Aṇguttara Nikāya
Pañcaka-Nipāta
XX. Brāhmaṇa Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Fives
Chapter XX: The Brāman
Sutta 196
Mahā-Supina Suttaṃ
Dreams
Translated by E. M. Hare
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Once the Exalted One dwelt near Sāvatthī;
and there he addressed the monks, saying:
"Monks."
'Yes, lord,' they replied; and the Exalted One said:
"Monks, to the Tathāgata,
arahant,
fully awake to the highest[1] —
ere his full awakening,[2]
when he was not yet wholly awakened[3]
and but a being awakening[4] —
there came five great dreams.[5]
What five?
Monks, the Tathāgata,
arahant,
fully awake to the highest [176] —
ere his full awakening,
when he was not yet wholly awakened
and but a being awakening —
(dreamed that) this mighty world was his bed of state;
the mountain-king, Himālaya, his pillow;
that his left hand rested[6]
on the eastern sea;
his right on the western sea;
and that both his feet
rested on the southern sea.
Monks, to the Tathāgata, arahant,
fully awake to the highest —
ere his full awakening,
when he was not yet wholly awakened
and but a being awakening —
this first great dream came.
■
Again, monks, the Tathāgata,
arahant,
fully awake to the highest —
ere his full awakening,
when he was not yet wholly awakened
and but a being awakening —
dreamed that there went out from his navel[7]
Tiriyā[8] grass
and it stopped not,
until it touched the clouds.
Monks, to the Tathāgata, arahant,
fully awake to the highest —
ere his full awakening,
when he was not yet wholly awakened
and but a being awakening —
this second dream came.
■
Again, monks, the Tathāgata,
arahant,
fully awake to the highest —
ere his full awakening,
when he was not yet wholly awakened
and but a being awakening —
dreamed that white worms
with black heads
crept up over his feet
as far as his knees
and covered them.
Monks, to the Tathāgata, arahant,
fully awake to the highest —
ere his full awakening,
when he was not yet wholly awakened
and but a being awakening —
this third dream came.
■
Again, monks, the Tathāgata,
arahant,
fully awake to the highest —
ere his full awakening,
when he was not yet wholly awakened
and but a being awakening —
dreamed that there came four birds
of varied hues
from the four quarters of the world
and they fell at his feet
and became all white.
Monks, to the Tathāgata, arahant,
fully awake to the highest —
ere his full awakening,
when he was not yet wholly awakened
and but a being awakening —
this fourth dream came.
■
Again, monks, the Tathāgata,
arahant,
fully awake to the highest —
ere his full awakening,
when he was not yet wholly awakened
and but a being awakening —
dreamed that he walked to and fro
on a great mountain of dung,
but was unbesmeared with dung.
Monks, to the Tathāgata, arahant,
fully awake to the highest —
ere his full awakening,
when he was not yet wholly awakened
and but a being awakening —
this fifth dream came.
§
Monks, when indeed to the Tathāgata,
arahant,
fully awake to the highest —
ere his full awakening,
when he was not yet fully awakened
and but a being awakening —
there came the dream
that this great world was his bed of state
the mountain-king, Himālaya, his pillow;
that his left hand rested
on the eastern sea;
his right on the western sea;
and that both his feet
rested on the southern sea;
monks, by the Tathāgata,
arahant,
fully awake to the highest,
the unsurpassed,
full awakening to the highest[9]
was wholly-awakened[10]
(within him).
To him, wholly awakening,[11]
this first dream came.[12]
■
When indeed to the Tathāgata,
arahant,
fully awake to the highest —
ere his full awakening,
when he was not yet fully awakened
and but a being awakening —
there came the dream that there went [177] out from his navel
Tiriyā grass
and it stopped not,
until it touched the clouds;
monks, by the Tathāgata,
arahant,
fully awake to the highest,
the Ariyan eightfold Way
was wholly awakened
(within him)
and well proclaimed
as far as devas and men (exist).[13]
To him, wholly awakening,
this second dream came.
■
When indeed to the Tathāgata,
arahant,
fully awake to the highest —
ere his full awakening,
when he was not yet fully awakened
and but a being awakening —
there came the dream that white worms
with black heads
crept up over his feet
as far as his knees
and covered them; monks,
many white-robed householders
found lifelong refuge in the Tathāgata.
To him, wholly awakening,
this third dream came.
■
When indeed to the Tathāgata,
arahant,
fully awake to the highest —
ere his full awakening,
when he was not yet fully awakened
and but a being awakening —
there came the dream that the four birds
of varied hues
from the four quarters of the world
and they fell at his feet
and became all white; monks,
these four castes —
noble,
brāhman,
low
and serf —
went forth from the home
to the homeless life
into that Dhamma-discipline
taught by the Tathāgata
and Realized Unsurpassed liberation.
To him, wholly awakening,
this fourth dream came.
■
When indeed to the Tathāgata,
arahant,
fully awake to the highest —
ere his full awakening,
when he was nöt yet fully awakened
and but a being awakening —
there came the dream that he walked to and fro
on a great mountain of dung,
but was unbesmeared with dung; monks,
the Tathāgata received the requisites: -
robe,
alms,
lodging
and medicaments for sickness —
and in them the Tathāgata found enjoyment,
yet was not tied,
trussed
nor attached[14] thereto,
seeing the danger,
wise as to the escape therefrom.
To him, wholly awakening,
this fifth dream came.
Monks, to the Tathāgata,
arahant,
fully awake to the highest —
ere his full awakening,
when he was not yet fully awakened
and bat a being awakening —
there came these five great dreams.'
[1] Sammā-sambuddha.
[2] Sambodha.
[3] an-abhisambuddha.
[4] Bodhisatta
[5] These five are referred to at J. i, 69; see Thomas' Life, 70 n. Our Comy. observes that there are four dream-causes: (1) body-disturbanees, due to bile, produsing dreams such as falling from a precipice or flying or being chased by a beast or robber; (2) previous happenings; (3) being deva-possessed, and devas bring thoughts both for one's good and otherwise; (4) premonitions; this last is the Bodhisat's. Cf. Milinda, Dilemma 75 (p. 297).
[6] Ohita (Thomas loc. cit.), 'plunged,' but Comy. na udakasmiṃ.
[7] Thomas, 'hand,' but the Pāli is nābhi.
[8] Comy. dabbha, kusa grass.
[9] Sammā-sambodhi.
[10] Abhisambuddha.
[11] Abhisambodha.
[12] I give a literal trsl. of the five; the meaning no doubt is that the Bodhisat so interpreted the dreams.
[13] Yāva devamanmsehi suppakāsito; see the discussion on this at Dial. ii, 236 and P.E.D. s.v. yāva.
[14] Cf. D. i, 245; M. i, 173; S. ii, 270.
