Sutta Pitaka
Samyutta Nikāya
Division I –– Sagātha
Book 1 –– Devatā Saṃyutta
Chapter 3 –– Satullapakāyika Vaggo
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa.
1. 4. 1.
(31) Sabbhi –– All
1. I heard thus. Once the Blessed One lived in Sāvatthi in Jeta’s grove in the monastery offered by Anāthapiṇḍika.
2. When the night was waning a large number of deities of the Satullapa company approached the Blessed One, illuminating the whole of Jeta’s grove, they worshiped the Blessed One and stood on a side.
3. One of those deities said thus in the presence of the Blessed One:
Know the right Teaching of Great Men. It’s not demerit, it’s for well being.”
Know the right Teaching of Great Men. It’s gaining wisdom for extinction.”
Know the right Teaching of Great Men. It’s not grieving, among the grief stricken.”
Know the right Teaching of Great Men. It’s shining amidst your relations.”
Know the right Teaching of Great Men. Thus beings are born in heaven.”
Know the right Teaching of Great Men. By that beings stay pleasant.”
“Associate all and become intimate with all,
Know the right Teaching of Great Men, and be released from all unpleasantness.”
1. 4. 2.
(32) Macchari –– Miserly
1. I heard thus. Once the Blessed One lived in Sāvatthi in Jeta’s grove in the monastery offered by Anāthapiṇḍika.
2. When the night was waning a large number of deities of the Satullapa group, approached the Blessed One, illuminating the whole of Jeta’s grove, worshiped the Blessed One and stood on a side.
3. One of those deities said thus in the presence of the Blessed One:
Desiring merit, gifts should be given knowing.”
Through that same fear, they give gifts
Hunger and thirst are the things that the miserly fear,
That same fear, touch them, in this and the other world.
Therefore lessen miserliness by giving gifts and overcoming stains
It’s merit that establishes living beings in the next world.”
Even a little should be bestowed on them, that is the ancient lore
Some bestow a little, others do not give much.
Even a little given, brings thousandfold results.
The unappeased do not know the results of action
The right Teaching is difficult to understand.
Therefore the mindful and the absent minded,
Have different courses of action
Those unappeased, go to hell, the appeased to heaven.”
Then another deity in the presence of the Blessed One said:
“Venerable sir, whose words are good?”
’All these words are good words, yet listen to what I have to say.
He who lives a life of gleaning, according to the Teaching
Nourishing his wife and giving even a little, does better than
Making a thousand sacrifices to hundred thousands.
It does not reach up, even to a quarter.”
Made rightfully not bear the highest results?
Making a thousand sacrifices, to hundred thousands.
Why does it not reach up, even to a quarter?”
By plundering, binding and causing grief
A thousand offerings with tearful eyes and punishment
Are not even a quarter, compared to a righteous offering.”
1. 4. 3.
(33) Sādhu –– It’s Good!
1. I heard thus. Once the Blessed One lived in Sāvatthi, in Jeta’s grove in the monastery offered by Anāthapiṇḍika.
2. When the night was waning a large number of deities of the Satullapa group, approached the Blessed One, illuminating the whole of Jeta’s grove, worshiped the Blessed One and stood on a side.
3. One of those deities made this solemn utterance in the presence of the Blessed One:
“The miserly and the negligent do not give gifts such as these,
Desiring merit, gifts should be given knowing!”
A certain one, bestows little another does not give much,
Given even a little, has a thousand fold in return!”
Giving even a small gift is good!
So also giving a gift out of faith is good!
It is said, that giving a gift is like a fight!
Even a little appeasement is a great victory!
Knowing the results for giving, a little is given,
By that, they become happy for the well being, of others.” .
Yet, even a little should be given with care!
Even with faith, gifts should be given carefully!
Giving gifts out of the rightfully earned is good!
If someone gives gifts out of the rightfully earned,
Exerting himself with sweat dripping
Overstepping the warders of Vetaraniya,
He procures a place in heaven.”
Yet, even a little should be given with care!
Even with faith, gifts should be given carefully!
Giving gifts out of the rightfully earned is good!
Also giving a gift, discriminating, is good.
A gift given discriminatingly, is praised by the Well Gone One
Gifts given thinking of the receiver,
Are very fruitful with results
Like seeds, embedded in a well prepared field.”
Yet, even a little should be given with care!
Even with faith, gifts should be given carefully!
Giving gifts out of the rightfully earned is good!
Giving gifts discriminating is also good!
Yet the restrain towards living things is better.
If one does not hurt living things and does not blame anybody
Causing fear is not heroic, out of fear demerit should not be done.”
A gift given out of faith is always praised,
Giving a gift is, as good as a sermon,
Before giving and even earlier, one is appeased,
And the wise, even attain extinction, by giving gifts.”
1. 4. 4.
(34) Na Santi –– Not present.
1. I heard thus. Once the Blessed One lived in Sāvatthi, in Jeta’s grove in the monastery offered by Anāthapiṇḍika.
2. When the night was waning a large number of deities of the Satullapa group, approached the Blessed One, illuminating the whole of Jeta’s grove, worshiped the Blessed One and stood on a side.
3. One of those deities said this stanza, in the presence of the Blessed One:
There are some sensual women bound to them,
Men come back here, and go to the domains of death.
Sorrow and unpleasantness rise from interest,
Training the interest is lessening grief,
Lessening grief is lessening unpleasantness
The beautiful things in the world are not sensuality,
Man’s greedy thoughts for them, are sensuality.
The beautiful things in the world stand as they are,
The wise dispel the interest for them
Throw out anger and give up measuring,
Overcome all bonds, not soiled by name and matter,
Do not have perceptions to fall into unpleasantness.
If someone gives up speculating and measuring,
If he destroys craving in this world, for name and matter,
When his bonds are cut and he is without troubles and desires
If he is sought among gods or men, would not be found,
In this, the other world, in heaven or in any settlement.”
Among gods or men, in this or the other world
If someone worships, those obliging noble humans
Those that worship become pleasant.”
They know the Teaching, dispel doubts,
Giving up bonds, they too become bhikkhus.”
1. 4. 5.
(35) Ujjhānasaññino –– Gods Taking Offence
1. I heard thus. Once the Blessed One lived in Sāvatthi, in Jeta’s grove in the monastery offered by Anāthapiṇḍika.
2. When the night was waning a large number of deities with the perception of taking offence, approached the Blessed One, illuminating the whole of Jeta’s grove stood in mid air.
3. One of those deities said this stanza in the presence of the Blessed One:
It is deceit and fraud, like partaking a stolen meal.
Whatever you do, say that, do not say what you do not do
The wise know those, who say what they do not do.”
“Just by saying, or by listening only, it is not possible,
To step out, other than by following this difficult method
The wise, by concentrating find release from the bonds of death.
Merely by knowing the ways of the world, it is not possible,
The wise ones knowing it cross the diffused ness of the world.”
5. The Blessed One smiled.
6. Then much pleased, those deities with perceptions of offence, ascended to space.
7. One of those deities said this stanza in the presence of the Blessed One:
The angry, like their anger and are bound by it.
Asking pardon and its reaching up to Teacher was not evident correctly.
Anger did not turn into infatuation.
Here. what is the clever thing to do?”
“Whose anger was not evident, to whom did it not reach?
Who was not infatuated?
Which wise one is always mindful?”
“The enlightened, Thus Gone One is compassionate to all living things
The asking for pardon was not accepted, it did not reach up to him.
He was not infatuated. He is the always mindful one.”
“When pardon was asked, if it was not granted to them,
If the angry ones, like their anger and its bonds
I do not like that ill feeling, I accept your pardon.”
1. 4. 6.
(36) Saddhā –– Faith
I heard thus. Once the Blessed One lived in Sāvatthi, in Jeta’s grove in the monastery offered by Anāthapiṇḍika.
2. When the night was waning a large number of deities of the Satullapa group, approached the Blessed One, illuminating the whole of Jeta’s grove, worshiped the Blessed One and stood on a side.
3. One of those deities said this stanza in the presence of the Blessed One:
If he does not lack faith,
Fame, praise and such things come to him,
Also he goes to heaven when leaving the body
Dispel anger and chase out measuring,
Overcome all bonds,
Not soiled by name and matter
Those without perceptions,
Do not fall into trouble.
The foolish dabble in negligence
The wise one protects diligence, more than his wealth.
Do not dabble in negligence! Do not be passionate for sensual pleasures!
Those concentrating diligently reach to the highest pleasantness.”
1. 4. 7.
(37) Samayo –– Assembly.
I heard thus. At one time the Blessed One was living in the great forest in kapilavatthu, in the country of the Sakkyas, with about five hundred bhikkhus all worthy ones. All heavenly beings of the tenfold world systems had gathered there, to see the Blessed One and the Community of bhikkhus.
Then it occurred to the four gods of the pure abodes: The Blessed One is in the great forest in kapilavatthu, in the country of the Sakkyas, with about five hundred bhikkhus all worthy ones. All heavenly beings of the tenfold world systems have gathered there, to see the Blessed One and the Community of bhikkhus. We too should approach and each one should say a stanza in the presence of the Blessed One.
Then those deities disappeared from the pure abodes and appeared before the Blessed One, as quickly as a strong man would bend his stretched arm or stretch his bent arm.
One of those deities standing on a side said this stanza:
We approached this righteous assembly,
Will see the victorious, Community of bhikkhus.”
Their minds are in a single point,
Like charioteers who have taken hold of the reins.
The wise protect the mental faculties.”
Not wavering, to leave behind the strong pillar,
They abide pure, with faith,
Like, wise, tamed, young elephants.”
Giving up the human body, he procures a heavenly one.”
1. 4. 8.
(38) Sakalikam –– A splinter
1. Thus I heard. At one time the Blessed One lived in the deer park in the middle valley, in Rajagaha.
2. At that time the Blessed One’s foot had a cut with a splinter and the Blessed One had to bear a lot of sharp, disagreeable, unpleasant feelings.
The Blessed One bore them, mindful and aware without annoyance.
3. Spreading, the double lined robe, folded in four, on the ground, the Blessed One lay on it, turning to the right and making the lion’s posture, keeping one foot over the other, mindfully.
4. When the night was waning, illuminating the whole of the middle valley, about seven hundred deities of the Satullapa group, approached the Blessed One, worshipped and stood on a side.
5. One of those deities uttered this solemn utterance, in the presence of the Blessed One:
“Indeed the recluse, good Gotama, is an elephant, he exhibits the ways of an elephant. He endures a lot of sharp, disagreeable, unpleasant feelings mindful and aware, without annoyance.
6. Another deity uttered this solemn utterance, in the presence of the Blessed One:
“Indeed the recluse, good Gotama is a lion, he exhibits the ways of a lion enduring a lot of sharp, disagreeable, unpleasant feelings mindful and aware, without annoyance.
7. Another deity uttered this solemn utterance, in the presence of the Blessed One:
“Indeed the recluse, good Gotama is a thoroughbred, he exhibits the ways of a thoroughbred enduring a lot of sharp, disagreeable, unpleasant feelings mindful and aware, without annoyance.
8. Another deity uttered this solemn utterance, in the presence of the Blessed One:
“Indeed the recluse, good Gotama is a bull, he exhibits the ways of a bull enduring a lot of sharp, disagreeable, unpleasant feelings mindful and aware, without annoyance.
9. Another deity uttered this solemn utterance, in the presence of the Blessed One:
“Indeed the recluse, good Gotama, is a beast of burden, he exhibits the ways of a beast of burden, enduring a lot of sharp, disagreeable, unpleasant feelings is mindful and aware, without annoyance.
10. Another deity uttered this solemn utterance, in the presence of the Blessed One:
“Indeed the recluse, good Gotama is tamed, he exhibits the ways of a tamed, enduring a lot of sharp, disagreeable, unpleasant feelings mindful and aware, without annoyance.”
11. Another deity uttered this solemn utterance, in the presence of the Blessed One:
“Look at the concentrated developed released mind! It is not strained, nor feasting, does not blame the observances. If someone belittles such a human elephant, human lion, human thoroughbred, human bull, human beast of burden, such a tamed human it is nothing, but the lack of wisdom.
Yet the minds are not rightfully released
Lacking in meaning, have not reached the other shore.
Seized by craving and bound by virtues,
Observing wretched observances for hundreds of years
Their minds are not rightfully released
Lacking in meaning have not reached the other shore
Someone who measures, is not tamed,
To one not restrained, there is no wisdom.
Someone living alone in the forest negligently,
Will not be spared, will meet death.
Dispelling measuring and well restrained,
With a good mind, always released
Living alone in the forest, diligently,
Someone will cross the domains of death.”
1. 4. 9.
(39) Pajjunna Dhītā I –– Daughter of Pajjuna
I heard thus. Once the Blessed One was living in the peaked hall in the Great forest in Vesali.
2&3. When the night was waning illuminating the whole of the Great forest with an effulgent light, Kokanada Pajjuna’s daughter approached the Blessed One, worshipped and stood on a side and said these stanzas in the presence of the Blessed One
Of those who have attained enlightenment.
I, Kokanada Pajjunna’s daughter worship you.
I have heard that there was a Teaching,
Realized by the wise one, in the past
Now I know it by myself, sages say about the Well Gone One.
They that blame the noble ones’ Teaching, are foolish,
Falling in the Roruwa hell, they suffer loss for a long time
If someone endures the noble one’s Teaching, patiently,
He gives up his human body and enjoys a heavenly body.”
1. 4. 10.
(40) Pajjunna Dhītā II –– Daughter of Pajjuna 2
I heard thus. Once the Blessed One was living in the peaked hall in the Great forest in Vesali.
2. When the night was waning, illuminating the whole of the Great forest with an effulgent light, Kokanada Pajjuna’s second daughter approached the Blessed One, worshipped and stood on a side and said these stanzas in the presence of the Blessed One
Kokanada Pajjuna’s daughter, came like lightening, and said:
And say these meaningful stanzas.
However much we analyze the Teaching, it is this.
I will tell it, in short, as my mind permits.
Do no evil by word, mind or body for any reason.
Mindfully dispel sensuality
And do not pursue unpleasantness uselessly.”
