an.8.64 Aṅguttara Nikāya (Numbered Discourses)

At Gaya

Thus have I heard:

Once the Exalted One was staying on Gaya Head at Gaya; and there he addressed the monks, saying:

‘Monks.’

‘Lord,’ they replied.

And the Exalted One said:

‘Monks, before my awakening, while I was not yet completely awakened and but a being awakening, I perceived auras, but I saw no forms.

Monks, to me there came the thought:

“If I were both to perceive auras and to see forms, knowledge and vision within me would thus be better purified.”

Monks, later on, living zealous, earnest, resolute, I both perceived the auras and saw the forms, but I did not stand with, talk to or engage in conversation any of those devas.

Monks, to me came the thought:

“If I were to perceive the auras, see the forms, stand with, talk to and engage those devas in conversation, knowledge and vision within me would thus be better purified.”

Monks, later on, living zealous, earnest, resolute, I perceived the auras, saw the forms, stood with, talked to and engaged those devas in conversation, but I knew not of those devas:

These devas are from such and such a deva community.

Monks, to me came the thought:

“If I were to perceive the auras, see the forms, stand with, talk to and engage those devas in conversation, and know that these devas are from such and such a community, knowledge and vision within me would thus be better purified.”

Monks, later on, living zealous, earnest, resolute, I perceived the auras, saw the forms, stood with, talked to and engaged those devas in conversation, and knew that these devas were from such and such a community, but I knew not of those devas:

These devas as the result of their deeds passed away from here and arose there; those devas as the result of their deeds passed away from here and arose there.

Monks, to me came the thought:

“If I were to perceive the auras, see the forms, stand with, talk to and engage those devas in conversation, and to know that these devas are from such and such a community, these devas as the result of their deeds passed away from here and arose there; those devas as the result of their deeds passed away from here and arose there knowledge and vision within me would thus be better purified.”

Monks, later on, living zealous, earnest, resolute, I perceived the auras, saw the forms, stood with, talked to and engaged those devas in conversation, and knew that these devas were from such and such a community, these devas as the result of their deeds passed away from here and arose there; those devas as the result of their deeds passed away from here and arose there but I knew not of those devas:

Such is the food of these devas, such their experiences, such their weal and woe; of those devas such is the food, such their experiences, such their weal and woe.

Monks, to me came the thought:

“If I were to perceive the auras, see the forms, stand with, talk to and engage those devas in conversation, and to know that these devas are from such and such a community, these devas as the result of their deeds passed away from here and arose there; those devas as the result of their deeds passed away from here and arose there such is the food of these devas, such their experiences, such their weal and woe; of those devas such is the food, such their experiences, such their weal and woe knowledge and vision within me would thus be better purified.”

Monks, later on, living zealous, earnest, resolute, I perceived the auras, saw the forms, stood with, talked to and engaged those devas in conversation, and knew that these devas were from such and such a community, these devas as the result of their deeds passed away from here and arose there; those devas as the result of their deeds passed away from here and arose there such is the food of these devas, such their experiences, such their weal and woe; of those devas such is the food, such their experiences, such their weal and woe but I knew not of those devas:

These devas live so long, they have a life-span of such length those devas live so long, they have a life-span of such length.

Monks, to me came the thought:

“If I were to perceive the auras, see the forms, stand with, talk to and engage those devas in conversation, and to know that these devas are from such and such a community, these devas as the result of their deeds passed away from here and arose there; those devas as the result of their deeds passed away from here and arose there such is the food of these devas, such their experiences, such their weal and woe; of those devas such is the food, such their experiences, such their weal and woe these devas live so long, they have a life-span of such length those devas live so long, they have a life-span of such length knowledge and vision within me would thus be better purified.”

Monks, later on, living zealous, earnest, resolute, I perceived the auras, saw the forms, stood with, talked to and engaged those devas in conversation, and knew that these devas were from such and such a community, these devas as the result of their deeds passed away from here and arose there; those devas as the result of their deeds passed away from here and arose there such is the food of these devas, such their experiences, such their weal and woe; of those devas such is the food, such their experiences, such their weal and woe these devas live so long, they have a life-span of such length those devas live so long, they have a life-span of such length but I knew not of those devas whether I had dwelt with those devas formerly or not.

Monks, to me came the thought:

“If I were to perceive the auras, see the forms, stand with, talk to and engage those devas in conversation, and to know that these devas are from such and such a community, these devas as the result of their deeds passed away from here and arose there; those devas as the result of their deeds passed away from here and arose there such is the food of these devas, such their experiences, such their weal and woe; of those devas such is the food, such their experiences, such their weal and woe these devas live so long, they have a life-span of such length those devas live so long, they have a life-span of such length and whether I had dwelt with those devas formerly or not knowledge and vision within me would thus be better purified.”

Monks, later on, living zealous, earnest, resolute, I perceived the auras, saw the forms, stood with, talked to and engaged those devas in conversation, and knew that these devas were from such and such a community, these devas as the result of their deeds passed away from here and arose there; those devas as the result of their deeds passed away from here and arose there such is the food of these devas, such their experiences, such their weal and woe; of those devas such is the food, such their experiences, such their weal and woe these devas live so long, those devas live so long, they have a life-span of such length they have a life-span of such length and whether I had dwelt with those devas formerly or not.

Monks, so long as this eightfold series of knowledge and vision of the higher devas was not fully purified in me, I did not realize as one wholly awakened to the highest awakening, unsurpassed in the world of devas, with its Māras and its Brahmās, or in the world of mankind with its recluses and godly men, devas and men.

But when the eightfold series of knowledge and vision of the higher devas was fully purified in me, then, monks, I realized as one wholly awakened to the highest awakening, unsurpassed in the world of devas, with its Māras and its Brahmās, or in the world of mankind with its recluses and godly men, devas and men.

Then knowledge and vision arose in me, and I knew:

Sure is my heart's release; this is my last birth; there is now no more becoming for me.’

- Translator: E.M. Hare

- Editor: Blake Walsh

At Gayā Head

At one time the Buddha was staying near Gayā on Gayā Head.
There the Buddha addressed the mendicants:
“Mendicants, before my awakening—when I was still not awake but intent on awakening—I perceived light but did not see visions.
Then it occurred to me,
‘What if I were to both perceive light and see visions?
Then my knowledge and vision would become even more purified.’
So after some time, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, I perceived light and saw visions.
But I didn’t associate with those deities, converse, or engage in discussion.
Then it occurred to me,
‘What if I were to perceive light and see visions; and associate with those deities, converse, and engage in discussion?
Then my knowledge and vision would become even more purified.’
So after some time … I perceived light and saw visions. And I associated with those deities, conversed, and engaged in discussion.
But I didn’t know which
orders of gods those deities came from.
Then it occurred to me,
‘What if I were to perceive light and see visions; and associate with those deities, converse, and engage in discussion;
and find out which orders of gods those deities come from?
Then my knowledge and vision would become even more purified.’
So after some time … I perceived light and saw visions. And I associated with those deities … And I found out which orders of gods those deities came from.

But I didn’t know what
deeds caused those deities to be reborn there after passing away from here.
So after some time … I found out what
deeds caused those deities to be reborn there after passing away from here.
But I didn’t know what
deeds caused those deities to have such food and such an experience of pleasure and pain.
So after some time … I found out what
deeds caused those deities to have such food and such an experience of pleasure and pain.
But I didn’t know that
these deities have a life-span of such a length.
So after some time … I found out that
these deities have a life-span of such a length.
But I didn’t know whether or not I had previously lived together with those deities.
Then it occurred to me,
‘What if I were to perceive light and see visions; and associate with those deities, converse, and engage in discussion;
and find out which orders of gods those deities come from;
and what deeds caused those deities to be reborn there after passing away from here;
and what deeds caused those deities to have such food and such an experience of pleasure and pain;
and that these deities have a life-span of such a length; and whether or not I have previously lived together with those deities?
Then my knowledge and vision would become even more purified.’
So after some time …

I found out whether or not I have previously lived together with those deities.
As long as my knowledge and vision about the deities was not fully purified from these eight perspectives, I didn’t announce my supreme perfect awakening in this world with its gods, Māras, and Brahmās, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans.
But when my knowledge and vision about the deities was fully purified from these eight perspectives, I announced my supreme perfect awakening in this world with its gods, Māras, and Brahmās, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans.
Knowledge and vision arose in me:
‘My freedom is unshakable; this is my last rebirth; now there’ll be no more future lives.’”