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  9. VANASAṂYUTTA

  This saṃyutta consists of fourteen suttas most of which are constructed according to a stereotyped pattern. A bhikkhu is living alone in a woodland thicket, where he should be meditating ardently, but human weakness gets the better of him and causes him to swerve from his religious duties. Then a devatā dwelling in the thicket takes compassion on him and chides him in verse, seeking to reawaken his sense of urgency. Apparently these devatās are not celestial beings, like those we meet in the Devatāsaṃyutta, but dryads or fairies, and they seem to be feminine. On a few occasions the devatā errs in her assessment of the bhikkhu ’s behaviour. Thus in 9:2 the devat̄comes to reproach the bhikkhu for taking a nap, unaware he has already attained arahantship, and in 9:8 for associating too closely with a woman, again unaware the bhikkhu is an arahant (according to the commentary). In 9:6, a devatā from the Tāvatiṃsa heaven tries to persuade the Venerable Anuruddha to aspire for rebirth in her realm, but he declares that he has ended the process of rebirth and will never take another existence. The last sutta in the chapter (9:14) also occurs in the Jātakas, interestingly with the Bodhisatta in the role played here by the bhikkhu.

  10. YAKKHASẠYUTTA

  The yakkhas are fierce spirits inhabiting remote areas such as forests, hills, and abandoned caves. They are depicted as of hideous mien and wrathful temperament, but when given offerings and shown respect they become benign and may protect people rather than harm them. Many of the shrines that dotted the North Indian countryside were built to honour the yakkhas and secure their favours. Though living in misery they have the potential for awakening and can attain the paths and fruits of the spiritual life.

  The suttas in this chapter cover a wide range of topics. What unites them is not so much the content of the verses but their propagational function in showing the Buddha as the invincible sage who, by his skilful means, can tame and transform even the most violent and fearsome ogres, such as Sūciloma (10:3) and ̣̄avaka (10:12). The sạyutta also includes two charming tales of female yakkhas, famished spirits haunting the outskirts of Jeta’s Grove, who are so deeply moved by the Buddha’s sermons and the chanting of the monks that they turn over a new leaf and become pious lay devotees (10:6, 7). In this sạyutta too we find the story of Anāthapiṇḍika’s first meeting with the Buddha, which was abetted by friendly advice from a benevolent yakkha (10:8). In three suttas the yakkhas speak verses in praise of bhikkhun̄s (10:9–11).

  11. SAKKASẠYUTTA

  In the early Buddhist pantheon, Sakka is the ruler of the devas in the Tāvatiṃsa heaven and also a follower of the Buddha. A long conversation between him and the Buddha, culminating in his attainment of stream-entry, is told in the Sakkapañha Sutta (DN No. 20). This saṃyutta does not report the Buddha’s own encounters with Sakka, but gives (in the Buddha’s words) accounts of Sakka’s deeds and conversations. The suttas are thus presented as fables, but fables which always embody a moral message. The saṃyutta also includes the famous Dhajagga Sutta (11:3), in which the Buddha commends to the monks recollection of the Three Jewels—the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Saṅgha—as an antidote to fear.

  In Buddhist legend the Tāvatiṃsa devas are perpetually being attacked by the asuras, the titans, beings of great physical prowess and violent ambition who seek to conquer them and take control of their domain. The Sakkasaṃyutta repeatedly pits Sakka in struggle against the leaders of the asuras, Vepacitti and Verocana. The two sides can be read as symbolizing alternative political philosophies. The asura leaders favour rule by force and retaliation against enemies; they rationalize aggression and extol the ethic of “might makes right.” Sakka, in contrast, stands for rule by righteousness, patience towards aggressors, and the compassionate treatment of wrongdoers (11:4, 5, 8). Sakka and the devas honour sages and holy men, the asuras scorn them, and thus the sages help the devas but curse the asuras (11:9, 10).

  In this saṃyutta Sakka appears as the ideal lay devotee. He earned his place as ruler of the devas, while he was still a human being, by fulfilling seven vows which embody the standards of the virtuous householder (11:11). His understanding of the Buddha’s excellence is inferior to Brahm̄ Sahampati’s (11:17), but in three suttas he eloquently proclaims the reasons for his devotion to the Buddha, the Saṅgha, and even devout householders (11:18–20). In the last three suttas, the Buddha holds up Sakka’s patience and forgiveness as a model for the bhikkhus (11:23–25).

  [1] <1>

  PART I: The Book with Verses (Saḡth̄vagga)

  Homage to the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One

  Chapter I

  1 Devatāsaṃyutta Connected Discourses with Devatās

  I. A REED

  1 (1) Crossing the Flood

  Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. Then, when the night had advanced, a certain devatā 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 said to him:

  “How, dear sir, did you cross the flood?”1

  “By not halting, friend, and by not straining I crossed the flood.”2

  “But how is it, dear sir, that by not halting and by not straining you crossed the flood?”

  “When I came to a standstill, friend, then I sank; but when I struggled, then I got swept away. It is in this way, friend, that by not halting and by not straining I crossed the flood.”3 <2>

  [The devatā:]1 “After a long time at last I see

  A brahmin who is fully quenched,

  Who by not halting, not straining,

  Has crossed over attachment to the world.”4

  This is what that devat̄ said.5 The Teacher approved. Then that devatā, thinking, “The Teacher has approved of me,” paid homage to the Blessed One and, keeping him on the right, disappeared right there. [2]

  2 (2) Emancipation

  <3> At Sāvatthī. Then, when the night had advanced, a certain devatā 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 said to him:

  “Do you know, dear sir, emancipation, release, seclusion for beings?”6

  “I know, friend, emancipation, release, seclusion for beings.”

  “But in what way, dear sir, do you know emancipation, release, seclusion for beings?”

  [The Blessed One:]2 “By the utter destruction of delight in existence,7

  By the extinction of perception and consciousness,

  By the cessation and appeasement of feelings: <4>

  It is thus, friend, that I know for beings—

  Emancipation, release, seclusion.”8

  3 (3) Reaching

  At Sāvatthī. Standing to one side, that devatā recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:3 “Life is swept along, short is the life span;

  No shelters exist for one who has reached old age.

  Seeing clearly this danger in death,

  One should do deeds of merit that bring happiness.”9

  [The Blessed One:]4 “Life is swept along, short is the life span;

  No shelters exist for one who has reached old age.

  Seeing clearly this danger in death,

  A seeker of peace should drop the world’s bait.”10 [3] <5>

  4 (4) Time Flies By

  At Sāvatthī. Standing to one side, that devatā recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:5 “Time flies by, the nights swiftly pass;

  The stages of life successively desert us.11

  Seeing clearly this danger in death,

  One should do deeds of merit that bring happiness.”

  [The Blessed One:]6 “Time flies by, the nights swiftly pass;

  The stages of life successively desert us.

  Seeing clearly this danger in death,

  A seeker of peac
e should drop the world’s bait.”

  5 (5) How Many Must One Cut?

  At Sāvatthī. Standing to one side, that devatā recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:7 “How many must one cut, how many abandon,

  And how many further must one develop?

  When a bhikkhu has surmounted how many ties

  Is he called a crosser of the flood?”

  [The Blessed One:] <6>8 “One must cut off five, abandon five,

  And must develop a further five.

  A bhikkhu who has surmounted five ties

  Is called a crosser of the flood.”12

  6 (6) Awake

  At Sāvatthī. Standing to one side, that devatā recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:9 “How many are asleep when [others] are awake?

  How many are awake when [others] sleep?

  By how many does one gather dust?

  By how many is one purified?”

  [The Blessed One:]10 “Five are asleep when [others] are awake;

  Five are awake when [others] sleep.

  By five things one gathers dust,

  By five things one is purified.”13 [4] <7>

  7 (7) Not Penetrated

  At Sāvatthī. Standing to one side, that devatā recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:11 “Those who have not penetrated things,

  Who may be led into others’ doctrines,

  Fast asleep, they have not yet awakened:

  It is time for them to awaken.”14

  [The Blessed One:]12 “Those who have penetrated things well,

  Who cannot be led into others’ doctrines,

  Those awakened ones, having rightly known,

  Fare evenly amidst the uneven.”15

  8 (8) Utterly Muddled

  At Sāvatthī. Standing to one side, that devatā recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:13 “Those who are utterly muddled about things,

  Who may be led into others’ doctrines, <8>

  Fast asleep, they have not yet awakened:

  It is time for them to awaken.”

  [The Blessed One:]14 “Those who aren’t muddled about things,

  Who cannot be led into others’ doctrines,

  Those awakened ones, having rightly known,

  Fare evenly amidst the uneven.”

  9 (9) One Prone to Conceit

  At Sāvatthī. Standing to one side, that devatā recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:15 “There is no taming here for one fond of conceit,

  Nor is there sagehood for the unconcentrated:

  Though dwelling alone in the forest, heedless,

  One cannot cross beyond the realm of Death.”16

  [The Blessed One:]16 “Having abandoned conceit, well concentrated,

  With lofty mind, everywhere released: <9>

  While dwelling alone in the forest, diligent,

  One can cross beyond the realm of Death.”17 [5]

  10 (10) Forest

  At Sāvatthī. Standing to one side, that devatā recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:17 “Those who dwell deep in the forest,

  Peaceful, leading the holy life,

  Eating but a single meal a day:

  Why is their complexion so serene?”18

  [The Blessed One:]18 “They do not sorrow over the past,

  Nor do they hanker for the future.

  They maintain themselves with what is present:

  Hence their complexion is so serene.

  19 “Through hankering for the future,

  Through sorrowing over the past,

  Fools dry up and wither away

  Like a green reed cut down.”

  <10> II. NANDANA

  11 (1) Nandana

  Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī 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:

  “Once in the past, bhikkhus, a certain devatā of the Tāvatiṃsa host was revelling in Nandana Grove, < 11 > supplied and endowed with the five cords of celestial sensual pleasure, accompanied by a retinue of celestial nymphs. On that occasion he spoke this verse:20 “‘They do not know bliss

  Who have not seen Nandana,

  The abode of the glorious male devas

  Belonging to the host of Thirty.’19 [6]

  “When this was said, bhikkhus, a certain devatā replied to that devatā in verse:21 “‘Don’t you know, you fool,

  That maxim of the arahants?

  Impermanent are all formations;

  Their nature is to arise and vanish.

  Having arisen, they cease:

  Their appeasement is blissful.’”20

  12 (2) Delight

  At Sāvatthī. Standing to one side, that devatā recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One: <12>22 “One who has sons delights in sons,

  One with cattle delights in cattle.

  Acquisitions truly are a man’s delight;

  Without acquisitions one does not delight.”21

  [The Blessed One:]23 “One who has sons sorrows over sons,

  One with cattle sorrows over cattle.

  Acquisitions truly are a man’s sorrows;

  Without acquisitions one does not sorrow.”

  13 (3) None Equal to That for a Son

  At Sāvatthī. Standing to one side, that devatā spoke this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:24 “There is no affection like that for a son,

  No wealth equal to cattle,

  There is no light like the sun,

  Among the waters the ocean is supreme.”22

  [The Blessed One:]25 “There is no affection like that for oneself,

  No wealth equal to grain,

  There is no light like wisdom,

  Among the waters the rain is supreme.” <13>

  14 (4) The Khattiya

  26 “The khattiya is the best of bipeds,

  The ox, the best of quadrupeds;

  A maiden is the best of wives,

  The first born, the best of sons.”23

  27 “The Buddha is the best of bipeds,

  A steed, the best of quadrupeds;

  An obedient woman is the best of wives,

  A dutiful boy, the best of sons.” [7]

  15 (5) Murmuring

  28 “When the noon hour sets in

  And the birds have settled down, <14>

  The mighty forest itself murmurs:

  How fearful that appears to me!”24

  29 “When the noon hour sets in

  And the birds have settled down,

  The mighty forest itself murmurs:

  How delightful that appears to me!”

  16 (6) Drowsiness and Lethargy

  30 “Drowsiness, lethargy, lazy stretching, <15>

  Discontent, torpor after meals:

  Because of this, here among beings,

  The noble path does not appear.”

  31 “Drowsiness, lethargy, lazy stretching,

  Discontent, torpor after meals:

  When one dispels this with energy,

  The noble path is cleared.”25

  17 (7) Difficult to Practise

  32 “The ascetic life is hard to practise

  And hard for the inept to endure,

  For many are the obstructions there

  In which the fool founders.”

  33 “How many days can one practise the ascetic life

  If one does not rein in one’s mind?

  One would founder with each step

  Under the control of one’s intentions.26

  34 “Drawing in the mind’s thoughts

  As a tortoise draws its limbs into its shell, <16>

  Independent, not harassing others, fully quenched,