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Translators: sujato

Numbered Discourses 3.35

4. Devadūtavagga
4. Messengers of the Gods

Hatthakasutta

With Hatthaka

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā āḷaviyaṁ viharati gomagge siṁsapāvane paṇṇasanthare.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Āḷavī, on a mat of leaves by a cow-path in a grove of Indian Rosewood.

Atha kho hatthako āḷavako jaṅghāvihāraṁ anucaṅkamamāno anuvicaramāno addasa bhagavantaṁ gomagge siṁsapāvane paṇṇasanthare nisinnaṁ.
Then as Hatthaka of Āḷavī was going for a walk he saw the Buddha sitting on that mat of leaves.

Disvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho hatthako āḷavako bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
He went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said,

“kacci, bhante bhagavā, sukhamasayitthā”ti?
“Sir, I trust the Buddha slept well?”

“Evaṁ, kumāra, sukhamasayitthaṁ.
“Yes, prince, I slept well.

Ye ca pana loke sukhaṁ senti, ahaṁ tesaṁ aññataro”ti.
I am one of those who sleep at ease in the world.”

“Sītā, bhante, hemantikā ratti, antaraṭṭhako himapātasamayo, kharā gokaṇṭakahatā bhūmi, tanuko paṇṇasantharo, viraḷāni rukkhassa pattāni, sītāni kāsāyāni vatthāni, sīto ca verambho vāto vāyati.
“The winter nights are cold, sir, and it’s the week of mid-winter, when the snow falls. Rough is the ground trampled under the cows’ hooves, and thin is the mat of leaves. The leaves are sparse on the trees, the ocher robes are cold, and cold blows the north wind.

Atha ca pana bhagavā evamāha:
And yet the Buddha says,

‘evaṁ, kumāra, sukhamasayitthaṁ.
‘Yes, prince, I slept well.

Ye ca pana loke sukhaṁ senti, ahaṁ tesaṁ aññataro’”ti.
I am one of those who sleep at ease in the world.’”

“Tena hi, kumāra, taññevettha paṭipucchissāmi. Yathā te khameyya tathā naṁ byākareyyāsi.
“Well then, prince, I’ll ask you about this in return, and you can answer as you like.

Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, kumāra, idhassa gahapatissa vā gahapatiputtassa vā kūṭāgāraṁ ullittāvalittaṁ nivātaṁ phusitaggaḷaṁ pihitavātapānaṁ.
What do you think? Take the case of a householder or his son, who lives in a bungalow, plastered inside and out, draft-free, with latches fastened and windows shuttered.

Tatrassa pallaṅko gonakatthato paṭikatthato paṭalikatthato kadalimigapavarapaccattharaṇo sauttaracchado ubhato lohitakūpadhāno;
His couch is spread with woolen covers—shag-piled, pure white, or embroidered with flowers—and spread with a fine deer hide. It has a canopy above and red pillows at both ends.

telappadīpo cettha jhāyeyya;
An oil lamp is burning there,

catasso ca pajāpatiyo manāpāmanāpena paccupaṭṭhitā assu.
while his four wives attend to him in all manner of agreeable ways.

Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, kumāra, sukhaṁ vā so sayeyya no vā?
What do you think, prince, would he sleep at ease, or not?

Kathaṁ vā te ettha hotī”ti?
Or how do you see this?”

“Sukhaṁ so, bhante, sayeyya.
“He would sleep at ease, sir.

Ye ca pana loke sukhaṁ senti, so tesaṁ aññataro”ti.
Of those who sleep at ease in the world, he would be one.”

“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, kumāra,
“What do you think, prince?

api nu tassa gahapatissa vā gahapatiputtassa vā uppajjeyyuṁ rāgajā pariḷāhā kāyikā vā cetasikā vā yehi so rāgajehi pariḷāhehi pariḍayhamāno dukkhaṁ sayeyyā”ti?
Is it not possible that a fever born of greed—physical or mental—might arise in that householder or householder’s son, burning him so he sleeps badly?”

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti.
“Yes, sir.”

“Yehi kho so, kumāra, gahapati vā gahapatiputto vā rāgajehi pariḷāhehi pariḍayhamāno dukkhaṁ sayeyya, so rāgo tathāgatassa pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo.
“The greed that burns that householder or householder’s son, making them sleep badly, has been cut off at the root by the Realized One, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and unable to arise in the future.

Tasmāhaṁ sukhamasayitthaṁ.
That’s why I sleep at ease.

Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, kumāra,
What do you think, prince?

api nu tassa gahapatissa vā gahapatiputtassa vā uppajjeyyuṁ dosajā pariḷāhā …pe…
Is it not possible that a fever born of hate …

mohajā pariḷāhā kāyikā vā cetasikā vā yehi so mohajehi pariḷāhehi pariḍayhamāno dukkhaṁ sayeyyā”ti?
or a fever born of delusion—physical or mental—might arise in that householder or householder’s son, burning him so he sleeps badly?”

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti.
“Yes, sir.”

“Ye hi kho so, kumāra, gahapati vā gahapatiputto vā mohajehi pariḷāhehi pariḍayhamāno dukkhaṁ sayeyya, so moho tathāgatassa pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo.
“The delusion that burns that householder or householder’s son, making them sleep badly, has been cut off at the root by the Realized One, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and unable to arise in the future.

Tasmāhaṁ sukhamasayitthanti.
That’s why I sleep at ease.

Sabbadā ve sukhaṁ seti,
A brahmin who is fully extinguished

brāhmaṇo parinibbuto;
always sleeps at ease.

Yo na limpati kāmesu,
Sensual pleasures slip off them,

sītibhūto nirūpadhi.
they’re cooled, free of attachments.

Sabbā āsattiyo chetvā,
Since they’ve cut off all clinging,

vineyya hadaye daraṁ;
and removed the stress from the heart,

Upasanto sukhaṁ seti,
the peaceful sleep at ease,

santiṁ pappuyya cetaso”ti.
having found peace of mind.”

Pañcamaṁ.