Sutta Pitaka
Saṃyutta Nikāya
Division III –– Khandhaka
Book 28 –– Nāga Saṃyutta
Chapter 1 –– Nāga Vagga
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā sambudhassa
28. 1. 1.
1 (1) Suddhikaṃ –– Purity
1. I heard thus. At one time the Blessed One was living in the monastery offered by Anāthapiṇḍika in Jeta’s grove in Sāvatthi.
2. The Blessed One addressed the monks from there:
3. “Monks, these four are the serpent births. What four? Serpents born from an egg, born from a womb, serpents born in moisture, and serpents born spontaneously.”
28. 1. 2.
2. (2) Panitataraṃ –– Most exalted
1. I heard thus. At one time the Blessed One was living in the monastery offered by Anāthapiṇḍika in Jeta’s grove in Sāvatthi.
2. The Blessed One addressed the monks from there:
3. “Monks, these four are serpent births.
4. “Monks, of the serpents born from an egg; those born in a womb, born in moisture, and born spontaneously are exalted.
5. “Monks, of the serpents born from an egg; and born in a womb, those born in moisture, and born spontaneously are exalted.
6. “Monks, of the serpents born from an egg; born in a womb, born in moisture, those born spontaneously are exalted.
7. “Monks, these four are serpent births.”
28. 1. 3.
3. (3) Uposathaṃ I –– Full moon Observances I
1. I heard thus. At one time the Blessed One was living in the monastery offered by Anāthapiṇḍika in Jeta’s grove in Sāvatthi.
2. Then a certain monk approached the Blessed One, worshipped, and sat on a side.
3. Sitting, that monk said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, how is it that a certain serpent, born from an egg, observing the full moon observances, would even give up his body?”
4. “Here, monk, to a certain serpent born from an egg it occurs: ‘Earlier we acted in two ways by body, speech, and mind, and after death were born with the serpents born from eggs.’
5. “‘Today we develop the right conduct by body, speech, and mind. In this manner we go to a good state, go to heaven after death.’
6. “‘Therefore at this time we develop the right conduct by body speech and mind.’
7. “Monk, this is the reason that a certain serpent, born from an egg, observing the full moon observances, would even give up his body.”
28. 1. 4.
4. IV Uposathaṃ II –– Full moon Observances II
1. I heard thus. At one time the Blessed One was living in the monastery offered by Anāthapiṇḍika in Jeta’s grove in Sāvatthi.
2. Then a certain monk approached the Blessed One, worshipped, and sat on a side.
3. Sitting, that monk said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, how is it that a certain serpent, born from a womb, observing the full moon observances, would even give up his body?”
4. “Here, monk, to a certain serpent born from a womb it occurs: ‘Earlier we acted in two ways by body, speech, and mind, and after death were born with the serpents born from a womb.’
5. “‘Today we develop the right conduct by body, speech, and mind. In this manner we go to a good state, go to heaven after death.’
6. “‘Therefore at this time we develop the right conduct by body speech and mind.’
7. “Monk, this is the reason that a certain serpent, born from a womb, observing the full moon observances, would even give up his body.”
28. 1. 5.
5. (5) Uposathaṃ III –– Full moon Observances III
1. I heard thus. At one time the Blessed One was living in the monastery offered by Anāthapiṇḍika in Jeta’s grove in Sāvatthi.
2. Then a certain monk approached the Blessed One, worshipped, and sat on a side.
3. Sitting, that monk said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, how is it that a certain serpent, born from moisture, observing the full moon observances, would even give up his body?”
4. “Here, monk, to a certain serpent born from moisture it occurs: ‘Earlier we acted in two ways by body, speech, and mind, and after death were born with the serpents born from moisture.’
5. “‘Today we develop the right conduct by body, speech, and mind. In this manner we go to a good state, go to heaven after death.’
6. “‘Therefore at this time we develop the right conduct by body speech and mind.’
7. “Monk, this is the reason that a certain serpent born from an egg, observing the full moon observances, would even give up his body.”
28. 1. 6.
6. (6) Uposathaṃ IV –– Full Moon Observances IV
1. I heard thus. At one time the Blessed One was living in the monastery offered by Anāthapiṇḍika in Jeta’s grove in Sāvatthi.
2. Then a certain monk approached the Blessed One, worshipped, and sat on a side.
3. Sitting, that monk said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, how is it that a certain serpent, born spontaneously, observing the full moon observances, would even give up his body?”
4. “Here, monk, to a certain serpent born spontaneously it occurs: ‘Earlier we acted in two ways by body, speech, and mind, and after death were born with the serpents born spontaneously.’
5. “‘Today we develop the right conduct by body, speech, and mind. In this manner we go to a good state, go to heaven after death.’
6. “‘Therefore at this time we develop the right conduct by body speech and mind.’
7. “Monk, this is the reason that a certain serpent born spontaneously, observing the full moon observances, would even give up his body.”
28. 1. 7.
7. (7) Sutaṃ I –– They Learn I
1. I heard thus. At one time the Blessed One was living in the monastery offered by Anāthapiṇḍika in Jeta’s grove in Sāvatthi.
2. Then a certain monk approached the Blessed One, worshipped, and sat on a side.
3. Sitting, that monk said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, how is it that a certain one, after death, is born with the serpents born from eggs?”
4. “Here, monk, a certain one acts in two ways by body, speech, and mind. He learns that serpents born from eggs enjoy long life, beauty, and much pleasantness.
5. “Then it occurs to him, ‘May I be born with the serpents born from eggs after death.
6. “After the breakup of the body, after death, he is born with the serpents born from eggs.
7. “Monk, this is the reason for a certain one to be born with the serpents born from eggs after death.”
28. 1. 8.
8. (8) Sutaṃ II –– They Learn II
1. I heard thus. At one time the Blessed One was living in the monastery offered by Anāthapiṇḍika in Jeta’s grove in Sāvatthi.
2. Then a certain monk approached the Blessed One, worshipped, and sat on a side.
3. Sitting, that monk said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, how is it that a certain one, after death, is born with the serpents born from a womb?”
4. “Here, monk, a certain one acts in two ways by body, speech, and mind. He learns that serpents born from a womb enjoy long life, beauty, and much pleasantness.
5. “Then it occurs to him, ‘May I be born with the serpents born from a womb after death.’
6. “After the breakup of the body, after death, he is born with the serpents born from a womb.
7. “Monk, this is the reason for a certain one to be born with the serpents born from a womb.”
28. 1. 9.
9 (9) Sutaṃ III –– They Learn III
1. I heard thus. At one time the Blessed One was living in the monastery offered by Anāthapiṇḍika in Jeta’s grove in Sāvatthi.
2. Then a certain monk approached the Blessed One, worshipped, and sat on a side.
3. Sitting, that monk said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, how is it that a certain one, after death, is born with the serpents born in moisture?”
4. “Here, monk, a certain one acts in two ways by body, speech, and mind. He learns that serpents born in moisture enjoy long life, beauty, and much pleasantness.
5. “Then it occurs to him, ‘May I be born with the serpents born in moisture after death.’
6. “After the breakup of the body, after death, he is born with the serpents born in moisture
7. “Monk, this is the reason for a certain one to be born with the serpents born in moisture, after death.”
28. 1. 10.
10 (10) Sutaṃ IV –– They Learn IV
1. I heard thus. At one time the Blessed One was living in the monastery offered by Anāthapiṇḍika in Jeta’s grove in Sāvatthi.
2. Then a certain monk approached the Blessed One, worshipped, and sat on a side.
3. Sitting, that monk said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, how is it that a certain one, after death, is born with the serpents born spontaneously?”
4. “Here, monk, a certain one acts in two ways by body, speech, and mind. He learns that serpents born spontaneously enjoy long life, beauty, and much pleasantness.
5. “Then it occurs to him, ‘May I be born with the serpents born spontaneously after death.’
6. “After the breakup of the body, after death, he is born with the serpents born spontaneously.’
7. “Monk, this is the reason for a certain one to be born with the serpents born spontaneously, after death.”
Dānupakara I, II, III, and IV –– By Giving Gifts I, II, III, and IV
(The next forty suttas consist of four groups of ten suttas. Each sutta describes a type of gift-giving. The group of ten suttas is repeated for the egg -born [aṇḍaja] , womb-born [jalābuja], moisture-born [saṃsedaja], and spontaneously-born [opapātika].)
(Suttas 11. through 20: Gifts: the Egg-Born)
28. 1. 11. Annadāyaka aṇḍaja –– Egg-born Donor of Eatables
1. I heard thus. At one time the Blessed One was living in the monastery offered by Anāthapiṇḍika in Jeta’s grove in Sāvatthi.
2. Then a certain monk approached the Blessed One, worshipped, and sat on a side.
3. Sitting, that monk said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, how is it that a certain one, after death, is born with the serpents born from eggs?”
4. “Here, monk, a certain one acts in two ways by body, speech, and mind. He learns that serpents born from eggs enjoy long life, beauty, and much pleasantness.
5. “Then it occurs to him, ‘May I be born with the serpents born from eggs, after death.’
6. “He gives eatables. At the breakup of the body, after death, he is born with the serpents born from eggs.
7. “Monk, this is the reason for a certain one to be born with the serpents born from eggs, after death.”
(28. 1. 12) … re … “He gives drinks … re … serpents born from eggs, after death.”
(28. 1. 13) … re … “He gives clothes … re … serpents born from eggs, after death.”
(28. 1. 14) … re … “He gives conveyances … re … serpents born from eggs, after death.”
(28. 1. 15) … re … “He gives flowers … re … serpents born from eggs, after death.”
(28. 1. 16) … re … “He gives scents … re … serpents born from eggs, after death.”
(28. 1. 17) … re … “He gives anointments … re … serpents born from eggs, after death.”
(28. 1. 18) … re … “He gives beds … re … serpents born from eggs, after death.”
(28. 1. 19) … re … “He gives dwellings … re … serpents born from eggs, after death.”
(28. 1. 20) … re … “He gives lights … re … serpents born from eggs, after death.”
(Suttas 21 through 30 repeat as above for serpents born from wombs.)
(Suttas 31 through 40 repeat as above for serpents born from moisture.)
(Suttas 41 through 50 repeat as above for serpents born spontaneously.)
