The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha - Bhikkhu Nanamoli [200]
13. “Again, a noble disciple considers thus: ‘Do I possess the strength of a person who possesses right view?’ What is the strength of a person who possesses right view? This is the strength of a person who possesses right view: when the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata is being taught, he heeds it, gives it attention, engages it with all his mind, hears the Dhamma as with eager ears.
“He understands thus: ‘I possess the strength of a person who possesses right view.’ This is the sixth knowledge attained by him that is noble, supramundane, not shared by ordinary people.
14. “Again, a noble disciple considers thus: ‘Do I possess the strength of a person who possesses right view?’ What is the strength of a person who possesses right view? This is the strength of a person who possesses right view: when the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata is being taught, he gains inspiration in the meaning, gains inspiration in the Dhamma, gains gladness connected with the Dhamma.497
“He understands thus: ‘I possess the strength of a person who possesses right view.’ This is the seventh knowledge attained by him that is noble, supramundane, not shared by ordinary people.
15. “When a noble disciple is thus possessed of seven factors, he has well sought the character for realisation of the fruit of stream-entry. When a noble disciple is thus possessed of seven factors, he possesses the fruit of stream-entry.”498
That is what the Blessed One said. The bhikkhus were satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One’s words.
Brahmanimantanika Sutta
The Invitation of a Brahmā
[326] 1. THUS HAVE I HEARD. On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. There he addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus.”—“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Blessed One said this:
2. “Bhikkhus, on one occasion I was living at Ukkaṭṭhā in the Subhaga Grove at the root of a royal sāla tree.499 Now on that occasion a pernicious view had arisen in Baka the Brahmā thus: ‘This is permanent, this is everlasting, this is eternal, this is total, this is not subject to pass away; for this is where one is neither born nor ages nor dies nor passes away nor reappears, and beyond this there is no other escape.’500
3. “I knew with my mind the thought in the mind of Baka the Brahmā, so just as quickly as a strong man might extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm, I vanished from the root of the royal sāla tree in the Subhaga Grove at Ukkaṭṭhā and appeared in that Brahma-world. Baka the Brahmā saw me coming in the distance and said: ‘Come, good sir! Welcome, good sir! It is long, good sir, since you found an opportunity to come here. Now, good sir, this is permanent, this is everlasting, this is eternal, this is total, this is not subject to pass away; for this is where one is neither born nor ages nor dies nor passes away nor reappears, and beyond this there is no other escape.’
4. “When this was said, I told Baka the Brahmā: ‘The worthy Baka the Brahmā has lapsed into ignorance; he has lapsed into ignorance in that he says of the impermanent that it is permanent, of the transient that it is everlasting, of the non-eternal that it is eternal, of the incomplete that it is total, of what is subject to pass away that it is not subject to pass away, of where one is born, ages, dies, passes away, and reappears, that here one is neither born nor ages nor dies nor passes away nor reappears; and when there is another escape beyond this, he says there is no other escape beyond this.’
5. “Then Māra the Evil One took possession of a member of the Brahmā’s Assembly,501 and he told me: ‘Bhikkhu, bhikkhu, do not disparage him, do not disparage him; for this Brahmā is the Great Brahmā, [327] the Overlord, the Untranscended, of Infallible Vision, Wielder of Mastery, Lord Maker and Creator, Most High Providence, Master and Father of those that are and ever can be. Before your time, bhikkhu, there were recluses and brahmins in the world who condemned