Saṃyutta Nikāya
I. Sagātha Vagga
2. Devaputta Saṃyutta
1. (untitled) or Kassapa
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
I. Kindred Sayings with Verses
1. The Sons of the Devas[1]
1. Kassapa
Translated by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Assisted by Sūriyagoḍa Sumangala Thera
Public Domain
Sutta 1
Kassapa (1)
[1.1] THUS HAVE I HEARD:
The Exalted One was once staying near Sāvatthī, at Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
Now Kassapa, son of the gods, when the night was far spent, shedding radiance with his effulgent beauty over the entire Jeta Grove, came into the presence of the Exalted One, and stood at one side. So standing, he spake thus to the Exalted One:—
"The Exalted One hath revealed 'the bhikkhu' and hath given even to us the admonition for a bhikkhu."[2]
[The Exalted One: —]
"Well then, Kassapa, say what has occurred to thee."
[Kassapa: —]
"See that in what hath been so finely said
Ye train yourselves: — in the recluse's task,
In mysteries of the solitary seat,
And in the mastering of the heart's unrest."
[66] Thus said Kassapa, son of the devas, and the Master approved of his words.
Then Kassapa thinking:
"The Master approves of me!" saluted the Exalted One with the right-hand obeisance and vanished from that spot.
Sutta 2
Kassapa (2)
[2.1][than] THUS HAVE I HEARD:
The Exalted One was once staying near Sāvatthī, at Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
Now Kassapa, son of the gods, when the night was far spent, shedding radiance with his effulgent beauty over the entire Jeta Grove, came into the presence of the Exalted One, and stood at one side. So standing, he spake thus to the Exalted One:—
"The brother with his mind set wholly free
Should zealously in Jhāna meditate,
Yearning to win his heart's inmost desire,[3]
And knowing of all things the flux and ebb,
Lovely in disposition,[4] leaning not;
By That rewarded and by That repaid."[5]
Sutta 3
Māgha[6]
[3.1] THUS HAVE I HEARD:
The Exalted One was once staying near Sāvatthī, at Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
Now Māgha, son of the gods, when the night was far spent, shedding radiance with his effulgent beauty over the entire Jeta Grove, came into the presence of the Exalted One, and stood at one side. So standing, he spake thus to the Exalted One:—
"What must we slay if we would happy live?
What must we slay if we would weep no more?
What is't above all other things whereof
The slaughter thou approvest, Gotama?"
"Wrath must ye slay, if ye would happy live,
Wrath must ye slay, if ye would weep no more.
[67] Of wrath, victor of Vatra, with its source
Of poison and its climax murderous sweet: —
That is the slaughter by the Ariyans praised,
That must ye slay if ye would weep no more."
Sutta 4
Māgadha
[4.1] THUS HAVE I HEARD:
The Exalted One was once staying near Sāvatthī, at Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
Now Māgadha, son of the gods, when the night was far spent, shedding radiance with his effulgent beauty over the entire Jeta Grove, came into the presence of the Exalted One, and stood at one side. So standing, he spake thus to the Exalted One:—
"How many things light up the world
and make it bright and clear?
To ask this question, Sir, we've come.
Thy word we fain would hear."
"Four things give light unto the world;
a fifth ye'll not descry.
By day the sun doth shine;
by night the moon makes bright the sky;
And fire gives light by day and night,
shining[7] now here now there,
But of all things that shine, as best:
light of the Buddha stands confessed,
Glory without compare."
Sutta 5
Dāmali
[5.1] THUS HAVE I HEARD:
The Exalted One was once staying near Sāvatthī, at Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
Now Dāmali, son of the gods, when the night was far spent, shedding radiance with his effulgent beauty over the entire Jeta Grove, came into the presence of the Exalted One, and stood at one side. So standing, he spake thus to the Exalted One:—
"Great effort hath the diligent Arahant[8]
To make herein: that by the abandoning
Of sense-desires he hope not for rebirth."
[68] "There is naught left to do, 0 Dāmali,
For th' Arahant, — so said the Exalted One—
Accomplished is the work he had to do.
While he no footing finds, with all his limbs
A creature swept by river-current toils;
Finding a footing high and dry he stands,
He toileth not; passed over, sooth, is he.
A parable this, Dāmali. E'en so
The Arahant who hath destroyed the Drugs,
Wise, given to Jhāna, since he hath attained
The end of death and coming back to birth,
He toileth not; passed over, sooth, is he."
Sutta 6
Kāmada
[6.1][olen] THUS HAVE I HEARD:
The Exalted One was once staying near Sāvatthī, at Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
Now Kāmada, son of the gods, when the night was far spent, shedding radiance with his effulgent beauty over the entire Jeta Grove, came into the presence of the Exalted One, and stood at one side. So standing, he spake thus to the Exalted One:—
"'Tis hard to do, Exalted One! 'Tis very hard to do, Exalted One!"[9]
"And yet the 'hard to do' is done by them,
0 Kāmada," — so said the Exalted One —
"Who in the learner's moral code[10] stand firm. For him who ventures on the homeless life, Serene content arises, bringing joy."
"'Tis hard to win, 0 Exalted One, this serene content."
"And yet that which is hard to win they win,
0 Kāmada," — so said the Exalted One —
"Who love to achieve the mastery of the heart, -
The mind of whom, during both day and night,
Doth love to work and make that peace to be."[11]
[69] "Hard is it to compose, Exalted One, that heart."
"Yet that which hard is to compose, e'en they
Compose, Kāmada," — said the Exalted One —
"Who love the fret and fever of their parts
And powers[12] to bring into tranquillity.
Gutting in twain the net that Death doth lay
They walk at large as Ariyans, Kāmada."
"The way is hard to go, Exalted One, and rough the Path!"
"And yet along the Path thou callest rough
The Ariyans hold their course, 0 Kāmada,.
In that 'rough path' non-Ariyans headlong fall;
To Ariyans the way is even. They
Walk in the uneven with an even stride."[13]
Sutta 7
Pañcālacaṇḍa
[7.1][than] THUS HAVE I HEARD:
The Exalted One was once staying near Sāvatthī, at Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
Now Pañcālacaṇḍa, son of the gods, when the night was far spent, shedding radiance with his effulgent beauty over the entire Jeta Grove, came into the presence of the Exalted One, and stood at one side. So standing, he spake thus to the Exalted One: —
"Lo! even amid crowding obstacles[14]
He that is rich in wisdom findeth room,
Even the sage, expert t' eliminate,
Th'enlightened who doth Jhāna understand."[15]
"Even 'mid crowding obstacles they find,
Pañcālacaṇḍa, — said the Exalted One, —
[70] 'The Norm whereby Nibbāna may be won.
They who have gotten hold[16] of mindfulness,
They are perfected in self-mastery."
Sutta 8
Tāyana
[8.1] THUS HAVE I HEARD:
The Exalted One was once staying near Sāvatthī, at Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
Now Tāyana, son of the devas, formerly a dissentient teacher,[17] when the night was far spent, shedding radiance with his effulgent beauty over the entire Jeta Grove, came into the presence of the Exalted One, and stood at one side. So standing, he spake thus to the Exalted One: —
"Advance with valiant energy, recluse,[18]
Cut off the stream, scatter desires of sense.[19]
If these be not renounced, nowise the sage
Can conjure up the [mystic] unison.[20]
If he would do that which he ought to do,
He should go forth with desperate energy.
He who hath left the world with purpose slack,
Doth only sprinkle thicker cloud of dust.[21]
Not done, for us, is better than ill done;
I11 done will burn us in the time to come.[22]
That what is done be well done — this is best.
On what's thus done burning doth follow not.
Just as a blade of grass, if badly grasped,
Will only come to cut the clumsy hand,
So the recluse's calling, if misused,
Doth drag him downward to the gates of hell.
[71] All flaccid action, all corrupted rites,
All mischief-making in religious life: —
On all such work follows no high reward."[23]
Thus said Tāyana, son of the devas, and so saying he saluted the Exalted One with the right hand obeisance and vanished there and then.
Now when the night was past the Exalted One addressed the bhikkhus and told them of Tāyana's visit, repeating all the verses he had said. And he added:
"Learn, bhikkhus, the Tayana-verses! Learn them by heart, for the verses of Tayana bear upon your good and belong to the rudiments of the holy life."
Sutta 9
Candimā
[9.1][piya] THUS HAVE I HEARD:
The Exalted One was once staying near Sāvatthī, at Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
Now at that time Candima, son of the devas, was seized by Rāhu, lord of Asuras.[24] Then Candima, calling the Exalted One to mind, invoked him by this verse: —
"0 Buddha! Hero! glory be to thee!
Thou that are wholly set at liberty!
Lo ! I am fallen into dire distress![25]
Be thou my refuge and my hiding-place!"
Then the Exalted One addressed a verse to Rāhu, lord of the Asuras, on behalf of Candima, son of the devas: —
"To the Tathāgata, the Arahant
Hath Candima, for help and refuge gone.
[72] 0 Rāhu, set the moon at liberty!
The Buddhas take compassion on the world."[26]
Then Rāhu, lord of Asuras, let go Candima, son of the devas, and like a man affrighted, Rāhu, came into the presence of Vepacitti, lord of the Asuras, and stood at one side, trembling and with stiffened hair. And Vepacitti addressed him, standing there, in these lines: —
"Now why, as one o'erta'en by sudden fright,
Didst thou, 0 Rāhu, let the moon go free?
Here comest thou in agitated plight —
Why standst thou there so terrified to see?"
[Rāhu,:—]
"Now let my head in seven pieces rive,
Ne'er let me happy be while yet I live
If, had I not let Candima, go free,
The Buddha's verse had not demolished me!"
Sutta 10
Suriya[27]
[9.1][piya] THUS HAVE I HEARD:
The Exalted One was once staying near Sāvatthī, at Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
Now at that time Suriya son of the devas, was seized by Rāhu, lord of Asuras. Then Suriya, calling the Exalted One to mind, invoked him by this verse: —
"0 Buddha! Hero! Glory be to thee!
Thou that art wholly set at liberty!
Lo! I am fallen into sore distress.
Be thou my refuge and my hiding-place!"
Then the Exalted One addressed a verse to Rahu, lord of Asuras, on behalf of Suriya, son of the devas: —
[73] "To the Tathāgata, the Arahant
Hath Suriya for help and refuge gone.
0 Rahu, set the sun at liberty!
The Buddhas take compassion on the world.
Nay, Rahu, thou that walkest in the sky,
Him that thou chokest,[28] darkening the world,
Swallow him not, the craftsman of the light,
The shining being of the disc, the fiery heat,
My kith and kin:[29] — Rahu, set free the sun!"
Then Rāhu, lord of Asuras, let go Suriya, son of the devas, and Suriya as one swiftly crossing came into the presence of Vepacitti, lord of the Asuras and stood at one side, trembling and with stiffened hair. And Vepacitti addressed him, standing there, in these lines: —
"Now why, as one o'erta'en by sudden fright,
Didst thou, 0 Rāhu, let the sun go free?
Here comest thou in agitated plight —
Why standst thou there so terrified to see?"
[Rāhu,:—]
"Now let my head in seven pieces rive,
Ne'er let me happy be while yet I live
If, had I not let Suriya go free,
The Buddha's verse had not demolished me!"
[1] Devaputtā. These were born to lower gods from the hip (anke); females were called daughters of the gods (see I, 1, § 1, n. ...). If their name was not known they were called devatā; if known, they were called devaputta. Comy.
[2] B.'s legend is that Kassapa had listened to the Buddha's exposition of Abhidhamma in the 'Thrice-Ten Devas' City ' (see Points of Controversy, 1) during one Lenten season of his long ministry on earth. A feature in the address was the 'Jhāna-vibhanga' (see Vibhanga, PTS, p. 224), containing a description of the calling and duties of a bhikkhu. He wishes to acknowledge the honour done to devas, and the profit to himself.
[3] I.e. Arahantship. Comy. On 'heart' (hadaya) in Buddhism, see Bud. Psy., 1914, 34, 71.
[4] See above, I, 1, § 9.
[5] Expansion of the word tad-ānisaṇso (viz., arahattānisaṇso).
[6] Māgha is one of the names for Sakka, chief deva in the lowest, or Thrice-Thirty (or Three-and-Thirty) heaven. The Bodhisat himself was once reborn as Sakka or Māgha. Vatra was an Asura (titan or demon) conquered by Sakka. See Jāt. i, 153;199. The verses occur above, I, 8, § 1, and below, vii, 1, § 1; xi, 3, § 1.
[7] These verses occur above, I, 3, § 6, with the one variant, here, of pakāsati for pabhāsati. It may be a misprint.
[8] Brāhmaṇa (cf. I, 1, § 1) a frequent equivalent in Buddhism for Arahant, and sometimes explicitly stated to be so, given of course the right context, e.g. S. iv, 175; A. ii, 5; cf. Dialogues, i, 105, 138. Dāmali's mistake was to impute unfinished achievement to the Arahant.
[9] Kāmada's legend is that, like the ex-bhikkhu of I, 5, § 6, he failed on earth to attain, and comes to lament his disappointment.
[10] Samāhitā.
[11] So B. suggests, namely, as to the object of the constructive work (in contemplation, of course). The creative force in the term bhāvanā ('work and make ... to be') — the causative form of bhavati, to become, is pointed out in Bud. Psy. (1914), 132 f. For all mystic work of mind contemplation means both elimination (pahāna) and hypernormal development or creation.
[12] The indriya's, covering both nouns, are the organism viewed not as passively recipient, but as dynamically controlling psycho-physical life.
[14] Of the two classes of obstacle (sambādha) — the five hindrances (Dialogues i, 82 f.; Bud. Psy. Eth. 310 f.) and the five kinds of sense- pleasures — the former is meant. Jhāna is represented as 'room,' 'opportunity.' (Comy.) But the deva (pron. Panchāla-chanda) stops at Jhāna (as productive of rebirth in heaven), and has to be corrected.
[15] Abuddhi.
[16] Paccaladdhaṃsu.
[17] I.e. he taught some of the 62 views enumerated in the Brahma- jāla-suttanta (Dialogues i, 1 f.), like Nanda, Vaccha, Kisa, Sankicca, Pūrana, etc. By dint of good deeds, believing in karma, he was reborn in the heavens. Discerning there that at length a really saving gospel and Order were founded, he came to incite disciples. Comy.
[18] Brāhmaṇa. Cf. above § 5. The admonition here is not fitted for an adept or Arahant.
[20] Ekattaṃ, i.e. in Jhāna. In Paṭisambhidāmagga a synonym for (a) concentration, (b) grasp of facts. JPTS, 1908, 158. The next 12 lines =, in a different order, Dhp. 311-14.
[21] A figure of moral corruption. Cf. I. 1, § 6.
[22] Namely, with remorse, always thus figured.
[23] Ascribed, in Pss, of the Brethren, 277, to Sabhiya, also a zealous teacher and preacher.
[24] Candimā means 'moon' (c = ch). B., by a 'portmanteau exegesis, calls him cand-av-imā-na-vasī: 'the man dwelling in the mansion of the moon.' The incident is the Indian myth of the lunar eclipse, and the legend is annexed by the Suttanta-teaching to show the Buddha's power and pity.
[25] Sore distress is the sambādha, 'congesting obstacle,' of § 7 above: a fitting figure for the monster's jaws!
[26] 'Both on thee, Rāhu, and on him compassionate.' Comy. On Vepacitti, see below, XI, 1, § 5.
[27] This is the corresponding myth and annexation of the solar eclipse. There is the additional personal touch, in the restraining adjuration, of the Buddha's family being descended from the sun. Cf. below, VIII, §§ 1, 7. B. gives the measurements of the size of Rāhu, the dragon (gaṇḍaka), and the panic he creates among the 'mansions' of the gods.
[28] See JPTS, 1884, p. 81
[29] Cf. Pss. of the Brethren, ver. 26, 158. B. takes the view that the Buddha is speaking of Suriya as his disciple and spiritual son.
