[520] Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, I have heard this in the Blessed One's presence, I have received it in the Blessed One's presence: 'Ānanda, the disciple of Sikhī named Abhibhū, standing in the Brahmā world, made himself understood by voice throughout the thousandfold world system (lokadhātu).' But, venerable sir, how far is the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Enlightened One, able to make himself understood by voice?"
"He was a disciple, Ānanda; Tathāgatas are immeasurable."
A second time the Venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, I have heard this in the Blessed One's presence, I have received it in the Blessed One's presence: 'Ānanda, the disciple of Sikhī named Abhibhū, standing in the Brahmā world, made himself understood by voice throughout the thousandfold world system.' But, venerable sir, how far is the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Enlightened One, able to make himself understood by voice?"
"He was a disciple, Ānanda; Tathāgatas are immeasurable."
A third time the Venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, I have heard this in the Blessed One's presence, I have received it in the Blessed One's presence: 'Ānanda, the disciple of Sikhī named Abhibhū, standing in the Brahmā world, made himself understood by voice throughout the thousandfold world system.' But, venerable sir, how far is the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Enlightened One, able to make himself understood by voice?"
"Have you heard, Ānanda, of the thousandfold minor world system?"
"It is the time for this, Blessed One; it is the time for this, Sublime One (sugata) — that the Blessed One should speak. Having heard it from the Blessed One, the bhikkhus will retain it."
"Then listen, Ānanda, and attend carefully; I shall speak."
"Yes, venerable sir," the Venerable Ānanda replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this:
"As far, Ānanda, as the moon and sun revolve and light up the quarters with their radiance, so far extends the thousandfold world. In it there are a thousand moons, a thousand suns, a thousand Sinerus, kings of mountains, a thousand Jambudīpas, a thousand Aparagoyānas, a thousand Uttarakurus, a thousand Pubbavidehas, four thousand great oceans, four thousand Great Kings, a thousand realms of the Four Great Kings (Cātummahārājikā), a thousand Tāvatiṃsa realms, a thousand Yāma realms, a thousand Tusita realms, a thousand realms of the gods who rejoice in their own creations (Nimmānaratī), a thousand realms of the gods who lord over the creation of others (Paranimmitavasavattī), a thousand Brahmā worlds. This, Ānanda, is called the thousandfold minor world system (sahassī cūḷanikā lokadhātu).
"As far, Ānanda, as the thousandfold minor world system extends, the world is a thousand times that: this, Ānanda, is called the twothousandfold middling world system. As far, Ānanda, as the twothousandfold middling world system extends, the world is a thousand times that: this, Ānanda, is called the threethousandfold great-thousandfold world system. Wishing to do so, Ānanda, the Tathāgata could make himself understood by voice throughout the threethousandfold great-thousandfold world system, or as far as he might wish."
"But in what way, venerable sir, could the Blessed One make himself understood by voice throughout the threethousandfold great-thousandfold world system, or as far as he might wish?"
"Here, Ānanda, the Tathāgata would suffuse the threethousandfold great-thousandfold world system with radiance. When those beings perceived that light, then the Tathāgata would utter a sound and make his voice heard. It is in this way, Ānanda, that the Tathāgata could make himself understood by voice throughout the threethousandfold great-thousandfold world system, or as far as he might wish."
When this was said, the Venerable Ānanda said to the Venerable Udāyī: "It is a gain for me indeed, it is well gained by me indeed, that my Teacher is of such great spiritual power, of such great majesty!"
When this was said, the Venerable Udāyī said to the Venerable Ānanda: "What is that to you, friend Ānanda, that your Teacher is of such great spiritual power, of such great majesty?"
When this was said, the Blessed One said to the Venerable Udāyī: "Do not say so, Udāyī; do not say so, Udāyī. If, Udāyī, Ānanda were to die not yet free of lust, then by reason of that confidence of mind he would exercise divine kingship among the gods seven times, and would exercise great kingship in this very Jambudīpa seven times. But, Udāyī, Ānanda will attain final Nibbāna in this very life."
The Ānanda Vagga, the third.
Its summary (uddāna):
Channa, the Ājīvaka, Sakka, the Nigaṇṭhas, the instigator,
the new (bhikkhu) and likewise existence, rites and observances, scents, and the Cūḷanī.
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The Samaṇa Vagga, the fourth.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.