[224] Then, sirs, those six aristocrats approached the brahmin Mahāgovinda, and having approached, they said to the brahmin Mahāgovinda: "Just as the worthy Govinda is King Reṇu's friend—dear, agreeable, and not displeasing—even so, sirs, the worthy brahmin Govinda is our friend too—dear, agreeable, and not displeasing. Let the worthy brahmin Govinda instruct us; may the worthy brahmin Govinda not refuse us his instruction." "So be it, sirs," the brahmin Mahāgovinda assented to those six anointed aristocrats.
Then, sirs, the brahmin Mahāgovinda, by way of instruction, instructed in kingship the seven anointed aristocrat kings, and he taught the hymns to the seven well-to-do brahmins and to the seven hundred bathed graduates.
Then, sirs, at a later time this fine report arose concerning the brahmin Mahāgovinda: "The brahmin Mahāgovinda sees Brahmā face to face! The brahmin Mahāgovinda discusses, converses, and consults with Brahmā face to face!" Then, sirs, this occurred to the brahmin Mahāgovinda: "This fine report has arisen concerning me: 'The brahmin Mahāgovinda sees Brahmā face to face! The brahmin Mahāgovinda discusses, converses, and consults with Brahmā face to face!' But I do not see Brahmā; I do not discuss with Brahmā, I do not converse with Brahmā, I do not consult with Brahmā. Yet I have heard this said by brahmins who were elderly and aged, teachers of teachers: 'Whoever goes into retreat for the four months of the rains and meditates on the absorption (jhāna) of compassion sees Brahmā, discusses, converses, and consults with Brahmā.' What if I were to go into retreat for the four months of the rains and meditate on the absorption of compassion?"
Then the brahmin Mahāgovinda approached King Reṇu, and having approached, he said to King Reṇu: "Sire, this fine report has arisen concerning me: 'The brahmin Mahāgovinda sees Brahmā face to face! The brahmin Mahāgovinda discusses, converses, and consults with Brahmā face to face!' But, sire, I do not see Brahmā; I do not discuss with Brahmā, I do not converse with Brahmā, I do not consult with Brahmā. Yet I have heard this said by brahmins who were elderly and aged, teachers of teachers: 'Whoever goes into retreat for the four months of the rains and meditates on the absorption of compassion sees Brahmā, discusses, converses, and consults with Brahmā.' Sire, I wish to go into retreat for the four months of the rains and to meditate on the absorption of compassion. No one is to approach me except the one person who brings my food." "Let the worthy Govinda do now what he thinks it is time to do."
Then the brahmin Mahāgovinda approached those six aristocrats, and having approached, he said to those six aristocrats: "Sirs, this fine report has arisen concerning me: 'The brahmin Mahāgovinda sees Brahmā face to face! The brahmin Mahāgovinda discusses, converses, and consults with Brahmā face to face!' But, sirs, I do not see Brahmā; I do not discuss with Brahmā, I do not converse with Brahmā, I do not consult with Brahmā. Yet I have heard this said by brahmins who were elderly and aged, teachers of teachers: 'Whoever goes into retreat for the four months of the rains and meditates on the absorption of compassion sees Brahmā, discusses, converses, and consults with Brahmā.' Sirs, I wish to go into retreat for the four months of the rains and to meditate on the absorption of compassion. No one is to approach me except the one person who brings my food." "Let the worthy Govinda do now what he thinks it is time to do."
Then, sirs, the brahmin Mahāgovinda approached the seven well-to-do brahmins and the seven hundred bathed graduates, and having approached, he said to the seven well-to-do brahmins and the seven hundred bathed graduates: "Sirs, this fine report has arisen concerning me: 'The brahmin Mahāgovinda sees Brahmā face to face! The brahmin Mahāgovinda discusses, converses, and consults with Brahmā face to face!' But, sirs, I do not see Brahmā; I do not discuss with Brahmā, I do not converse with Brahmā, I do not consult with Brahmā. Yet I have heard this said by brahmins who were elderly and aged, teachers of teachers: 'Whoever goes into retreat for the four months of the rains and meditates on the absorption of compassion sees Brahmā, discusses, converses, and consults with Brahmā.' Therefore, sirs, rehearse the hymns in detail as you have heard them and as you have learned them, and teach the hymns to one another. Sirs, I wish to go into retreat for the four months of the rains and to meditate on the absorption of compassion. No one is to approach me except the one person who brings my food." "Let the worthy Govinda do now what he thinks it is time to do."
Then, sirs, the brahmin Mahāgovinda approached his forty wives who were his equals, and having approached, he said to the forty wives who were his equals: "Ladies, this fine report has arisen concerning me: 'The brahmin Mahāgovinda sees Brahmā face to face! The brahmin Mahāgovinda discusses, converses, and consults with Brahmā face to face!' But, ladies, I do not see Brahmā; I do not discuss with Brahmā, I do not converse with Brahmā, I do not consult with Brahmā. Yet I have heard this said by brahmins who were elderly and aged, teachers of teachers: 'Whoever goes into retreat for the four months of the rains and meditates on the absorption of compassion sees Brahmā, discusses, converses, and consults with Brahmā.' Ladies, I wish to go into retreat for the four months of the rains and to meditate on the absorption of compassion. No one is to approach me except the one person who brings my food." "Let the worthy Govinda do now what he thinks it is time to do."
Then, sirs, the brahmin Mahāgovinda had a new assembly hall built to the east of the city, and he went into retreat for the four months of the rains and meditated on the absorption of compassion; and no one approached him except the one person who brought his food. Then, sirs, when the four months had passed, there arose in the brahmin Mahāgovinda dissatisfaction, there arose anxiety: "I have heard this said by brahmins who were elderly and aged, teachers of teachers: 'Whoever goes into retreat for the four months of the rains and meditates on the absorption of compassion sees Brahmā, discusses, converses, and consults with Brahmā.' But I do not see Brahmā; I do not discuss with Brahmā, I do not converse with Brahmā, I do not consult with Brahmā."
Then, sirs, Brahmā Sanaṅkumāra, knowing with his own mind the reflection in the mind of the brahmin Mahāgovinda, just as a strong man might extend his bent arm or bend his extended arm, vanished from the Brahmā world and appeared before the brahmin Mahāgovinda. Then, sirs, there arose in the brahmin Mahāgovinda fear, there arose terror, there arose horripilation, at seeing a form he had never seen before. Then, sirs, the brahmin Mahāgovinda—frightened, agitated, his hair standing on end—addressed Brahmā Sanaṅkumāra in verse:
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.