AN 7.66

Sattasūriyasutta

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati ambapālivane. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “bhikkhavo”ti. “Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:

The Seven Suns

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī in Ambapālī’s Mango Grove. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants!” “Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

“Aniccā, bhikkhave, saṅkhārā; adhuvā, bhikkhave, saṅkhārā; anassāsikā, bhikkhave, saṅkhārā. Yāvañcidaṁ, bhikkhave, alameva sabbasaṅkhāresu nibbindituṁ alaṁ virajjituṁ alaṁ vimuccituṁ.

“Mendicants, conditions are impermanent. Conditions are unstable. Conditions are unreliable. This is quite enough for you to become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding all conditions.

Sineru, bhikkhave, pabbatarājā caturāsītiyojanasahassāni āyāmena, caturāsītiyojanasahassāni vitthārena, caturāsītiyojanasahassāni mahāsamudde ajjhogāḷho, caturāsītiyojanasahassāni mahāsamuddā accuggato. Hoti kho so, bhikkhave, samayo yaṁ kadāci karahaci dīghassa addhuno accayena bahūni vassāni bahūni vassasatāni bahūni vassasahassāni bahūni vassasatasahassāni devo na vassati. Deve kho pana, bhikkhave, avassante ye kecime bījagāmabhūtagāmā osadhitiṇavanappatayo te ussussanti visussanti, na bhavanti. Evaṁ aniccā, bhikkhave, saṅkhārā; evaṁ adhuvā, bhikkhave, saṅkhārā …pe… alaṁ vimuccituṁ.

Sineru, the king of mountains, is 84,000 leagues long and 84,000 leagues wide. It sinks 84,000 leagues below the ocean and rises 84,000 leagues above it. There comes a time when, after a very long period has passed—many years, many hundreds, many thousands, many hundreds of thousands of years—the heavens fail to rain. When this happens, the plants and seeds, the herbs, grass, and big trees wither away and dry up, and are no more. So impermanent are conditions, so unstable, so unreliable. This is quite enough for you to become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding all conditions.

Hoti kho so, bhikkhave, samayo yaṁ kadāci karahaci dīghassa addhuno accayena dutiyo sūriyo pātubhavati. Dutiyassa, bhikkhave, sūriyassa pātubhāvā yā kāci kunnadiyo kusobbhā tā ussussanti visussanti, na bhavanti. Evaṁ aniccā, bhikkhave, saṅkhārā …pe… alaṁ vimuccituṁ.

There comes a time when, after a very long period has passed, a second sun appears. When this happens, the streams and pools wither away and dry up, and are no more. So impermanent are conditions …

Hoti kho so, bhikkhave, samayo yaṁ kadāci karahaci dīghassa addhuno accayena tatiyo sūriyo pātubhavati. Tatiyassa, bhikkhave, sūriyassa pātubhāvā yā kāci mahānadiyo, seyyathidaṁ— gaṅgā, yamunā, aciravatī, sarabhū, mahī, tā ussussanti visussanti, na bhavanti. Evaṁ aniccā, bhikkhave, saṅkhārā …pe… alaṁ vimuccituṁ.

There comes a time when, after a very long period has passed, a third sun appears. When this happens, the great rivers— the Ganges, Yamunā, Aciravatī, Sarabhū, and Mahī—wither away and dry up, and are no more. So impermanent are conditions …

Hoti kho so, bhikkhave, samayo yaṁ kadāci karahaci dīghassa addhuno accayena catuttho sūriyo pātubhavati. Catutthassa, bhikkhave, sūriyassa pātubhāvā ye te mahāsarā yato imā mahānadiyo pavattanti, seyyathidaṁ— anotattā, sīhapapātā, rathakārā, kaṇṇamuṇḍā, kuṇālā, chaddantā, mandākiniyā, tā ussussanti visussanti, na bhavanti. Evaṁ aniccā, bhikkhave, saṅkhārā …pe… alaṁ vimuccituṁ.

There comes a time when, after a very long period has passed, a fourth sun appears. When this happens, the great lakes from which the rivers originate— the Anotattā, Sīhapapātā, Rathakārā, Kaṇṇamuṇḍā, Kuṇālā, Chaddantā, and Mandākinī—wither away and dry up, and are no more. So impermanent are conditions …

Hoti kho so, bhikkhave, samayo yaṁ kadāci karahaci dīghassa addhuno accayena pañcamo sūriyo pātubhavati. Pañcamassa, bhikkhave, sūriyassa pātubhāvā yojanasatikānipi mahāsamudde udakāni ogacchanti, dviyojanasatikānipi mahāsamudde udakāni ogacchanti, tiyojanasatikānipi, catuyojanasatikānipi, pañcayojanasatikānipi, chayojanasatikānipi, sattayojanasatikānipi mahāsamudde udakāni ogacchanti; sattatālampi mahāsamudde udakaṁ saṇṭhāti, chatālampi, pañcatālampi, catutālampi, titālampi, dvitālampi, tālamattampi mahāsamudde udakaṁ saṇṭhāti; sattaporisampi mahāsamudde udakaṁ saṇṭhāti, chaporisampi, pañcaporisampi, catuporisampi, tiporisampi, dviporisampi, porisampi, aḍḍhaporisampi, kaṭimattampi, jaṇṇukāmattampi, gopphakamattampi mahāsamudde udakaṁ saṇṭhāti. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, saradasamaye thullaphusitake deve vassante tattha tattha gopadesu udakāni ṭhitāni honti; evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tattha tattha gopphakamattāni mahāsamudde udakāni ṭhitāni honti. Pañcamassa, bhikkhave, sūriyassa pātubhāvā aṅgulipabbamattampi mahāsamudde udakaṁ na hoti. Evaṁ aniccā, bhikkhave, saṅkhārā …pe… alaṁ vimuccituṁ.

There comes a time when, after a very long period has passed, a fifth sun appears. When this happens, the water in the ocean sinks by a hundred leagues. It sinks by two, three, four, five, six, or even seven hundred leagues. The water that remains in the ocean is only seven palm trees deep. It’s six, five, four, three, two, or even one palm tree deep. The water that remains in the ocean is only seven fathoms deep. It’s six, five, four, three, two, one or even half a fathom deep. It’s waist high, knee high, or even ankle high. It’s like in autumn, when the heavens rain heavily and water remains here and there in the cows’ hoofprints. In the same way, water in the ocean remains here and there in puddles like cows’ hoofprints. When the fifth sun appears there’s not even enough water left in the great ocean for the tip of the toe. So impermanent are conditions …

Hoti kho so, bhikkhave, samayo yaṁ kadāci karahaci dīghassa addhuno accayena chaṭṭho sūriyo pātubhavati. Chaṭṭhassa, bhikkhave, sūriyassa pātubhāvā ayañca mahāpathavī sineru ca pabbatarājā dhūmāyanti sandhūmāyanti sampadhūmāyanti. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, kumbhakārapāko ālepito paṭhamaṁ dhūmeti sandhūmeti sampadhūmeti; evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, chaṭṭhassa sūriyassa pātubhāvā ayañca mahāpathavī sineru ca pabbatarājā dhūmāyanti sandhūmāyanti sampadhūmāyanti. Evaṁ aniccā, bhikkhave, saṅkhārā …pe… alaṁ vimuccituṁ.

There comes a time when, after a very long period has passed, a sixth sun appears. When this happens, this great earth and Sineru the king of mountains smoke and smolder and give off fumes. It’s like when a potter’s kiln is first kindled, and it smokes and smolders and gives off fumes. In the same way, this great earth and Sineru the king of mountains smoke and smolder and give off fumes. So impermanent are conditions …

Hoti kho so, bhikkhave, samayo yaṁ kadāci karahaci dīghassa addhuno accayena sattamo sūriyo pātubhavati. Sattamassa, bhikkhave, sūriyassa pātubhāvā ayañca mahāpathavī sineru ca pabbatarājā ādippanti pajjalanti ekajālā bhavanti. Imissā ca, bhikkhave, mahāpathaviyā sinerussa ca pabbatarājassa jhāyamānānaṁ dayhamānānaṁ acci vātena khittā yāva brahmalokāpi gacchati. Sinerussa, bhikkhave, pabbatarājassa jhāyamānassa dayhamānassa vinassamānassa mahatā tejokhandhena abhibhūtassa yojanasatikānipi kūṭāni palujjanti dviyojanasatikānipi, tiyojanasatikānipi, catuyojanasatikānipi, pañcayojanasatikānipi kūṭāni palujjanti. Imissā ca, bhikkhave, mahāpathaviyā sinerussa ca pabbatarājassa jhāyamānānaṁ dayhamānānaṁ neva chārikā paññāyati na masi. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, sappissa vā telassa vā jhāyamānassa dayhamānassa neva chārikā paññāyati na masi; evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, imissā ca mahāpathaviyā sinerussa ca pabbatarājassa jhāyamānānaṁ dayhamānānaṁ neva chārikā paññāyati na masi. Evaṁ aniccā, bhikkhave, saṅkhārā; evaṁ adhuvā, bhikkhave, saṅkhārā; evaṁ anassāsikā, bhikkhave, saṅkhārā. Yāvañcidaṁ, bhikkhave, alameva sabbasaṅkhāresu nibbindituṁ alaṁ virajjituṁ alaṁ vimuccituṁ.

There comes a time when, after a very long period has passed, a seventh sun appears. When this happens, this great earth and Sineru the king of mountains erupt in one burning mass of fire. And as they blaze and burn the flames are swept by the wind as far as the realm of divinity. Sineru the king of mountains blazes and burns, crumbling as it’s overcome by the great fire. And meanwhile, mountain peaks a hundred leagues high, or two, three, four, or five hundred leagues high disintegrate as they burn. And when the great earth and Sineru the king of mountains blaze and burn, no soot or ash is found. It’s like when ghee or oil blaze and burn, and neither ashes nor soot are found. In the same way, when the great earth and Sineru the king of mountains blaze and burn, no soot or ash is found. So impermanent are conditions, so unstable are conditions, so unreliable are conditions. This is quite enough for you to become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding all conditions.

Tatra, bhikkhave, ko mantā ko saddhātā: ‘ayañca pathavī sineru ca pabbatarājā dayhissanti vinassissanti, na bhavissantī’ti aññatra diṭṭhapadehi?

Mendicants, who would ever think or believe that this earth and Sineru, king of mountains, will burn and crumble and be no more, except one who has seen the truth?

Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, sunetto nāma satthā ahosi titthakaro kāmesu vītarāgo. Sunettassa kho pana, bhikkhave, satthuno anekāni sāvakasatāni ahesuṁ. Sunetto, bhikkhave, satthā sāvakānaṁ brahmalokasahabyatāya dhammaṁ desesi. Ye kho pana, bhikkhave, sunettassa satthuno brahmalokasahabyatāya dhammaṁ desentassa sabbena sabbaṁ sāsanaṁ ājāniṁsu te kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ brahmalokaṁ upapajjiṁsu. Ye na sabbena sabbaṁ sāsanaṁ ājāniṁsu te kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā appekacce paranimmitavasavattīnaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjiṁsu, appekacce nimmānaratīnaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjiṁsu, appekacce tusitānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjiṁsu, appekacce yāmānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjiṁsu, appekacce tāvatiṁsānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjiṁsu, appekacce cātumahārājikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjiṁsu, appekacce khattiyamahāsālānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjiṁsu, appekacce brāhmaṇamahāsālānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjiṁsu, appekacce gahapatimahāsālānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjiṁsu.

Once upon a time, there was a teacher named Sunetta. He was a religious founder and was free of desire for sensual pleasures. He had many hundreds of disciples. He taught them a Dhamma for rebirth in the company of Divinity. Those who totally understood Sunetta’s teachings were—when their body broke up, after death—reborn in a good place, the company of Divinity. Of those who didn’t totally understand Sunetta’s teachings, some—when their body broke up, after death—were reborn in the company of the gods who control what is created by others. Some were reborn in the company of the gods who love to create, some with the joyful gods, some with the gods of Yama, some with the gods of the thirty-three, and some with the gods of the four great kings. Some were reborn in the company of well-to-do aristocrats or brahmins or householders.

Atha kho, bhikkhave, sunettassa satthuno etadahosi: ‘na kho metaṁ patirūpaṁ yohaṁ sāvakānaṁ samasamagatiyo assaṁ abhisamparāyaṁ, yannūnāhaṁ uttari mettaṁ bhāveyyan’ti.

Then the teacher Sunetta thought: ‘It’s not proper for me to be reborn in the next life in exactly the same place as my disciples. Why don’t I further develop love?’

Atha kho, bhikkhave, sunetto satthā satta vassāni mettaṁ cittaṁ bhāvesi. Satta vassāni mettaṁ cittaṁ bhāvetvā satta saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭakappe nayimaṁ lokaṁ punarāgamāsi. Saṁvaṭṭamāne sudaṁ, bhikkhave, loke ābhassarūpago hoti. Vivaṭṭamāne loke suññaṁ brahmavimānaṁ upapajjati. Tatra sudaṁ, bhikkhave, brahmā hoti mahābrahmā abhibhū anabhibhūto aññadatthudaso vasavattī. Chattiṁsakkhattuṁ kho pana, bhikkhave, sakko ahosi devānamindo. Anekasatakkhattuṁ rājā ahosi cakkavattī dhammiko dhammarājā cāturanto vijitāvī janapadatthāvariyappatto sattaratanasamannāgato. Parosahassaṁ kho panassa puttā ahesuṁ sūrā vīraṅgarūpā parasenappamaddanā. So imaṁ pathaviṁ sāgarapariyantaṁ adaṇḍena asatthena dhammena abhivijiya ajjhāvasi. So hi nāma, bhikkhave, sunetto satthā evaṁ dīghāyuko samāno evaṁ ciraṭṭhitiko aparimutto ahosi: jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, ‘aparimutto dukkhasmā’ti vadāmi.

Then Sunetta developed love for seven years. Having done so he did not return to this world for seven eons of cosmic expansion and contraction. As the cosmos contracted he went to the realm of sublime luminosity. As it expanded he was reborn in an empty mansion of divinity. There he was the Divinity, the Great Divinity, the vanquisher, the unvanquished, the universal seer, the wielder of power. He was Sakka, lord of gods, thirty-six times. Many hundreds of times he was a king, a wheel-turning monarch, a just and principled king. His dominion extended to all four sides, he achieved stability in the country, and he possessed the seven treasures. He had over a thousand sons who were valiant and heroic, crushing the armies of his enemies. After conquering this land girt by sea, he reigned by principle, without rod or sword. Yet even though Sunetta lived so long, he was not free from rebirth, old age, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. He was not free from suffering, I say.

Taṁ kissa hetu? Catunnaṁ dhammānaṁ ananubodhā appaṭivedhā. Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ? Ariyassa, bhikkhave, sīlassa ananubodhā appaṭivedhā, ariyassa samādhissa ananubodhā appaṭivedhā, ariyāya paññāya ananubodhā appaṭivedhā, ariyāya vimuttiyā ananubodhā appaṭivedhā. Tayidaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyaṁ sīlaṁ anubuddhaṁ paṭividdhaṁ, ariyo samādhi anubodho paṭividdho, ariyā paññā anubodhā paṭividdhā, ariyā vimutti anubodhā paṭividdhā, ucchinnā bhavataṇhā, khīṇā bhavanetti, natthi dāni punabbhavo”ti. Idamavoca bhagavā. Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:

Why is that? Because of not understanding and not penetrating four things. What four? Noble ethics, immersion, wisdom, and freedom. These noble ethics, immersion, wisdom, and freedom have been understood and penetrated. Craving for continued existence has been cut off; the leash to existence is ended; now there’ll be no more future lives.” That is what the Buddha said. Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:

“Sīlaṁ samādhi paññā ca, vimutti ca anuttarā; Anubuddhā ime dhammā, gotamena yasassinā.

“Ethics, immersion, and wisdom, and the supreme freedom: these things have been understood by Gotama the renowned.

Iti buddho abhiññāya, dhammamakkhāsi bhikkhunaṁ; Dukkhassantakaro satthā, cakkhumā parinibbuto”ti.

And so the Buddha, having insight, explained this teaching to the mendicants. The Teacher has made an end of suffering; seeing clearly, he is quenched.”