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 on eight grounds:
- The Buddha acts for the benefit of the entire world, for the benefit of gods and humans.
- The Buddha teaches an excellent Teaching and explains it well, and this Teaching is both an explanation and a guide for everyone who seeks wisdom.
- The Buddha explains the difference between bad and good. He teaches good morality.
- The Path and the Attainment (nibbana) explained by the Buddha are inseparable and lead one to another.
- The Buddha formed a Sangha full of friendliness, consisting of Arhats and novices going on the path together.
- Great is the glory of the Buddha and wonderful are the offerings given to Him, yet His heart is not poisoned by pride.
- The words and actions of the Blessed One are consistent with one another.
- 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 has been in possession of 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 King Disampatti ruled. The king's son was friends with the six sons of the nobles, and the son of the royal counselor Govinda (“Protector of the Earth”) was friends with all of them as well. The counselor's son was named Jotipala (“Guardian of Light”). He surpassed his father in wisdom, so after the death of the counselor, the king appointed Jotipala to manage all state affairs. As time passed, the son of the king and the sons of the nobles succeeded their parents in office, and, as before, all affairs were entrusted to Jotipala, who, for his wisdom and care for all beings living in the kingdom, came to be called Mahagovinda (“Great Protector of the Earth”). He was held in such high regard that people said: "He has seen Brahma face to face!"
Upon hearing this, Jotipala thought: “But I have not seen Brahma face to face! The old brahmins say that one who spends the four months of the rainy season in seclusion, meditating on compassion, can see Brahma. Therefore, I shall do the same.”
Having informed his royal friends of his decision, the Great Protector of the Earth went into seclusion. Only at the very end of his retreat did Brahma appear before Jotipala, offering to grant him a wish: to ask either about attaining happiness in this present life, or about attaining happiness after the dissolution of the body. Since the Great Counselor already considered himself knowledgeable in worldly matters, he asked Brahma about the path to attaining happiness after this life. To this, the Brahma replied:
He who has abandoned all worldly desires
And has abandoned the notions of “I” and “mine”
Lives in renunciation, full of compassion,
And can reach the Brahma-realm upon death.
Having received this instruction, the counselor informed his royal friends and wives that he was renouncing the world to become an ascetic. However, so deep was their devotion to him that they followed Jothipala and became his community. So, after living a holy life of renunciation and purifying his mind, the counselor reached the Brahma-realm. And 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. “At that time, I was the royal counselor named Mahagovinda, the Great Protector of the Earth, and I lived a holy life together with my Sangha“. Then, I led everyone to the attainment of the Brahma-realm. But now, I lead my entire sangha even further— to Nibbana, to the cessation of suffering, the state in which there is no rebirth”.
