The Connected Discourses of the Buddha Page 14
“The Blessed One has revealed the bhikkhu but not the instruction to the bhikkhu.”142
“Well then, Kassapa, clear up this point yourself.”143
255 “He should train in well-spoken counsel,
And in the exercise of an ascetic,
In a solitary seat, alone,
And in the calming of the mind.”144 <105>
This is what the young deva Kassapa said. The Teacher approved. Then the young deva Kassapa, thinking, “The Teacher has approved of me,” paid homage to the Blessed One and, keeping him on the right, he disappeared right there.
2 (2) Kassapa (2)
At Sāvatthī. Standing to one side, the young deva Kassapa recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:256 “A bhikkhu should be a meditator,
One who is liberated in mind,
If he desires the heart’s attainment,
Bent on that as his advantage.
Having known the world’s rise and fall,
Let him be lofty in mind and unattached.”145 [47]
3 (3) Māgha
At Sāvatthī. Then, when the night had advanced, the young deva Māgha, of stunning beauty, illuminating the entire Jeta’s Grove, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One, stood to one side, <106> and addressed the Blessed One in verse:146 257 “Having slain what does one sleep soundly?
Having slain what does one not sorrow?
What is the one thing, O Gotama,
Whose killing you approve?”
258 “Having slain anger, one sleeps soundly;
Having slain anger, one does not sorrow;
The killing of anger, O Vatrabhū,
With its poisoned root and honeyed tip:
This is the killing the noble ones praise,
For having slain that, one does not sorrow.”
4 (4) Māgadha
At Sāvatthī. Standing to one side, the young deva Māgadha addressed the Blessed One in verse:259 “How many sources of light are in the world
By means of which the world is illumined? <107>
We’ve come to ask the Blessed One this:
How are we to understand it?”
260 “There are four sources of light in the world;
A fifth one is not found here.
The sun shines by day,
The moon glows at night,
261 And fire flares up here and there
Both by day and at night.
But the Buddha is the best of those that shine:
He is the light unsurpassed.”
5 (5) Dāmali
At Sāvatthī. Then, when the night had advanced, the young deva Dāmali, of stunning beauty, illuminating the entire Jeta’s Grove, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One, stood to one side, and recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:262 “This should be done by the brahmin:
Striving without weariness, <108>
That by his abandoning of sensual desires
He does not yearn for existence.”147
263 “For the brahmin there is no task to be done,
[O Dāmali,” said the Blessed One],
“For the brahmin has done what should be done.
While he has not gained a footing in the river, [48]
A man will strain with all his limbs;
But a footing gained, standing on the ground,
He need not strain for he has gone beyond.
264 “This is a simile for the brahmin, O Dāmali,
For the taintless one, the discreet meditator.
Having reached the end of birth and death,
He need not strain for he has gone beyond.”148 <109>
6 (6) Kāmada
At Sāvatthī. Standing to one side, the young deva Kāmada said to the Blessed One:
“Hard to do, Blessed One! Very hard to do, Blessed One!”149
265 “They do even what is hard to do,
[O Kāmada,” said the Blessed One,]
“The trainees endowed with virtue, steadfast.
For one who has entered the homeless life
Contentment brings along happiness.”
“That is hard to gain, Blessed One, namely, contentment.”
266 “They gain even what is hard to gain,
[O Kāmada,” said the Blessed One,]
“Who delight in calming the mind,
Whose minds, day and night,
Take delight in development.”
“That is hard to concentrate, Blessed One, namely, the mind.”
267 “They concentrate even what is hard to concentrate,
[O Kāmada,” said the Blessed One,]
“Who delight in calming the faculties.
Having cut through the net of Death,
The noble ones, O Kāmada, go their way.”
“The path is impassable and uneven, Blessed One.”150 <110>
268 “Though the path is impassable and uneven,
The noble ones walk it, Kāmada.
The ignoble ones fall down head first,
Right there on the uneven path,
But the path of the noble ones is even,
For the noble are even amidst the uneven.”
7 (7) Pañcālacaṇḍa
At Sāvatthī. Standing to one side, the young deva Pañcālacaṇḍa recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:
269 “The one of broad wisdom has indeed found
The opening in the midst of confinement,
The Buddha who discovered jhāna,
The withdrawn chief bull, the sage.”151
270 “Even in the midst of confinement they find it,
[O Pañcālacaṇḍa,” said the Blessed One,] <111>
“The Dhamma for the attainment of Nibbāna—
Those who have acquired mindfulness,
Those perfectly well concentrated.”152 [49]
8 (8) Tāyana
At Sāvatthī. Then, when the night had advanced, the young deva Tāyana, formerly the founder of a religious sect, of stunning beauty, illuminating the entire Jeta’s Grove, approached the Blessed One.153 Having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One, stood to one side, and recited these verses in the presence of the Blessed One:271 “Having exerted oneself, cut the stream!
Dispel sensual desires, O brahmin!
Without having abandoned sensual desires,
A sage does not reach unity.154
272 “If one would do what should be done,
One should firmly exert oneself. <112>
For a slack wanderer’s life
Only scatters more dust.
273 “Better left undone is the misdeed,
A deed that later brings repentance.
Better done is the good deed
Which when done is not repented.
274 “As kusa-grass, wrongly grasped,
Only cuts one’s hand,
So the ascetic life, wrongly taken up,
Drags one down to hell.
275 “Any deed that is slackly done,
Any corrupted vow,
A holy life that breeds suspicion,
Does not yield great fruit.”155
This is what the young deva Tāyana said. Having said this, he paid homage to the Blessed One and, keeping him on the right, he disappeared right there.
Then, when the night had passed, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus, last night, when the night had advanced, the young deva Tāyana, formerly the founder of a religious sect ... <113> ... approached me ... and in my presence recited these verses:276–80 “‘Having exerted oneself, cut the stream!… [50] …
Does not yield great fruit.’
“This is what the young deva Tāyana said. Having said this, he paid homage to me and, keeping me on the right, he disappeared right there. Learn Tāyana’s verses, bhikkhus. Master <114> Tāyana’s verses, bhikkhus. Remember Tāyana’s verses, bhikkhus. Tāyana’s verses a
re beneficial, bhikkhus, they pertain to the fundamentals of the holy life.”
9 (9) Candimā
At Sāvatthī. Now on that occasion the young deva Candimā had been seized by Rāhu, lord of the asuras.156 Then, recollecting the Blessed One, the young deva Candimā on that occasion recited this verse:281 “Let homage be to you, the Buddha!
O hero, you are everywhere released.
I have fallen into captivity,
So please be my refuge.”
Then, referring to the young deva Candimā, the Blessed One addressed Rāhu, lord of the asuras, in verse: 282 “Candimā has gone for refuge
To the Tathāgata, the Arahant.
Release Candimā, O Rāhu,
Buddhas have compassion for the world.”
Then Rāhu, lord of the asuras, released the young deva Candimā and hurriedly approached Vepacitti, lord of the asuras.157 Having approached, shocked and terrified, he stood to one side. <115> Then, as he stood there, Vepacitti, lord of the asuras, addressed him in verse:283 “Why, Rāhu, did you come in a hurry?
Why did you release Candimā?
Having come as if in shock,
Why do you stand there frightened?”
284 “My head would have split in seven parts,
While living I would have found no ease,
If, when chanted over by the Buddha’s verse,
I had not let go of Candimā.” [51]
10 (10) Suriya
At Sāvatthī. Now on that occasion the young deva Suriya had been seized by Rāhu, lord of the asuras.158 Then, recollecting the Blessed One, the young deva Suriya on that occasion recited this verse:285 “Let homage be to you, the Buddha!
O hero, you are everywhere released.
I have fallen into captivity,
So please be my refuge.” <116>
Then, referring to the young deva Suriya, the Blessed One addressed Rāhu, lord of the asuras, in verse:286 “Suriya has gone for refuge
To the Tathāgata, the Arahant.
Release Suriya, O Rāhu,
Buddhas have compassion for the world.
287 “While moving across the sky, O Rāhu,
Do not swallow the radiant one,
The maker of light in darkness,
The disk of fiery might in the gloom.
Rāhu, release my child Suriya.”159
Then Rāhu, lord of the asuras, released the young deva Suriya and hurriedly approached Vepacitti, lord of the asuras. Having approached, shocked and terrified, he stood to one side. Then, as he stood there, Vepacitti, lord of the asuras, addressed him in verse:288 “Why, Rāhu, did you come in a hurry?
Why did you release Suriya?
Having come as if in shock, <117>
Why do you stand there frightened?”
289 “My head would have split in seven parts,
While living I would have found no ease,
If, when chanted over by the Buddha’s verses,
I had not let go of Suriya.”
II. ANĀTHAPIṆḌIKA
11 (1) Candimasa
At Sāvatthī. Then, when the night had advanced, the young deva Candimasa, of stunning beauty, illuminating the entire Jeta’s Grove, [52] approached the Blessed One. Having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One, stood to one side, <118> and recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:290 “They will surely reach to safety
Like deer in a mosquito-free marsh,
Who, having attained the jhānas,
Are unified, discreet, mindful.”160
[The Blessed One:]291 “They will surely reach the far shore
Like a fish when the net is cut,
Who, having attained the jhānas,
Are diligent, with flaws discarded.”161
12 (2) Veṇhu
At Sāvatthī. Standing to one side, the young deva Veṇhu recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:162 292 “Happy indeed are those human beings
Attending on the Fortunate One,
Applying themselves to Gotama’s Teaching,
Who train in it with diligence.”163 <119>
293 “When the course of teaching is proclaimed by me,
[O Veṇhu,” said the Blessed One,]
“Those meditators who train therein,
Being diligent at the proper time,
Will not come under Death’s control.”
13 (3) Dīghalaṭṭhi
Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrel Sanctuary. Then, when the night had advanced, the young deva Dīghalaṭṭhi, of stunning beauty, illuminating the entire Bamboo Grove, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One, stood to one side, and recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:294 “A bhikkhu should be a meditator,
One who is liberated in mind,
If he desires the heart’s attainment,
Bent on that as his advantage.
Having known the world’s rise and fall, <120>
Let him be lofty in mind and unattached.”
14 (4) Nandana
Standing to one side, the young deva Nandana addressed the Blessed One in verse: 295 “I ask you, Gotama, broad of wisdom—
Unobstructed is the Blessed One’s knowledge and vision:
[53]
What is he like whom they call virtuous?
What is he like whom they call wise?
What is he like who has passed beyond suffering?
What is he like whom the devatās worship?”
296 “One virtuous, wise, of developed mind,
Concentrated, mindful, enjoying jhāna,
For whom all sorrows are gone, abandoned,
A taint-destroyer bearing his final body:
297 It is such a one that they call virtuous, <121>
Such a one that they call wise,
Such a one has passed beyond suffering,
Such a one the devatās worship.”
15 (5) Candana
Standing to one side, the young deva Candana addressed the Blessed One in verse:298 “Who here crosses over the flood,
Unwearying by day and night?
Who does not sink in the deep,
Without support, without a hold?”164
299 “One always perfect in virtue,
Endowed with wisdom, well concentrated,
One energetic and resolute
Crosses the flood so hard to cross.
300 “One who desists from sensual perception,
Who has overcome the fetter of form, <122>
Who has destroyed delight in existence—
He does not sink in the deep.”165
16 (6) Vasudatta
Standing to one side, the young deva Vasudatta recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:301 “As if smitten by a sword,
As if his head were on fire,
A bhikkhu should wander mindfully
To abandon sensual lust.”
302 “As if smitten by a sword,
As if his head were on fire,
A bhikkhu should wander mindfully
To abandon identity view.”
17 (7) Subrahmā
<123> Standing to one side, the young deva Subrahmā addressed the Blessed One in verse:166 303 “Always frightened is this mind,
The mind is always agitated [54]
About unarisen problems
And about arisen ones.
If there exists release from fear,
Being asked, please declare it to me.”167
304 “Not apart from enlightenment and austerity,
Not apart from restraint of the sense faculties,
Not apart from relinquishing all,
Do I see any safety for living beings.”168
This is what the Blessed One said…. He [the young deva] disappeared right there.
18 (8) Kakudha
Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling a
t Sāketa in the Añjana Grove, the Deer Park. Then, when the night had advanced, the young deva Kakudha, <124> of stunning beauty, illuminating the entire Añjana Grove, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One, stood to one side, and said to him:
“Do you delight, ascetic?”
“Having gained what, friend?”