti vakkhati, akevalaṁyeva samānaṁ kevalanti vakkhati, cavanadhammaṁyeva samānaṁ acavanadhammanti vakkhati.\nYattha ca pana jāyati ca jīyati ca mīyati ca cavati ca upapajjati ca, tañca tathā vakkhati:\n‘idañhi na jāyati na jīyati na mīyati na cavati na upapajjati’.\nSantañca panaññaṁ uttari nissaraṇaṁ, ‘natthaññaṁ uttari nissaraṇan’ti vakkhatī”ti.","en":"When he had spoken, the Buddha said to him,\n“Alas, Baka the Divinity is lost in ignorance! Alas, Baka the Divinity is lost in ignorance!\nBecause what is actually impermanent, not lasting, transient, incomplete, and liable to pass away, he says is permanent, everlasting, eternal, whole, and not liable to pass away.\nAnd where there is being born, growing old, dying, passing away, and being reborn, he says that\nthere’s no being born, growing old, dying, passing away, or being reborn.\nAnd although there is another escape beyond this, he says that there’s no other escape beyond this.”"}},{"id":"sn6.4:4","sourceIds":["sn6.4:4.1","sn6.4:4.2","sn6.4:4.3","sn6.4:4.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Dvāsattati gotama puññakammā,\nVasavattino jātijaraṁ atītā;\nAyamantimā vedagū brahmupapatti,\nAsmābhijappanti janā anekā”ti.","en":"“Gotama, we seventy-two merit-makers are now wielders of power,\nhaving passed beyond rebirth and old age.\nThis is our last rebirth as the Divinity, O knowledge master.\nAnd now many people pray to us.”"}},{"id":"sn6.4:5","sourceIds":["sn6.4:5.1","sn6.4:5.2","sn6.4:5.3","sn6.4:5.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Appañhi etaṁ na hi dīghamāyu,\nYaṁ tvaṁ baka maññasi dīghamāyuṁ;\nSataṁ sahassānaṁ nirabbudānaṁ,\nĀyuṁ pajānāmi tavāhaṁ brahme”ti.","en":"“But, Baka, the lifespan here is short, not long,\nthough you think it’s long.\nA hundred thousand times a hundred million years—\nI understand your lifespan, Divinity.”"}},{"id":"sn6.4:6","sourceIds":["sn6.4:6.1","sn6.4:6.2","sn6.4:6.3","sn6.4:6.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Anantadassī bhagavāhamasmi,\nJātijaraṁ sokamupātivatto;\nKiṁ me purāṇaṁ vatasīlavattaṁ,\nĀcikkha me taṁ yamahaṁ vijaññā”ti.","en":"“I am the blessed one of infinite vision,\nwho has gone beyond rebirth and old age and sorrow.\nWhat was my past practice of precept and observance?\nExplain to me so that I may understand.”"}},{"id":"sn6.4:7","sourceIds":["sn6.4:7.1","sn6.4:7.2","sn6.4:7.3","sn6.4:7.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Yaṁ tvaṁ apāyesi bahū manusse,\nPipāsite ghammani samparete;\nTaṁ te purāṇaṁ vatasīlavattaṁ,\nSuttappabuddhova anussarāmi.","en":"“You gave drink to many humans\nwho were oppressed by thirst and heat.\nThat’s your past practice of precept and observance.\nI recollect it like one who has wakened from sleep."}},{"id":"sn6.4:8","sourceIds":["sn6.4:8.1","sn6.4:8.2","sn6.4:8.3","sn6.4:8.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Yaṁ eṇikūlasmiṁ janaṁ gahītaṁ,\nAmocayī gayhakaṁ nīyamānaṁ;\nTaṁ te purāṇaṁ vatasīlavattaṁ,\nSuttappabuddhova anussarāmi.","en":"When people at Deer River Bank were seized,\nyou released the captives as they were led away.\nThat’s your past practice of precept and observance.\nI recollect it like one who has wakened from sleep."}},{"id":"sn6.4:9","sourceIds":["sn6.4:9.1","sn6.4:9.2","sn6.4:9.3","sn6.4:9.4","sn6.4:9.5"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Gaṅgāya sotasmiṁ gahītanāvaṁ,\nLuddena nāgena manussakamyā;\nPamocayittha balasā pasayha,\nTaṁ te purāṇaṁ vatasīlavattaṁ;\nSuttappabuddhova anussarāmi.","en":"When a boat on the Ganges River was seized\nby a fierce dragon desiring human flesh,\nyou freed it wielding mighty force.\nThat’s your past practice of precept and observance.\nI recollect it like one who has wakened from sleep."}},{"id":"sn6.4:10","sourceIds":["sn6.4:10.1","sn6.4:10.2","sn6.4:10.3","sn6.4:10.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Kappo ca te baddhacaro ahosiṁ,\nSambuddhimantaṁ vatinaṁ amaññi;\nTaṁ te purāṇaṁ vatasīlavattaṁ,\nSuttappabuddhova anussarāmī”ti.","en":"I used to be your footman named Kappa.\nYou thought he was intelligent and loyal.\nThat’s your past practice of precept and observance.\nI recollect it like one who has wakened from sleep.”"}},{"id":"sn6.4:11","sourceIds":["sn6.4:11.1","sn6.4:11.2","sn6.4:11.3","sn6.4:11.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Addhā pajānāsi mametamāyuṁ,\nAññepi jānāsi tathā hi buddho;\nTathā hi tyāyaṁ jalitānubhāvo,\nObhāsayaṁ tiṭṭhati brahmalokan”ti.","en":"“You certainly understand this lifespan of mine.\nAnd others, too, you know; that’s why you’re the Buddha.\nAnd that’s why your blazing glory\nlights up even the realm of divinity.”"}}]}],"sourceRevision":"afdafa92450cfe7573b280da50382888323666d2","sourceUrl":"https://suttacentral.net/sn6.4/en/sujato","licence":"CC0 1.0","licenceUrl":"https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/","editionNote":"Full supplied source file; inherited abbreviations are preserved. Not a reconstructed expansion of every repetition. No Malay or Mandarin translation is implied."}