Retelling: Vova Pyatsky and Smadar Pyatsky (based on the translations of the suttas published on Theravada.ru and SuttaCentral.net)
Russian Version: 19. Махаговинда Сутта (сутта о великом защитнике Земли) | Три Ваджры
Translation to English: Roni Sherman and Marina Sherman
Introduction
Once, when the Buddha was meditating on the top of a mountain in Radjarihe, the beautiful, radiant gandharva Five Lights appeared before him, and his light illuminated the entire mountain. This gandharva tells the Buddha about what he saw and heard in the assembly of gods.
The gandharva’s name “Five Lights” tells us of his connection to the five-colored luminosity of the heart. Thus, the sutta tells us of the Buddha's experience of the second jhana (collectedness in the heart, on jhanas see Samannyaphala Sutta, Digha Nikaya 2), in which He experiences a recollection of one of his past incarnations.
The Assembly of Gods
The assembly of gods led by Sakka is a Sangha of beings of high and purified morality whose high and secure position on mount Meru is ensured by the number of virtuous beings living in the earthly realm. Therefore they rejoice in the sermon of the Teaching of the Blessed One and Sakka praises Him for eight reasons:
1. The Buddha acts for the benefit of the entire world, for the benefit of gods and humans.
2. The Buddha preaches an excellent Teaching, explaining it well, and this Teaching is both an explanation and a guide for everyone who seeks wisdom.
3. The Buddha explains the difference between bad and good, He teaches correct morality.
4. The Path and the Attainment (nibbana) explained by the Buddha are inseparable and lead one to another.
5. The Buddha created a Sangha full of friendliness and consisting of Arhats and novices walking the path together.
6. Great is the glory of the Buddha and wonderful are the offerings given to Him, but His heart is not poisoned by pride.
7. The words and actions of the Blessed One agree with each other
8. The Buddha overcame doubt, and He knows how to answer questions addressed to Him.
The appearance of Brahma and the question he addresses to the gods
A wonderful light appears in the assembly of gods, coming from the north. Then, from this glow, Brahma Sanankmara (Ever-Youthful) creates a visible form and sits cross-legged in the middle of the skies. He addresses the gods with a question: “Gods, do you know how long the Blessed One possesses his supermundane wisdom?” And the Brahma himself responds to his own question with the following story:
The story of the Great Protector of the Earth
The brahma describes ancient times in which the king Disampatti ruled. The son of the king was friends with the six sons of the nobles, and the son of the counselor Govinda (The Protector of the Earth) was friends with all of them too. The son of the counselor was called Jotipala (Guardian of Radiance). He surpassed his father in wisdom. Therefore, after the death of the counselor, the king appointed Jotipala to manage all his affairs. As time passed, the son of the king and the sons of the nobles succeeded their parents in their rule, and, as before, all affairs were entrusted to Jotipala, who, for his wisdom and care for all beings inhabiting the kingdom, was called Mahagovinda (The Great Protector of the Earth). He was considered so great that people said: “He has seen Brahma with his own eyes!”
On hearing this, Jotipala thought: “But I have not seen Brahma with my own eyes… The old brahmins say that one who prays during the rainy season in seclusion for four months and concentrates on compassion can see Brahma. So I will do so!!”
And so the Great Protector of the Earth, informing his royal friends of the decision he made, retired into seclusion. Only at the very end of seclusion did Brahma appear before Jotipala and invited him to ask for the gift of understanding the attainment of happiness in this life or the attainment of happiness after the dissolution of the body. Since the Great Counselor felt to be a knowledgeable person in worldly affairs, he asked Brahma about the Path of the attainment of happiness after this life. Brahma said this:
He who has discarded all worldly desires,
Has abandoned the notions of “I” and “mine”,
Lives in renunciation, full of compassion,
Can attain the kingdom of Brahma after death.
After receiving this explanation, the counselor informed his royal friends and wives that he was renouncing the world and becoming a hermit. However, they were so attached to him that they followed Jothipala and became his community. So, after spending a pious life full of renunciation and purifying his mind, the counselor attained the kingdom of Brahma. Those who were with him attained at the very least the state of gandharvas.
The question of the gandharva Five Lights to the Buddha and the response of the Blessed One
Concluding his account of the sermon of Brahma Sanankumara, the ghandharva asks the Buddha whether the Blessed One remembers these events.
“I remember”, the Buddha replied. “Back then, I was the counselor who was called the Great Protector of the Earth, and I led a pure life together with my Sangha. Then I led everyone to the knowledge of the kingdom of Brahma. But now I am leading my entire sangha further, to nibbana, to the extinction of suffering, to a state in which there is no re-birth”.