[503] On one occasion the Blessed One, while wandering on tour among the Kosalans together with a large Saṅgha of bhikkhus, arrived at a brahmin village of the Kosalans named Venāgapura. The brahmin householders of Venāgapura heard: "It is said, sirs, that the ascetic Gotama, the son of the Sakyans, who went forth from the Sakyan clan, has arrived at Venāgapura. Now concerning that Master Gotama such a fair report has spread abroad: 'Thus indeed is that Blessed One: an arahant, fully self-enlightened, perfect in true knowledge (vijjā) and conduct, fortunate, knower of the world, unsurpassed trainer of persons to be tamed, teacher of devas and humans, enlightened, blessed. Having realized this world — with its devas, its Māra, its Brahmā, this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, its devas and humans — himself by direct knowledge (abhiññā), he makes it known. He teaches the Dhamma that is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, with its meaning and its phrasing; he proclaims the holy life that is utterly complete and pure. It is good indeed to see such arahants.'"
Then the brahmin householders of Venāgapura approached the Blessed One. Having approached, some paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side; some exchanged greetings with the Blessed One and, when they had concluded their courteous and memorable talk, sat down to one side; some raised their joined palms in salutation toward the Blessed One and sat down to one side; some announced their name and clan and sat down to one side; some kept silent and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the brahmin Vacchagotta of Venāgapura said to the Blessed One:
"It is wonderful, Master Gotama! It is marvelous, Master Gotama! — how Master Gotama's faculties are serene, his complexion pure and bright. Just as, Master Gotama, a yellow jujube fruit in autumn is pure and bright, even so Master Gotama's faculties are serene, his complexion pure and bright. Just as, Master Gotama, a palm fruit just released from its stalk is pure and bright, even so Master Gotama's faculties are serene, his complexion pure and bright. Just as, Master Gotama, an ornament of gold from the Jambu river, well fashioned by the son of a skillful goldsmith, deftly wrought, placed upon pale-yellow woolen cloth, shines and glows and radiates, even so Master Gotama's faculties are serene, his complexion pure and bright. Surely Master Gotama is one who obtains at will, without trouble, without difficulty, whatever high and luxurious beds there are, that is: a sofa, a divan, a long-fleeced coverlet, a coverlet of diverse colors, a white coverlet, a woolen coverlet embroidered with flowers, a quilt stuffed with cotton, a woolen coverlet embroidered with animal figures, a woolen coverlet with raised fringe, a woolen coverlet with fringe on one side, a silk coverlet embroidered with gems, a silken sheet, a dancers' rug, an elephant rug, a horse rug, a chariot rug, a spread of black antelope hides, a choice spread of kadali-deer hide, a bed with a canopy above and red bolsters at both ends."
"As to those high and luxurious beds, brahmin, that is: a sofa … a bed with red bolsters at both ends — such things are hard for those gone forth to obtain, and if obtained, they are not allowable. But there are, brahmin, these three high and luxurious beds of which I am at present one who gains at will, without trouble, without difficulty. What three? The celestial high and luxurious bed, the Brahmā high and luxurious bed, and the noble high and luxurious bed. These, brahmin, are the three high and luxurious beds of which I am at present one who gains at will, without trouble, without difficulty."
"But what, Master Gotama, is the celestial high and luxurious bed of which Master Gotama is at present one who gains at will, without trouble, without difficulty?"
"Here, brahmin, when I am dwelling in dependence upon a village or a town, in the morning I dress and, taking bowl and robe, I enter that same village or town for alms. After the meal, when I have returned from the alms round, I resort to a forest grove. There I gather into one place whatever grasses or leaves there are and sit down, folding my legs crosswise, setting my body erect, and establishing mindfulness (sati) before me. Secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, I enter and dwell in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by thought and examination, with rapture (pīti) and happiness born of seclusion. With the subsiding of thought and examination, I enter and dwell in the second jhāna, which has internal confidence and unification of mind, is without thought and without examination, and has rapture and happiness born of concentration (samādhi). With the fading away of rapture, I dwell equanimous and, mindful and clearly comprehending (sampajāno), I experience happiness with the body; I enter and dwell in the third jhāna, of which the noble ones declare: 'He is equanimous, mindful, one who dwells happily.' With the abandoning of pleasure and the abandoning of pain, and with the previous passing away of joy and grief, I enter and dwell in the fourth jhāna, which is neither painful nor pleasant and has purity of mindfulness through equanimity (upekkhā).
"Then, brahmin, if in such a state I walk back and forth, on that occasion my walking back and forth is celestial. If, brahmin, in such a state I stand, on that occasion my standing is celestial. If, brahmin, in such a state I sit, on that occasion my seat is celestial. If, brahmin, in such a state I lie down, on that occasion this is my celestial high and luxurious bed. This, brahmin, is that celestial high and luxurious bed of which I am at present one who gains at will, without trouble, without difficulty."
"It is wonderful, Master Gotama! It is marvelous, Master Gotama! For who else, apart from Master Gotama, could be one who gains at will, without trouble, without difficulty, such a celestial high and luxurious bed? But what, Master Gotama, is the Brahmā high and luxurious bed of which Master Gotama is at present one who gains at will, without trouble, without difficulty?"
"Here, brahmin, when I am dwelling in dependence upon a village or a town, in the morning I dress and, taking bowl and robe, I enter that same village or town for alms. After the meal, when I have returned from the alms round, I resort to a forest grove. There I gather into one place whatever grasses or leaves there are and sit down, folding my legs crosswise, setting my body erect, and establishing mindfulness before me. I dwell pervading one quarter with a mind (citta) imbued with loving-kindness (mettā), likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth; thus above, below, across, everywhere, and to all as to myself, I dwell pervading the entire world with a mind imbued with loving-kindness — abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility, without ill will. With a mind imbued with compassion (karuṇā) … With a mind imbued with altruistic joy (muditā) … I dwell pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with equanimity, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth; thus above, below, across, everywhere, and to all as to myself, I dwell pervading the entire world with a mind imbued with equanimity — abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility, without ill will.
"Then, brahmin, if in such a state I walk back and forth, on that occasion my walking back and forth is of Brahmā. If, brahmin, in such a state I stand … sit … lie down, on that occasion this is my Brahmā high and luxurious bed. This, brahmin, is that Brahmā high and luxurious bed of which I am at present one who gains at will, without trouble, without difficulty."
"It is wonderful, Master Gotama! It is marvelous, Master Gotama! For who else, apart from Master Gotama, could be one who gains at will, without trouble, without difficulty, such a Brahmā high and luxurious bed? But what, Master Gotama, is the noble high and luxurious bed of which Master Gotama is at present one who gains at will, without trouble, without difficulty?"
"Here, brahmin, when I am dwelling in dependence upon a village or a town, in the morning I dress and, taking bowl and robe, I enter that same village or town for alms. After the meal, when I have returned from the alms round, I resort to a forest grove. There I gather into one place whatever grasses or leaves there are and sit down, folding my legs crosswise, setting my body erect, and establishing mindfulness before me. I understand thus: 'Greed (lobha) has been abandoned by me, cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, brought to non-existence, no longer subject to future arising. Hatred (dosa) has been abandoned by me, cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, brought to non-existence, no longer subject to future arising. Delusion (moha) has been abandoned by me, cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, brought to non-existence, no longer subject to future arising.'
"Then, brahmin, if in such a state I walk back and forth, on that occasion my walking back and forth is noble. If, brahmin, in such a state I stand … sit … lie down, on that occasion this is my noble high and luxurious bed. This, brahmin, is that noble high and luxurious bed of which I am at present one who gains at will, without trouble, without difficulty."
"It is wonderful, Master Gotama! It is marvelous, Master Gotama! For who else, apart from Master Gotama, could be one who gains at will, without trouble, without difficulty, such a noble high and luxurious bed? Excellent, Master Gotama! Excellent, Master Gotama! Just as, Master Gotama, one might set upright what had been overturned, or reveal what was hidden, or point out the path to one who had gone astray, or hold up an oil lamp in the darkness so that those with eyes might see forms — even so has the Dhamma been made clear in many ways by Master Gotama. We go for refuge to Master Gotama, and to the Dhamma, and to the Saṅgha of bhikkhus. Let Master Gotama remember us as lay followers who have gone for refuge for life, from this day forward."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.