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SN 6.13 Andhakavindasutta: At Andhakavinda

At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Magadhans at Andhakavinda.

Now at that time the Buddha was meditating in the open during the dark of night, while a gentle rain drizzled down.

Then, late at night, the beautiful Brahmā Sahampati, lighting up the entirety of Andhakavinda, went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and recited these verses in the Buddha’s presence:

“One should frequent secluded lodgings,
and practice to be released from fetters.
If you don’t find enjoyment there,
live in the Saṅgha, guarded and mindful.

Walking for alms from family to family,
with senses guarded, alert and mindful.
One should frequent secluded lodgings,
free of fear, freed in the fearless.

Where dreadful serpents slither,
where the lightning flashes and the sky thunders
in the dark of the night;
there meditates a mendicant, free of goosebumps.

For this has in fact been seen by me,
it isn’t just what the testament says.
Within a single spiritual dispensation
a thousand are conquerors of Death.

And of trainees there are more than five hundred,
and ten times ten tens;
all are stream-enterers,
freed from rebirth in the animal realm.

And as for other people
who I think have shared in merit—
I couldn’t even number them,
for fear of speaking falsely.”


Read this translation of Saṁyutta Nikāya 6.13 Andhakavindasutta: At Andhakavinda by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net or SuttaFriends.org. Or listen on PaliAudio.com or SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

SN 6.9 Turūbrahmasutta: With the Brahmā Tudu

[NOTE: To understand what is going on in this sutta, it is necessary to catch Kokālika’s misunderstanding of a non-returner. A non-returner is someone who is not reborn again in the human world. However gods who are non-returner can, if they like, make visits to the human world as is the case here.]

At Sāvatthī.

Now at that time the mendicant Kokālika was sick, suffering, gravely ill.

Then, late at night, the beautiful independent brahmā Tudu, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the mendicant Kokālika, and standing in the air he said to him, “Kokālika, have confidence in Sāriputta and Moggallāna, they’re good monks.”

“Who are you, reverend?”

“I am Tudu the independent brahmā.”

“Didn’t the Buddha declare you a non-returner? So what exactly are you doing back here? See how far you have strayed!”

“A man is born
with an axe in his mouth.
A fool cuts themselves with it
when they say bad words.

When you praise someone worthy of criticism,
or criticize someone worthy of praise,
you choose bad luck with your own mouth:
you’ll never find happiness that way.

Bad luck at dice is a trivial thing,
if all you lose is your money
and all you own, even yourself.
What’s really terrible luck
is to hate the holy ones.

For more than two quinquadecillion years,
and another five quattuordecillion years,
a slanderer of noble ones goes to hell,
having aimed bad words and thoughts at them.”



You can learn more about the fate of Kokālika in Snp 3.10: Kokālikasutta. Warning: it’s not good.

Read this translation of Saṁyutta Nikāya 6.9 Turūbrahmasutta: With the Brahmā Tudu Turūbrahmasutta by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaFriends.org. Or listen on PaliAudio.com or SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.