Then the gods of the Thirty-Three sat in their own seats, saying, “We shall find out what has caused that light, and having realized it we shall go to it.” And the Four Great Kings did likewise.

Hearing that, the gods of the Thirty-Three agreed in unison, “We shall find out what has caused that light, and having realized it we shall go to it.”

When Brahmā Sanaṅkumāra appears to the gods of the Thirty-Three, he does so after manifesting in a solid corporeal form. For the gods of the Thirty-Three aren’t able to see a Brahmā’s normal appearance. When Brahmā Sanaṅkumāra appears to the gods of the Thirty-Three, he outshines the other gods in beauty and glory, as a golden statue outshines the human form.

When Brahmā Sanaṅkumāra appears to the gods of the Thirty-Three, not a single god in that assembly greets him by bowing down or rising up or inviting him to a seat. They all sit silently on their couches with their joined palms raised, thinking, “Now Brahmā Sanaṅkumāra will sit on the couch of whatever god he chooses.” And the god on whose couch Brahmā sits is overjoyed and brimming with happiness, like a king on the day of his coronation.

Then Brahmā Sanaṅkumāra manifested in a solid corporeal form, taking on the appearance of the youth Pañcasikha, and appeared to the gods of the Thirty-Three. Rising into the air, he sat cross-legged in the sky, like a strong man might sit cross-legged on a well-appointed couch or on level ground. Seeing the joy of those gods, Brahmā Sanaṅkumāra celebrated with these verses:

“The gods rejoice—
the Thirty-Three with their Lord—
revering the Realized One,
and the natural excellence of the teaching;

and seeing the new gods,
so beautiful and glorious,
who have come here after leading
the spiritual life under the Buddha!

They outshine the others
in beauty, glory, and lifespan.
Here are the distinguished disciples
of he whose wisdom is vast.

Seeing this, they delight—
the Thirty-Three with their Lord—
revering the Realized One,
and the natural excellence of the teaching!”

That is the topic on which Brahmā Sanaṅkumāra spoke. And while he was speaking on that topic, his voice had eight qualities: it was clear, comprehensible, charming, audible, rounded, undistorted, deep, and resonant. He makes sure his voice is intelligible as far as the assembly goes, but it doesn’t extend outside the assembly. When someone has a voice like this, they’re said to have the voice of Brahmā.

Then Brahmā Sanaṅkumāra, having manifested thirty-three corporeal forms, sat down on the couches of each of the gods of the Thirty-Three and addressed them, “What do the good gods of the Thirty-Three think about how much the Buddha has acted for the welfare and happiness of the people, for the benefit, welfare, and happiness of gods and humans? For consider those who have gone for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha, and have fulfilled their ethics. When their bodies break up, after death, some are reborn in the company of the Gods Who Control the Creations of Others, some with the Gods Who Love to Create, some with the Joyful Gods, some with the Gods of Yama, some with the Gods of the Thirty-Three, and some with the Gods of the Four Great Kings. And at the very least they swell the hosts of the fairies.”

That is the topic on which Brahmā Sanaṅkumāra spoke. And while he was speaking on that topic, each of the gods fancied, “The one sitting on my couch is the only one speaking.”

When one is speaking,
all the forms speak.
When one sits in silence,
they all remain silent.

But those gods imagine—
the Thirty-Three with their Lord—
that the one on their seat
is the only one to speak.

The Brahmā Sanaṅkumāra merged into one corporeal form. Then he sat on the couch of Sakka, lord of gods, and addressed the gods of the Thirty-Three: