AN 3.81: Cūḷanikā Sutta – A Small Group of Worlds
Translated by Bhante Suddhāso
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Then Venerable Ānanda went to the Fortunate One, paid respects to him, sat to one side, and said to him,
“Bhante, this is what I heard in the presence of the Fortunate One, this is what I learned: ‘Ānanda, there is a disciple of the Buddha Sikhī, named Abhibhū, who lives in the Brahma world. He can make his voice known in a thousand worlds.’ Bhante, how far can a Worthy and Fully Self-Awakened One make their voice known?”
“Ānanda, he is a disciple. Tathāgatās are immeasurable.”
A second time Venerable Ānanda said to the Fortunate One, “Bhante, this is what I heard in the presence of the Fortunate One, this is what I learned: ‘Ānanda, there is a disciple of the Buddha Sikhī, named Abhibhū, who lives in the Brahma world. He can make his voice known in a domain of a thousand worlds.’ Bhante, how far can a Worthy and Fully Self-Awakened One make their voice known?”
“Ānanda, he is a disciple. Tathāgatās are immeasurable.”
A third time Venerable Ānanda said to the Fortunate One, “Bhante, this is what I heard in the presence of the Fortunate One, this is what I learned: ‘Ānanda, there is a disciple of the Buddha Sikhī, named Abhibhū, who lives in the Brahma world. He can make his voice known in a domain of a thousand worlds.’ Bhante, how far can a Worthy and Fully Self-Awakened One make their voice known?”
“Ānanda, have you heard of a ‘thousandfold small world-domain’?”
“This is the time, Fortunate One! This is the time, Sublime One! Let the Fortunate One speak; the monks will listen to the Fortunate One and remember.”
“Therefore, Ānanda, listen and carefully pay attention, I will speak.”
“Yes, Bhante,” Venerable Ānanda replied to the Fortunate One. The Fortunate One said this:
“Ānanda, there can be a group of a thousand worlds, in each of which the radiant sun and moon illuminates their region. In that group of a thousand worlds there are a thousand moons, a thousand suns, a thousand Mount Sinerus, a thousand Jambudīpa [continents], a thousand Aparagoyāna [continents], a thousand Uttarakuru [continents], a thousand Pubbavideha [continents], a thousand of the Four Great Oceans, a thousand of the Four Great Kings, a thousand heaven-realms of the Four Great Kings, a thousand Tāvatiṁsa heaven-realms, a thousand Yāma heaven-realms, a thousand Tusita heaven-realms, a thousand Nimmānaratī heaven-realms, a thousand Paranimmitavasavattī heaven-realms, a thousand Brahma-worlds – Ānanda, this is called a ‘thousandfold small world-domain’.
“Ānanda, there can be a group of a thousand of those thousandfold small world-domains. Ānanda, this is called a ‘millionfold moderate world-domain’.
“Ānanda, there can be a group of a thousand of those millionfold moderate world-domains. Ānanda, this is called a ‘billionfold large world-domain’.
“Ānanda, if a Tathāgata wishes to, he can make his voice known throughout a billionfold large world-domain – or as far as he wishes.”
“But, Bhante, how does the Fortunate One make his voice known throughout a billionfold large world-domain, or as far as he wishes?”
“Here, Ānanda, a Tathāgata pervades the billionfold large world-domain with light. When the beings in that world see that light, then the Tathāgata can make them hear the sound of his voice. In this way, Ānanda, a Tathāgata makes his voice known throughout a billionfold large world-domain – or as far as he wishes.”
When this was said, Venerable Ānanda said, “It is a boon for me, it is such a boon for me, that my teacher is so powerful and majestic!”
When this was said, Venerable Udāyin said to Venerable Ānanda, “What is it to you, Venerable Ānanda, that your teacher is so powerful and majestic?”
When this was said, the Fortunate One said to Venerable Udāyin, “Don’t be like that, Udāyin; don’t be like that, Udāyin. Udāyin, if Ānanda were to die while not yet free of lust, then because of his faithful mind, he would rule as a angel king in a heaven-world seven times, and he would rule as a great king here in Jambudīpa seven times. However, Udāyin, Ānanda will attain full enlightenment in this very life.”