Aṅguttara Nikāya
VIII. Aṭṭhaka Nipāta
VII. Bhūmi-Cāla Vagga

VIII. The Book of the Eights

Chapter VII: On Earthquakes

Sutta 69

Parisa Suttaṃ

Assemblies

 

---

[205]

Thus have I heard:

Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Sāvatthī.

There the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:

"Monks."

"Yes, lord," they replied, and the Exalted One said:

"Monks, there are these eight assemblies.¹

What eight?

Assemblies of nobles,
of brahmans,
of householders,
of recluses,
of devas
of the Four Royal devas,
of the Thirty devas,
of Maras
and of Brahmās.

 

§

 

Now, monks, I call to mind having visited many hundreds² of times
an assembly of nobles.

And before even I had seated myself among them,
or had spoken to them,
or had engaged them in conversation -
whatever their colour,
that I became;
whatever their language,
that became mine.

And I instructed them,
incited them,
roused them
and gladdened them with Dhamma discourse;
and they knew me not when I spoke,
but reasoned among themselves, saying:

'Who is this who speaks,
man or deva?'

Then, when I had instructed,
incited,
roused
and gladdened them with Dhamma discourse,
I vanished;
and they knew me not when I was gone,
but questioned each other:

'Who is this who has vanished,
man or deva?'

■

Now, monks, I call to mind having visited many hundreds of times
an assembly of brahmans.

And before even I had seated myself among them,
or had spoken to them,
or had engaged them in conversation -
whatever their colour,
that I became;
whatever their language,
that became mine.

And I instructed them,
incited them,
roused them
and gladdened them with Dhamma discourse;
and they knew me not when I spoke,
but reasoned among themselves, saying:

'Who is this who speaks,
man or deva?'

Then, when I had instructed,
incited,
roused
and gladdened them with Dhamma discourse,
I vanished;
and they knew me not when I was gone,
but questioned each other:

'Who is this who has vanished,
man or deva?'

■

Now, monks, I call to mind having visited many hundreds of times
an assembly of householders.

And before even I had seated myself among them,
or had spoken to them,
or had engaged them in conversation -
whatever their colour,
that I became;
whatever their language,
that became mine.

And I instructed them,
incited them,
roused them
and gladdened them with Dhamma discourse;
and they knew me not when I spoke,
but reasoned among themselves, saying:

'Who is this who speaks,
man or deva?'

Then, when I had instructed,
incited,
roused
and gladdened them with Dhamma discourse,
I vanished;
and they knew me not when I was gone,
but questioned each other:

'Who is this who has vanished,
man or deva?'

■

Now, monks, I call to mind having visited many hundreds of times
an assembly of recluses.

And before even I had seated myself among them,
or had spoken to them,
or had engaged them in conversation -
whatever their colour,
that I became;
whatever their language,
that became mine.

And I instructed them,
incited them,
roused them
and gladdened them with Dhamma discourse;
and they knew me not when I spoke,
but reasoned among themselves, saying:

'Who is this who speaks,
man or deva?'

Then, when I had instructed,
incited,
roused
and gladdened them with Dhamma discourse,
I vanished;
and they knew me not when I was gone,
but questioned each other:

'Who is this who has vanished,
man or deva?'

■

Now, monks, I call to mind having visited many hundreds of times
an assembly of devas of the Four Royal devas.

And before even I had seated myself among them,
or had spoken to them,
or had engaged them in conversation -
whatever their colour,
that I became;
whatever their language,
that became mine.

And I instructed them,
incited them,
roused them
and gladdened them with Dhamma discourse;
and they knew me not when I spoke,
but reasoned among themselves, saying:

'Who is this who speaks,
man or deva?'

Then, when I had instructed,
incited,
roused
and gladdened them with Dhamma discourse,
I vanished;
and they knew me not when I was gone,
but questioned each other:

'Who is this who has vanished,
man or deva?'

■

Now, monks, I call to mind having visited many hundreds of times
an assembly of devas of the Thirty.

And before even I had seated myself among them,
or had spoken to them,
or had engaged them in conversation -
whatever their colour,
that I became;
whatever their language,
that became mine.

And I instructed them,
incited them,
roused them
and gladdened them with Dhamma discourse;
and they knew me not when I spoke,
but reasoned among themselves, saying:

'Who is this who speaks,
man or deva?'

Then, when I had instructed,
incited,
roused
and gladdened them with Dhamma discourse,
I vanished;
and they knew me not when I was gone,
but questioned each other:

'Who is this who has vanished,
man or deva?'

■

Now, monks, I call to mind having visited many hundreds of times
an assembly of Maras.

And before even I had seated myself among them,
or had spoken to them,
or had engaged them in conversation -
whatever their colour,
that I became;
whatever their language,
that became mine.

And I instructed them,
incited them,
roused them
and gladdened them with Dhamma discourse;
and they knew me not when I spoke,
but reasoned among themselves, saying:

'Who is this who speaks,
man or deva?'

Then, when I had instructed,
incited,
roused
and gladdened them with Dhamma discourse,
I vanished;
and they knew me not when I was gone,
but questioned each other:

'Who is this who has vanished,
man or deva?'

■

Now, monks, I call to mind having visited many hundreds of times
an assembly of Brahmās.

And before even I had seated myself among them,
or had spoken to them,
or had engaged them in conversation -
whatever their colour,
that I became;
whatever their language,
that became mine.

And I instructed them,
incited them,
roused them
and gladdened them with Dhamma discourse;
and they knew me not when I spoke,
but reasoned among themselves, saying:

'Who is this who speaks,
man or deva?'

Then, when I had instructed,
incited,
roused
and gladdened them with Dhamma discourse,
I vanished;
and they knew me not when I was gone,
but questioned each other:

'Who is this who has vanished,
man or deva?'

Monks, these are the eight assemblies.'

 

---

¹ Cf. D. ii, 109; iii, 260; M. i, 72; above, p. 47 (for four).

² Dial. ii, 117: 'an assembly of many hundred nobles ... see note there.