Saṃyutta Nikāya
I. Sagatha Vagga
2. Devaputta Saṃyutta
Sutta 17
Subrahma Suttaṃ
Subrahma the Deva's Son
Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Sourced from the edition at dhammatalks.org
Provenance, terms and conditons
Standing to one side, Subrahma the deva’s son recited this verse to the Blessed One:
"Constantly troubled is this mind,
constantly trembling this heart,
over duties[1] that have yet to arise,
and those already arisen.
If there is an Untroubled,
point it out to me, when asked."
The Buddha:
"Apart from the factors for awakening, austerity,[2]
apart from sense-faculty restraint,
apart from relinquishing the all,[3]
I see no safety
for living beings."
That is what the Blessed One said... the deva disappeared right there.
[1] Reading kiccesu with the Thai version. The Burmese version has kicchesu, "troubles."
[2] Reading bojjhaṇga-tapasā with the Thai version. The Burmese version has bojjhā tapasā, "from awakening, from austerity." The Commentary notes that bojjhaṇga/bojjhā refers to the development of the factors of awakening (see MN 118). Tapasā, it says, refers to undertaking the dhutaṇga practices (see Thag 16:7).
