Abhibhū untranslated

Abhibhū 01. Chief disciple of Sikhī Buddha (DN.ii.9; Ja.i.41; Bv.xxi.20). In the Aruṇavatīsutta it is said that he went with Sikhī to a Brahma-world and, at the Buddha’s request, preached a sermon to the accompaniment of great magical powers. He proved that by using just such speech as if he were preaching to a gathering of monks, he could, standing in the Brahma-world, make his voice heard by its thousand realms (SN.i.154f). The verses spoken on this occasion are, in the Theragāthā, ascribed to Abhibhūta (v.1147-8).

In the Aṅguttaranikāya (AN.i.226f.; AN­a.i.436f) we find Ānanda asking the Buddha how far Abhibhū’s powers bore relation to those of a Buddha, and the Buddha replying that Abhibhū was a mere disciple, and proceeding to describe the immeasurable powers of the Tathāgata.

Abhibhū was a Brahmin because we find him so addressed in the Aruṇavatīsutta referred to above, but in the Buddhavaṁsa Commentary (p.202) he is spoken of as a rājaputta.

In the Paṭisambhidhāmagga Commentary (488f) his story is given as an example of vikubbana-iddhi whereby a person could make himself seen in many places at the same time. We are told that he developed nīlakasiṇa, to attract to himself the attention of the world systems.

The Thera Adhopupphiya had been a hermit in Himavā during the time of Sikhī Buddha and had offered flowers to Abhibhū. Ap.i.128-9.

Abhibhū 02. A class of Devas belonging to the Arūpa-plane (MN.i.1). They live in the same plane as the Vehapphalā. In the Mūlapariyāyasutta the word is used to denote all the Asaññasattādevā. Buddhaghosa explains the word by saying abhibhavī ti abhibhū; kiṁ abhibhavī ti? Cattāro khandhe, arūpino. They are beautiful and long-lived, and are therefore considered to be eternal and identical with Brahma (MN­a.i.30). In the Brahmanimantanikasutta (MN.i.329) the Buddha claims to be Abhibhū (= the conqueror).

Abhibhū 03. The name of a Bodhisatta who obtained vivaraṇa under Gotama. He will become the sixth Buddha after Gotama. Anāgatavaṁsa, p.37.