[Buddha-l] angels

[r.g.morrison]

Lance:

: The idea that Brahma Sahampati obtained rebirth as the result of
: practising the five indriyas under Kassapa Buddha is far older than
: the commentaries. It is already found in the Brahma or
: Sahampatibrahma Sutta at S V 232f.

Ah, that's what I like, a source.  Thanks, Lance.  So, according to this 
sutta, in a previous life, before he became Brahma Sahampati, he was the 
bhikkhu Sahaka leading the brahmacariya under the buddha Kassapa.  And he 
cultivated the five faculties and created enough merit to be later reborn as 
Brahma Sahampati. So this suggests that he was still a puthujjana, not on 
the ariyan path. Although, as the sutta mentions, these five faculties have 
the 'Deathless' as their goal, it seems that Sahaka did not fully cultivate 
them - he only 'eliminated desire for sensual pleasures' and so was 'born in 
a good destination, the brahma world'.

Thanks,

Robert