Brahma Sahampati - non returner

Exploring the Dhamma, as understood from the perspective of the ancient Pali commentaries.
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Mkoll
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Brahma Sahampati - non returner

Post by Mkoll »

The Brahma Sahampati was the one who encouraged the Buddha to teach after he became enlightened, despite his inclination not to do so because of how deep and profound the Dhamma is and how few could understand it (see e.g. SN 6.1). I was reading SN and came across this sutta that I hadn't taken note of before.
SN 48.57 wrote:At one time, when he was first awakened, the Buddha was staying near Uruvelā at the goatherd’s banyan tree on the bank of the Nerañjarā River.

Then as he was in private retreat this thought came to his mind, “When these five faculties are developed and cultivated they culminate, finish, and end in the deathless. What five? The faculties of faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom. When these five faculties are developed and cultivated they culminate, finish, and end in the deathless.”

Then Brahmā Sahampati knew what the Buddha was thinking. As easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, he vanished from the Brahmā realm and reappeared in front of the Buddha. He arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his joined palms toward the Buddha, and said:

“That’s so true, Blessed One! That’s so true, Holy One! When these five faculties are developed and cultivated they culminate, finish, and end in the deathless. What five? The faculties of faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom. When these five faculties are developed and cultivated they culminate, finish, and end in the deathless.

Once upon a time, sir, I lived the spiritual life under the fully awakened Buddha Kassapa. There they knew me as the mendicant Sahaka. Because of developing and cultivating these same five faculties I lost desire for sensual pleasures. When my body broke up, after death, I was reborn in a good place, in the Brahmā realm. There they know me as Brahmā Sahampati.

That’s so true, Blessed One! That’s so true, Holy One! I know and see how when these five faculties are developed and cultivated they culminate, finish, and end in the deathless.”
Brahma Sahampati is obviously a brahma deva, but I never thought about his status vis-a-vis enlightenment. Now that I think about it though, it makes sense that he would be and I find that inspiring.

Do the commentaries have anything to say about previous Buddhas being similarly disinclined to teach (like our Buddha was) and likewise encouraged by another to do so?
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
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Dhammanando
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Re: Brahma Sahampati - non returner

Post by Dhammanando »

Mkoll wrote: Tue Apr 27, 2021 12:57 pm Do the commentaries have anything to say about previous Buddhas being similarly disinclined to teach (like our Buddha was) and likewise encouraged by another to do so?
The Buddhavamsa Commentary contains a list of thirty events that feature in the final life of every Buddha. A disinclination to teach the Dhamma isn't included in the list, but being requested to teach by a Brahmā deity is the fourteenth event:
Idāni pana sabbesaṃ buddhānaṃ sadhāraṇadhammataṃ pakāsayissāma. Sabbabuddhānaṃ samattiṃsavidhā dhammatā. Seyyathidaṃ,

[...]

Mahābrahmuno dhammadesanatthāya āyācanaṃ.

Now we shall make known the regularities common to all Buddhas. Thirtyfold are the regularities of all Buddhas, namely,

[...]

A Great Brahmā's appeal that he teach the Dhamma.

https://tipitaka.org/romn/cscd/s0511a.att28.xml
Yena yena hi maññanti,
tato taṃ hoti aññathā.


In whatever way they conceive it,
It turns out otherwise.
(Sn. 588)
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Mkoll
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Re: Brahma Sahampati - non returner

Post by Mkoll »

Thank you, Bhante.

:anjali:
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
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