Acchariyabbhutadhamma Sutta

Translated from the Pali by Upalavanna

I heard thus.

At one time the Blessed One lived in the monastery offered by Anaathapindika in Jeta’s grove in Saavatthi. Then a lot of bhikkhus after the mid-day meal, were assembled and seated in the attendance hall and this conversation arose among them

‘Friends, it is wonderful and surprising how the Thus Gone One knows the Enlightened Ones of yore. How they came to final extinction, cut the diffusedness of the world, cut short their journey and cameto the end of the journey and end of all unpleasaantness. Saying, those Blessed Ones were of such birth, name, clan, virtues, thoughts, wisdom, abidings and such releases.’ When this was said venerable Aananda said thus; ‘Friends, indeed the Thus Gone One has wonderful and surprising things and is endowed with them.’

When this conversation was going on, the Blessed One got up from his seclusion approached the attendance hall, sat on the prepared seat and addressed the bhikkhus.’Bhikkhus, with what talk were you seated here and what other talk did take place?’

‘Venerable sir, after the mid-day meal, we were assembled and seated in the attendance hall and this conversation arose among us. Friends, it is wonderful and surprising how the Thus Gone One knows the Enlightened Ones of yore. How they came to final extinction, cut the diffusedness of the world, cut short their journey and cameto the end of the journey and end of all unpleasaantness. Saying, those Blessed Ones were of such birth, name, clan, virtues, thoughts, wisdom, abidings and such releases. Venerable sir, when this was said venerable Aananda said thus; Friends, indeed the Thus Gone One has wonderful and surprising things and is endowed with them. When this conversation was going on, the Blessed One arrived.

Then the Blessed One addressed venerable Aananda. ‘If so Aananda, for the great pleasure of many declare the wonderful and surprising things of the Thus Gone One.’

‘Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. “Aananda, the one aspiring enlightenment was born with the gods of happiness, with mindful awareness.” Venerable sir, this I bear as something wonderful and surprising of the Blessed One.

. ‘Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. “Aananda, the one aspiring enlightenment abode with the gods of happiness, with mindful awareness.” Venerable sir, this I bear as something wonderful and surprising of the Blessed One

‘Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. “Aananda, the one aspiring enlightenment abode with the gods of happiness, until the end of that life span.” Venerable sir, this I bear as something wonderful and surprising of the Blessed One

‘Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. “Aananda, the one aspiring enlightenment, disappeared fromthe gods of happiness, and descended into the mother’s womb with mindful awareness.” Venerable sir, this I bear as something wonderful and surprising of the Blessed One

‘Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. “Aananda, when the one aspiring enlightenment, disappeared fromthe gods of happiness, and descended into the mother’s womb, in the world of gods and men, Maaras, Brahmaas, recluses and brahmins there arose an immeasurable effulgence transcending the splendour of the gods. Even the dark uncoveredrecesses between the world systems where the resplendent moon and sun do not shine there arose an immeasurable effulgence transcending the splendour of the gods. Beings born there saw each other on account of that effulgence and knew that there were other beings born there. The ten thousandfold world system shivered and trembled on account of that immeasurable effulgence transccending the splendour of the gods” Venerable sir, this I bear as something wonderful and surprising of the Blessed One

‘Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. “Aananda, when the one aspiring enlightenment, was born to this world from the mother’s womb four gods stood guarding the four directions. They thought may the one aspiring enlightenment or his mother be not hurt by a human, non human or anyone in the world ” Venerable sir, this I bear as something wonderful and surprising of the Blessed One.

‘Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. “Aananda, when the one aspiring enlightenment, was born into this world from the mother’s womb, the mother by nature was virtuous, abstaining from, destroying living things, taking the not given, misbehaving sexually, telling lies and intoxicating drinks” Venerable sir, this I bear as something wonderful and surprising of the Blessed One

‘Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. “Aananda, from the day the one aspiring enlightenment, descended to the mother’s womb, sensual desires about men did not arise in the mind of his mother.She had risen above attachment to thoughts of any man” Venerable sir, this I bear as something wonderful and surprising of the Blessed One ‘Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. “Aananda, when the one aspiring enlightenment, was born to this world the mother of the one aspiring enlightenment was endowed and provided with the five sense pleasures” Venerable sir, this I bear as something wonderful and surprising of the Blessed One.

.‘Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. “Aananda, when the one aspiring enlightenment, was born to this world the mother of the one aspiring enlightenment was healthy, happy and had no ailments what so ever. She could see the one in her womb complete with all limbs large and small. Like a well completed comely lapis gem with eight facets, with a thread of blue, yellow, red, white or pale running through it. A man who could see would place it in his palm and would reflect. This is the well completed comely lapis gem with eight facets, with a thread of blue, yellow, red, white or pale running through it In the same manner, when the one aspiring enlightenment, was born to this world the mother of the one aspiring enlightenment was healthy, happy and had no ailments what so ever. She could see the one in her womb complete with all limbs large and small. Venerable sir, this I bear as something wonderful and surprising of the Blessed One.

.‘Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. “Aananda, seven days after the birth ofthe one aspiring enlightenment,the mother of the one aspiring enlightenment passed away and was born with the happy gods” Venerable sir, this I bear as something wonderful and surprising of the Blessed One.

‘Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. “Aananda, other women give birth bearing the womb for about nine or ten months. That is not so with the one aspiring enlightenment, the mother of the one aspiring enlightenment bore the womb for complete ten months and gaves birth” Venerable sir, this I bear as something wonderful and surprising of the Blessed One.

‘Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. “Aananda, other women give birth either seated or lyingThat is not so with the one aspiring enlightenment, the mother of the one aspiring enlightenment gave birth standing” Venerable sir, this I bear as something wonderful and surprising of the Blessed One.

‘Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. “Aananda, when the one aspiring enlightenment, was born in this world first the gods accepted him and next humans” Venerable sir, this I bear as something wonderful and surprising of the Blessed One.

‘Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. “Aananda, when the one aspiring enlightenment, was born in this world, before he placed a foot on earth, four gods accept him and placing him in front of the mother said, queen be happy, you have given birth to a powerful son.” Venerable sir, this I bear as something wonderful and surprising of the Blessed One .‘Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. “Aananda, when the one aspiring enlightenment, was born, he was born pure uncontaminated with water in the passage, phlegm, blood or any impurity. As though a gem was placed on a Kashmire cloth. The Kashmire cloth is not soiled by the gem, nor the gem by the Kashmire cloth. This is on account of the purity of both. In the same manner when the one aspiring enlightenment, was born he was born pure uncontaminated with water in the passage, phlegm, blood or any impurity.” Venerable sir, this I bear as something wonderful and surprising of the Blessed One.

‘Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. “Aananda, soon after the one aspiring enlightenment was born he stood on his feet, and while the white umbrella was borne over him, went seven steps to the north, looked in all directions and utterred majestic words. I’m the chief in this world, the most accepted and the most senior.This is my last birth, I will not be born again.” Venerable sir, this I bear as something wonderful and surprising of the Blessed One

‘Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged them. “Aananda, when the one aspiring enlightenment, was born in this world, in the world of gods and men, Maaras, Brahmaas, recluses and brahmins there arose an immeasurable effulgence transcending the splendour of the gods. Even the dark uncoveredrecesses between the world systems where the resplendent moon and sun do not shine there arose an immeasurable effulgence transcending the splendour of the gods. Beings born there saw each other on account of that effulgence and knew that there were other beings born there. The ten thousandfold world system shivered and trembled on account of that immeasurable effulgence transccending the splendour of the gods” Venerable sir, this I bear as something wonderful and surprising of the Blessed One.’

‘Then Aananda, bear this too as something wonderful and surprising of the Blessed One. Aananda, to the Thus Gone One knowing feelings, arise, persist and fade, knowingperceptions, arise, persist and fade, knowing thoughts, arise, persist and fade.Aananda, bear this too as something wonderful and surprising of the Blessed One.

‘Venerable sir, that to the Thus Gone One knowing feelings, arise, persist and fade, knowingperceptions, arise, persist and fade, knowing thoughts, arise, persist and fade.Venerable sir, this I bear as something wonderful and surprising of the Blessed One.’

Venerable Aananda said thus, and was delighted knowing the Teacher acknowledges my words. Those bhikkhus delighted in the words of the venerable Aananda.