The Connected Discourses of the Buddha Read online

  [Āḷavaka:]850 “How does one gain wisdom?599

  How does one find wealth? <463>

  How does one achieve acclaim?

  How bind friends to oneself?

  When passing from this world to the next,

  How does one not sorrow?”

  [The Blessed One:]851 “Placing faith in the Dhamma of the arahants

  For the attainment of Nibbāna,

  From desire to learn one gains wisdom

  If one is diligent and astute.600

  852 “Doing what is proper, dutiful,

  One with initiative finds wealth. [215]

  By truthfulness one wins acclaim;

  Giving, one binds friends.

  That is how one does not sorrow

  When passing from this world to the next.601

  853 “The faithful seeker of the household life

  In whom dwell these four qualities—

  Truth, Dhamma, steadfastness, generosity—

  Does not sorrow when he passes on. <464>

  854 “Come now, ask others as well,

  The many ascetics and brahmins,

  Whether there is found here anything better

  Than truth, self-control, generosity, and patience.”602

  [Āḷavaka:]855 “Why now should I ask this question

  Of the many ascetics and brahmins?

  Today I have understood

  The good pertaining to the future life.603

  856 “Indeed, for my sake the Buddha came

  To reside at Āḷavī.

  Today I have understood

  Where a gift bears great fruit.

  857 “I myself will travel about

  From village to village, town to town,

  Paying homage to the Enlightened One

  And to the excellence of the Dhamma.”604 <465>

  [216] <466>

  Chapter XI

  11 Sakkasaṃyutta

  Connected Discourses with Sakka

  I. THE FIRST SUBCHAPTER (SUVĪRA)

  1 (1) Suvīra

  Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthı̄ in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus!”

  “Venerable sir!” those bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:

  “Bhikkhus, once in the past the asuras marched against the devas.605 Then Sakka, lord of the devas, addressed Suvı̄ra, a young deva, thus: ‘Dear Suvı̄ra, these asuras are marching against the devas. Go, dear Suvı̄ra, launch a counter-march against the asuras.’ - ‘Yes, your lordship,’ Suvı̄ra replied, but he became negligent.606 A second time Sakka addressed Suvı̄ra … <467> … but a second time Suvı̄ra became negligent. A third time Sakka addressed Suvı̄ra … but a third time Suvı̄ra became negligent. [217] Then, bhikkhus, Sakka addressed Suvı̄ra in verse:858 “‘Where one need not toil and strive

  Yet still may attain to bliss:

  Go there, Suvı̄ra,

  And take me along with you.’

  [Suvı̄ra:]859 “‘That a lazy man who does not toil

  Nor attend to his duties

  Might still have all desires fulfilled:

  Grant me that, Sakka, as a boon.’607 <468>

  [Sakka:]860 “‘Where a lazy man who does not toil

  Might achieve unending bliss:

  Go there, Suvı̄ra,

  And take me along with you.’

  [Suvı̄ra:]861 “‘The bliss, supreme deva, we might find

  Without doing work, O Sakka,

  The sorrowless state without despair:

  Grant me that, Sakka, as a boon.’

  [Sakka:]862 “‘If there exists any place anywhere

  Where without work one won’t decline,

  That is indeed Nibbāna’s path:

  Go there, Suvı̄ra,

  And take me along with you.’608

  “So, bhikkhus, if Sakka, lord of the devas, subsisting on the fruit of his own merit, <469> exercising supreme sovereignty and rulership over the Tāvatiṃsa devas, will be one who speaks in praise of initiative and energy, then how much more would it be fitting here for you,609 who have gone forth in such a well-expounded Dhamma and Discipline, to toil, struggle, and strive for the attainment of the as-yet-unattained, for the achievement of the as-yet-unachieved, for the realization of the as-yet-unrealized.”

  2 (2) Susīma

  (This sutta is identical with the preceding one, except that the young deva is named Susīma. Verses 863-67 = 858-62.) [218] <470-72>

  3 (3) The Crest of the Standard

  At Sāvatthı̄. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus!”610

  “Venerable sir!” those bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:

  “Bhikkhus, once in the past the devas and the asuras were arrayed for battle. Then Sakka, lord of the devas, addressed the Tāvatiṃsa devas thus: ‘Dear sirs, when the devas are engaged in battle, [219] if fear or trepidation or terror should arise, on that occasion you should look up at the crest of my standard. For when you look up at the crest of my standard, whatever fear or trepidation or terror you may have will be abandoned.611

  “‘If you cannot look up at the crest of my standard, then you should look up at the crest of the deva-king Pajāpati’s standard. For when you look up at the crest of his standard, whatever fear or trepidation or terror you may have will be abandoned.

  “‘If you cannot look up at the crest of the deva-king Pajāpati’s standard, then you should look up at the crest of the deva-king Varuṇa’s standard…. If you cannot look up at the crest of the deva-king Varuṇa’s standard, then you should look up at the crest of the deva-king Īsāna’s standard…. For when you look up at the crest of his standard, whatever fear or trepidation or terror you may have will be abandoned.’612 <473>

  “Bhikkhus, for those who look up at the crest of the standard of Sakka, lord of the devas; or of Pajāpati, the deva-king; or of Varuṇa, the deva-king; or of Īsāna, the deva-king, whatever fear or trepidation or terror they may have may or may not be abandoned. For what reason? Because Sakka, lord of the devas, is not devoid of lust, not devoid of hatred, not devoid of delusion; he can be timid, petrified, frightened, quick to flee.

  “But, bhikkhus, I say this: If you have gone to a forest or to the foot of a tree or to an empty hut, and fear or trepidation or terror should arise in you, on that occasion you should recollect me thus: ‘The Blessed One is an arahant, perfectly enlightened, accomplished in true knowledge and conduct, fortunate, knower of the world, unsurpassed leader of persons to be tamed, teacher of devas and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One.’ For when you recollect me, bhikkhus, whatever fear or trepidation or terror you may have will be abandoned. [220]

  “If you cannot recollect me, then you should recollect the Dhamma thus: ‘The Dhamma is well expounded by the Blessed One, directly visible, immediate, inviting one to come and see, applicable, to be personally experienced by the wise.’ For when you recollect the Dhamma, bhikkhus, whatever fear or trepidation or terror you may have will be abandoned.

  “If you cannot recollect the Dhamma, then you should recollect the Saṅgha thus: ‘The Saṅgha of the Blessed One’s disciples is practising the good way, <474> practising the straight way, practising the true way, practising the proper way; that is, the four pairs of persons, the eight types of individuals—this Saṅgha of the Blessed One’s disciples is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, the unsurpassed field of merit for the world.’ For when you recollect the Saṅgha, bhikkhus, whatever fear or trepidation or terror you may have will be abandoned.

  “For what reason? Because, bhikkhus, the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One is devoid of lust, devoid of hatred, devoid of delusion; he is brave, courageous, bold, ready to stand his place.”

  This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this:8
68 “In a forest, at the foot of a tree,

  Or in an empty hut, O bhikkhus,

  You should recollect the Buddha:

  No fear will then arise in you.

  869 “But if you cannot recall the Buddha,

  Best in the world, the bull of men,

  Then you should recall the Dhamma,

  Emancipating, well expounded.

  870 “But if you cannot recall the Dhamma,

  Emancipating, well expounded,

  Then you should recall the Saṅgha,

  The unsurpassed field of merit. <475>

  871 “For those who thus recall the Buddha,

  The Dhamma, and the Saṅgha, bhikkhus,

  No fear or trepidation will arise,

  Nor any grisly terror.”

  4 (4) Vepacitti (or Patience)

  At Sāvatthı̄. The Blessed One said this: [221]

  “Once in the past, bhikkhus, the devas and the asuras were arrayed for battle. Then Vepacitti, lord of the asuras, addressed the asuras thus:613 ‘Dear sirs, in the impending battle between the devas and the asuras, <476> if the asuras win and the devas are defeated, bind Sakka, lord of the devas, by his four limbs and neck and bring him to me in the city of the asuras.’ And Sakka, lord of the devas, addressed the Tāvatiṃsa devas thus: ‘Dear sirs, in the impending battle between the devas and the asuras, if the devas win and the asuras are defeated, bind Vepacitti, lord of the asuras, by his four limbs and neck and bring him to me in the Sudhamma assembly hall.’

  “In that battle, bhikkhus, the devas won and the asuras were defeated. Then the Tāvatiṃsa devas bound Vepacitti by his four limbs and neck and brought him to Sakka in the Sudhamma assembly hall.614 When Sakka was entering and leaving the Sudhamma assembly hall, Vepacitti, bound by his four limbs and neck, abused and reviled him with rude, harsh words. Then, bhikkhus, Mātali the charioteer addressed Sakka, lord of the devas, in verse:872 “‘When face to face with Vepacitti

  Is it, Maghavā, from fear or weakness <477>

  That you endure him so patiently,

  Listening to his harsh words?’

  [Sakka:]873 “‘It is neither through fear nor weakness

  That I am patient with Vepacitti.

  How can a wise person like me

  Engage in combat with a fool?’

  [Mātali:]874 “‘Fools would vent their anger even more

  If no one would keep them in check.

  Hence with drastic punishment

  The wise man should restrain the fool.’615

  [Sakka:]875 “‘I myself think this alone

  Is the way to check the fool:

  When one knows one’s foe is angry

  One mindfully maintains one’s peace.’

  [Mātali:]876 “‘I see this fault, O Vāsava,

  In practising patient endurance:

  When the fool thinks of you thus,

  “He endures me out of fear,” <478>

  The dolt will chase you even more

  As a bull does one who flees.’ [222]

  [Sakka:]877 “‘Let it be whether or not he thinks,

  “He endures me out of fear,”

  Of goals that culminate in one’s own good

  None is found better than patience.616

  878 “‘When a person endowed with strength

  Patiently endures a weakling,

  They call that the supreme patience;

  The weakling must be patient always.617

  879 “‘They call that strength no strength at all—

  The strength that is the strength of folly—

  But no one can reproach a person

  Who is strong because guarded by Dhamma.618

  880 “‘One who repays an angry man with anger

  Thereby makes things worse for himself.

  Not repaying an angry man with anger, <479>

  One wins a battle hard to win.

  881 “‘He practises for the welfare of both,

  His own and the other’s,

  When, knowing that his foe is angry,

  He mindfully maintains his peace.

  882 “‘When he achieves the cure of both—

  His own and the other’s—

  The people who consider him a fool

  Are unskilled in the Dhamma.’

  “So, bhikkhus, if Sakka, lord of the devas, subsisting on the fruit of his own merit, exercising supreme sovereignty and rulership over the Tāvatiṃsa devas, will be one who speaks in praise of patience and gentleness, then how much more would it be fitting here for you, who have gone forth in such a well-expounded Dhamma and Discipline, to be patient and gentle.”

  5 (5) Victory by Well-Spoken Counsel

  <480> At Sāvatthı̄. “Bhikkhus, once in the past the devas and the asuras were arrayed for battle. Then Vepacitti, lord of the asuras, said to Sakka, lord of the devas: ‘Lord of the devas, let there be victory by well-spoken counsel.’ [And Sakka replied:] ‘Vepacitti, let there be victory by well-spoken counsel.’

  “Then, bhikkhus, the devas and the asuras appointed a panel of judges, saying: ‘These will ascertain what has been well spoken and badly spoken by us.’

  “Then Vepacitti, lord of the asuras, said to Sakka, lord of the devas: ‘Speak a verse, lord of the devas.’ When this was said, Sakka said to Vepacitti: ‘You, Vepacitti, being the senior deva here, speak a verse.’619 [223] When this was said, Vepacitti, lord of the asuras, recited this verse:620

  883 “‘Fools would vent their anger even more

  If no one would keep them in check.

  Hence with drastic punishment

  The wise man should restrain the fool.’

  “When, bhikkhus, Vepacitti, lord of the asuras, spoke this verse, the asuras applauded but the devas were silent. Then Vepacitti said to Sakka: ‘Speak a verse, lord of the devas.’ When this was said, Sakka, lord of the devas, recited this verse: 884 “‘I myself think this alone <481>

  Is the way to check the fool:

  When one knows one’s foe is angry

  One mindfully maintains one’s peace.’

  “When, bhikkhus, Sakka, lord of the devas, spoke this verse, the devas applauded but the asuras were silent. Then Sakka said to Vepacitti: ‘Speak a verse, Vepacitti.’ When this was said, Vepacitti, lord of the asuras, recited this verse:885 “‘I see this fault, O Vāsava,

  In practising patient endurance:

  When the fool thinks of you thus,

  “He endures me out of fear,”

  The dolt will chase you even more

  As a bull does one who flees.’

  “When, bhikkhus, Vepacitti, lord of the asuras, spoke this verse, the asuras applauded but the devas were silent. Then Vepacitti said to Sakka: ‘Speak a verse, lord of the devas.’ When this was said, Sakka, lord of the devas, recited these verses:886-891 “‘Let it be whether or not he thinks,

  … (verses = 877-82) … [224] <482>

  Are unskilled in the Dhamma.’

  “When, bhikkhus, these verses were spoken by Sakka, lord of the devas, the devas applauded but the asuras were silent. Then the panel of judges appointed by the devas and the asuras said this: ‘The verses spoken by Vepacitti, lord of the asuras, are in the sphere of punishment and violence; hence [they entail] conflict, contention, and strife. But the verses spoken by Sakka, lord of the devas, <483> are in the sphere of nonpunishment and nonviolence; hence [they entail] freedom from conflict, freedom from contention, and freedom from strife. Sakka, lord of the devas, has won the victory by well-spoken counsel.’

  “In this way, bhikkhus, Sakka, lord of the devas, won the victory by well-spoken counsel.”

  6 (6) The Bird Nests

  At Sāvatthı̄. “Bhikkhus, once in the past the devas and the asuras were arrayed for battle. In that battle the asuras won and the devas were defeated. In defeat the devas withdrew towards the north while the asuras pursued them. Then Sakka, lord of the devas, addressed his charioteer Mātali in verse:892 “‘Avoid, O Mātali, with your chariot p
ole

  The bird nests in the silk-cotton woods;

  Let’s surrender our lives to the asuras <484>

  Rather than make these birds nestless.’621

  “‘Yes, your lordship,’ Mātali the charioteer replied, and he turned back the chariot with its team of a thousand thoroughbreds.

  “Then, bhikkhus, it occurred to the asuras: ‘Now Sakka’s chariot with its team of a thousand thoroughbreds has turned back. [225] The devas will engage in battle with the asuras for a second time.’ Stricken by fear, they entered the city of the asuras. In this way, bhikkhus, Sakka, lord of the devas, won a victory by means of righteousness itself.”

  7 (7) One Should Not Transgress

  At Sāvatthı̄. “Bhikkhus, once in the past, when Sakka, lord of the devas, was alone in seclusion, the following reflection arose in his mind: ‘Though someone may be my sworn enemy, I should not transgress even against him.’