Dialogues of the Buddha, Part II — trans. T. W. and C. A. F. Rhys Davids (1910)

1 Then, brethren, when Vipassi the Exalted One, Arahant, Buddha Supreme, became aware of the entreaty of the Brahma, because of his pitifulness towards all beings, he looked down over the world with a Buddha's Eye \ And so looking, brethren, he saw beings whose eyes were nearly free from dust,

1 On the super-normal sense of a Buddha, one of his ten balas or powers, see ' Vibhanga,' p. 340.

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and beings whose eyes were much dimmed with dust, beings sharp of sense and blunted in sense, beings of good and of evil disposition, beings docile and indocile, some among them discerning the danger in rebirth and in other worlds, and the danger in wrong doing. As in a pond of blue, or red, or white lotuses, some lotus-plants born in the water grow up in the water, do not emerge from the water, but thrive sunken beneath ; and other lotus-plants, born in the water and grown up in the water, reach to the level ; while other lotus-plants born in the water and grown up in the water, stand thrusting themselves above the water, undrenched by it ; [39] even so, brethren, did Vipassi the Exalted One, Arahant, Buddha Supreme, look down over the world with a Buddha's Eye, and see beings whose eyes were nearly free from dust, and beings whose eyes were dim with dust, beings sharp of sense and blunted in sense, beings of good and of evil disposition, beings docile and indocile, and some among them discerning the danger in rebirth in other worlds, and the danger in wrong doing.

7. ' Thereupon that Great Brahma, brethren, when
he became aware in thought of the thoughts of Vipassi,
spoke to him in verse 1 : —
"As on a crag, on crest of mountain standing,
A man might watch the people far below,

E'en so do thou, O Wisdom fair, ascending,
O Seer of all, the terraced heights of Truth,

Look down, from grief released, upon the nations
Sunken in grief, oppressed with birth and age.

Arise, thou Hero ! Conqueror in the battle!

Thou freed from debt ! Lord of the pilgrim band !

Walk the world o'er, sublime and blessed Teacher 2 !
Teach us the Truth ; there are who'll understand."

1 The following verses and the response are otherwise arranged in the Vinaya and Majjhima versions, in the former immediately following the deity's petition, in the latter immediately following the lotus simile.

2 In the text simply, O Exalted (or Blessed) One ; — practically the only expression not literally reproduced.

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1 Thereupon, brethren, Vipassi, the Exalted One,
Arahant, Buddha Supreme, made response in verse to
that great Brahma : —

" Wide opened are the portals to Nirvana ! !

Let those that hear renounce their empty faith 2 !
Despairing of the weary task, O Brahma,
I spake not of this doctrine, sweet and good, to men."

' Then, brethren, that Great Brahma thinking : — " Verily I am the one by whom an opening has been given for the preaching of the Truth by Vipassi the Exalted One, the Arahant, the Buddha Supreme," [4o] bowed down before Vipassi, and passing round him by the left vanished away.

8. ' Then to Vipassi, brethren, the Exalted One, Arahant, Buddha Supreme, this occurred : — " To whom now should I first preach the Truth ? Who will quickly understand this doctrine?" And he thought: — " There is Kha;wfa a raja's son, and Tissa, the chaplain's son, both dwelling at Bandhumati. They are learned, open-minded and wise, and for long have had but little dust in their eyes. If I were now to teach the Truth first to them, they would quickly understand it." Thereupon, brethren, did Vipassi, like a strong man stretching his bent arm out, or drawing back his outstretched arm, vanish from the Wisdom Tree and appear in the Sanctuary, in the deer-park at Bandhumati 3.

9. ' And Vipassi, brethren, bade the park-keeper, saying : — " Ho you, good park-keeper, go into Ban-

1 Amatassa dvara; literally the doors of ambrosia. On this term see Appendix I. Cf. also M. I, 227 : — amatadvaram. ' Wideflung the living gate, the safe (road) leading to Nirvana.'