AN3.80 — Cūḷanikāsutta

Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the Venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One:

Venerable sir, I have heard and received this from the Blessed Ones own lips: Ānanda, the disciple named Abhibhū, while standing in the Brahma world, made his voice heard throughout a thousandfold world system.

But, venerable sir, how far can the voice of the Blessed One, who is an Arahant, a Perfectly Enlightened One, be heard?

Ānanda, a disciple can do that, but the Tathāgatas are immeasurable.

For a second time, the Venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One:

But, venerable sir, how far can the voice of the Blessed One, who is an Arahant, a Perfectly Enlightened One, be heard?

Ānanda, a disciple can do that, but the Tathāgatas are immeasurable.

For a third time, the Venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One:

But, venerable sir, how far can the voice of the Blessed One, who is an Arahant, a Perfectly Enlightened One, be heard?

Ānanda, have you heard of the thousandfold minor world system?

Now is the time, Blessed One, now is the time, Sublime One, for the Blessed One to speak. Having heard it from the Blessed One, the disciples will remember it.

Therefore, Ānanda, listen and attend closely, I will speak.

Yes, venerable sir, the Venerable Ānanda replied to the Blessed One.

The Blessed One said this:

Ānanda, as far as the moon and sun revolve, illuminating the directions with their light, that is a thousandfold world system.

In that thousandfold world system, there are a thousand moons, a thousand suns, a thousand Sineru mountains, a thousand Jambudīpas, a thousand Aparagoyānas, a thousand Uttarakurus, a thousand Pubbavidehas, four thousand great oceans, four thousand great kings, a thousand realms of the Four Great Kings, a thousand realms of the Thirty-Three gods, a thousand realms of the Yāma gods, a thousand realms of the Tusita gods, a thousand realms of the gods who delight in creation, a thousand realms of the gods who wield power over others creations, and a thousand Brahma worlds:

This is called, Ānanda, the thousandfold minor world system.

As far as, Ānanda, the thousandfold minor world system, so many thousands of worlds.

This is called, Ānanda, the two-thousandfold middling world system.

As far as, Ānanda, the two-thousandfold middling world system, so many thousands of worlds.

This is called, Ānanda, the three-thousandfold great-thousandfold world system.

If he wished, Ānanda, the Tathāgata could make known the three-thousandfold great-thousandfold world system with his voice, as far as he wished.

How, venerable sir, could the Blessed One make known the three-thousandfold great-thousandfold world system with his voice, as far as he wished?

Here, Ānanda, the Tathāgata would pervade the three-thousandfold great-thousandfold world system with light.

When those beings perceive that light, then the Tathāgata would make a sound, he would make his voice heard.

Thus, Ānanda, the Tathāgata could make known the three-thousandfold great-thousandfold world system with his voice, as far as he wished.

When this was said, the venerable Ānanda said to the venerable Udāyi,

Fortunate am I, truly fortunate am I, to have a teacher so powerful, so mighty.

When this was said, the venerable Udāyi said to the venerable Ānanda,

What is it to you, friend Ānanda, if your teacher is so powerful, so mighty?

When this was said, the Blessed One said to the venerable Udāyi,

Do not say so, Udāyi, do not say so, Udāyi.

If, Udāyi, Ānanda were to pass away without having abandoned passion, with that confidence he would be reborn seven times as a king of the gods, seven times as a great king in this very Jambudīpa.

But, Udāyi, Ānanda will attain final Nibbāna in this very life.