[196] Bhikkhus, before his awakening, while he was not yet fully awakened, while he was still only a bodhisatta, five great dreams appeared to the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One. What five?
Bhikkhus, before his awakening, while he was not yet fully awakened, while he was still only a bodhisatta, [it appeared to] the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One [that] this great earth was his great bed; Himavā, king of mountains, was his pillow; his left hand lay in the eastern ocean; his right hand lay in the western ocean; both his feet lay in the southern ocean. This was the first great dream that appeared to the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One, before his awakening, while he was not yet fully awakened, while he was still only a bodhisatta.
Again, bhikkhus, before his awakening, while he was not yet fully awakened, while he was still only a bodhisatta, [it appeared to] the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One [that] a kind of grass called tiriyā rose up from his navel and stood touching the sky. This was the second great dream that appeared to the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One, before his awakening, while he was not yet fully awakened, while he was still only a bodhisatta.
Again, bhikkhus, before his awakening, while he was not yet fully awakened, while he was still only a bodhisatta, [it appeared to] the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One [that] white worms with black heads crept up from his feet and covered him as far as the knees. This was the third great dream that appeared to the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One, before his awakening, while he was not yet fully awakened, while he was still only a bodhisatta.
Again, bhikkhus, before his awakening, while he was not yet fully awakened, while he was still only a bodhisatta, [it appeared to] the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One [that] four birds of different colors came from the four quarters, fell at his feet, and became entirely white. This was the fourth great dream that appeared to the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One, before his awakening, while he was not yet fully awakened, while he was still only a bodhisatta.
Again, bhikkhus, the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One, before his awakening, while he was not yet fully awakened, being still only a bodhisatta, [dreamed that] he walked back and forth upon a great mountain of dung without being soiled by the dung. This was the fifth great dream that appeared to the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One, before his awakening, while he was not yet fully awakened, while he was still only a bodhisatta.
Now, bhikkhus, as to [the dream] that appeared to the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One, before his awakening, while he was not yet fully awakened, while he was still only a bodhisatta, [that] this great earth was his great bed, Himavā, king of mountains, was his pillow, his left hand lay in the eastern ocean, his right hand lay in the western ocean, and both his feet lay in the southern ocean — the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One, fully awakened to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment (anuttarā sammāsambodhi); it was with reference to his full realization of that that this first great dream appeared.
As to [the dream] that appeared to the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One, before his awakening, while he was not yet fully awakened, while he was still only a bodhisatta, [that] a kind of grass called tiriyā rose up from his navel and stood touching the sky — the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One, having fully awakened to the noble eightfold path (magga), proclaimed it well as far as devas and human beings; it was with reference to his full realization of that that this second great dream appeared.
As to [the dream] that appeared to the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One, before his awakening, while he was not yet fully awakened, while he was still only a bodhisatta, [that] white worms with black heads crept up from his feet and covered him as far as the knees — many white-clothed householders went for refuge to the Tathāgata for as long as life lasts; it was with reference to his full realization of that that this third great dream appeared.
As to [the dream] that appeared to the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One, before his awakening, while he was not yet fully awakened, while he was still only a bodhisatta, [that] four birds of different colors came from the four quarters, fell at his feet, and became entirely white — these four castes, bhikkhus — khattiyas, brāhmaṇas, vessas, and suddas — having gone forth from the household life into homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, realize the unsurpassed liberation (vimutti); it was with reference to his full realization of that that this fourth great dream appeared.
As to [the dream in which] the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One, before his awakening, while he was not yet fully awakened, being still only a bodhisatta, walked back and forth upon a great mountain of dung without being soiled by the dung — the Tathāgata, bhikkhus, is one who gains robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicinal requisites for the sick; and the Tathāgata uses them without being tied to them, uninfatuated, not blindly absorbed, seeing the danger in them, understanding the escape from them; it was with reference to his full realization of that that this fifth great dream appeared.
Bhikkhus, before his awakening, while he was not yet fully awakened, while he was still only a bodhisatta, these five great dreams appeared to the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.