Pāḷi English Dictionary
Sutta SearchAṅguttara Nikāya
VIII. Navaka Nipāta
III. Sattāvāsa Vaggo
The Book of Nines
Sutta 21
Ṭhāna Suttaṃ
Comparisons
Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds
Once upon a time The Lucky Man
Sāvātthi-town revisiting
Anāthapiṇḍika's Jetavana sporting ground.
"In three respects, beggars,
the men of Uttarakuru
surpass
the gods of Tāvatiṃsa, and
the men of Jambudīpa.[1]
In what three?
They are not not self-centered, and
do not marry
they live a fixed lifespan.
they possess great elegance.
These are the three respects, beggars,
in which the men of Uttarakuru
surpass
the gods of Tāvatiṃsa, and
the men of Jambudīpa.
In three respects, beggars,
the gods of Tāvatiṃsa
surpass
the men of Uttarakuru, and
the men of Jambudīpa.
In what three?
In divine life,
in divine complexion,
in divine pleasure.
These are the three respects, beggars,
in which the gods of Tāvatiṃsa
surpass
the men of Uttarakuru, and
the men of Jambudīpa.
In three respects, beggars,
the men of Jambudīpa
surpass
the men of Uttarakuru, and
the gods of Tāvatiṃsa.
In what three?
In courage,[2]
in minding, and
here Brahma's way is under control.
These are the three respects, beggars,
in which the men of Jambudīpa
surpass
the men of Uttarakuru, and
the gods of Tāvatiṃsa.
[1] Uttarakuru. In Buddhist cosmology, Uttarakuru is described as one of the four great continents.
The name refers to an ancient Indo-Aryan tribal region. It lies in the northern quadrant of the flat-world system, floating in the great ocean opposite Jambudvīpa (the southern human realm where Earth resides). The continent is overseen by Kuvera (also known as Vessavaṇa), one of the four Heavenly Kings, with its chief city named Ālakamandā.
Details: No Private Property or Toil: Inhabitants do not own land, possess private wealth, or engage in plowing, sowing, or agricultural labor. Naturally fragrant, huskless rice grows by itself in untended soil and cooks magically on self-heating gemstone ovens. Fixed Lifespans: People have a uniform, long lifespan of 1,000 years, living free from poverty, severe illness, or personal grief. The population naturally observes basic moral restraint without needing formal religious instruction.
While utopian, Buddhist tradition notes that Uttarakuru is a poor place for practicing the Dhamma. Because life is completely free of suffering, hardship, or existential urgency, the inhabitants lack the motivation or spiritual faculty required to seek enlightenment or practice meditation.
— Adopted from a Google AI search. Sources are given, but not included here. See also The Buddhist Cosmos, by Punnadhammo Mahāthera.
Tāvatiṃsa. The "Heaven of the Thirty-Three [Gods]". It is the second of the six deva (heavenly) worlds in Buddhist cosmology, located on the summit of Mount Sumeru. The realm is presided over by Sakka (Indra), the king of the gods. The name comes from the traditional Vedic and Buddhist concept of thirty-three principal deities residing in this domain.
— Adopted from a Google AI search. Sources are given, but not included here. See also The Buddhist Cosmos, by Punnadhammo Mahāthera.
Jambudīpa. Roseapple peninsula (island, continent, land). India.
[2] Surā PED: "spirituous (intoxicating) liquor ("drink")." But Hare translates this as "Heroic" which he would have adopted from sūra1 I would say this was just a typo except for the fact that "drink" is often called "courage" in English. Sutta Central's Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka has sūrā which is not in PED.
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