At one time, when he was first awakened, the Buddha was staying in Uruvelā at the goatherd’s banyan tree on the bank of the Nerañjarā River. Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā uruvelāyaṁ viharati najjā nerañjarāya tīre ajapālanigrodhe paṭhamābhisambuddho.

Then as he was in private retreat this thought came to his mind, Atha kho bhagavato rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi: “When these five faculties are developed and cultivated they culminate, finish, and end in freedom from death. “pañcindriyāni bhāvitāni bahulīkatāni amatogadhāni honti amataparāyaṇāni amatapariyosānāni. What five? Katamāni pañca? The faculties of faith, Saddhindriyaṁ bhāvitaṁ bahulīkataṁ amatogadhaṁ hoti amataparāyaṇaṁ amatapariyosānaṁ. energy, Vīriyindriyaṁ …pe… mindfulness, satindriyaṁ …pe… immersion, samādhindriyaṁ …pe… and wisdom. paññindriyaṁ bhāvitaṁ bahulīkataṁ amatogadhaṁ hoti amataparāyaṇaṁ amatapariyosānaṁ. When these five faculties are developed and cultivated they culminate, finish, and end in freedom from death.” Imāni pañcindriyāni bhāvitāni bahulīkatāni amatogadhāni honti amataparāyaṇāni amatapariyosānānī”ti.

Then the divinity Sahampati knew what the Buddha was thinking. As easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, he vanished from the realm of divinity and reappeared in front of the Buddha. Atha kho brahmā sahampati bhagavato cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evameva brahmaloke antarahito bhagavato purato pāturahosi. He arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his joined palms toward the Buddha, and said: Atha kho brahmā sahampati ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“That’s so true, Blessed One! That’s so true, Holy One! “evametaṁ, bhagavā, evametaṁ sugata. When these five faculties are developed and cultivated they culminate, finish, and end in freedom from death. Pañcindriyāni bhāvitāni bahulīkatāni amatogadhāni honti amataparāyaṇāni amatapariyosānāni. What five? Katamāni pañca? The faculties of faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom. Saddhindriyaṁ bhāvitaṁ bahulīkataṁ amatogadhaṁ hoti amataparāyaṇaṁ amatapariyosānaṁ …pe… paññindriyaṁ bhāvitaṁ bahulīkataṁ amatogadhaṁ hoti amataparāyaṇaṁ amatapariyosānaṁ. When these five faculties are developed and cultivated they culminate, finish, and end in freedom from death. Imāni pañcindriyāni bhāvitāni bahulīkatāni amatogadhāni honti amataparāyaṇāni amatapariyosānāni.

Once upon a time, sir, I lived the spiritual life under the fully awakened Buddha Kassapa. Bhūtapubbāhaṁ, bhante, kassape sammāsambuddhe brahmacariyaṁ acariṁ. There they knew me as Tatrapi maṁ evaṁ jānanti: the mendicant Sahaka. ‘sahako bhikkhu, sahako bhikkhū’ti. Because of developing and cultivating these same five faculties I lost desire for sensual pleasures. When my body broke up, after death, I was reborn in a good place, in the realm of divinity. So khvāhaṁ, bhante, imesaṁyeva pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā kāmesu kāmacchandaṁ virājetvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ brahmalokaṁ upapanno. There they know me as Tatrapi maṁ evaṁ jānanti: the divinity Sahampati. ‘brahmā sahampati, brahmā sahampatī’ti.

That’s so true, Blessed One! That’s so true, Holy One! Evametaṁ, bhagavā, evametaṁ sugata. I know and see how when these five faculties are developed and cultivated they culminate, finish, and end in freedom from death.” Ahametaṁ jānāmi, ahametaṁ passāmi yathā imāni pañcindriyāni bhāvitāni bahulīkatāni amatogadhāni honti amataparāyaṇāni amatapariyosānānī”ti.

Sattamaṁ.