Aṅguttara Nikāya 6.69

Translators: sujato

Numbered Discourses 6.69

7. Devatāvagga
7. A God

Devatāsutta

A God

Atha kho aññatarā devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho sā devatā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then, late at night, a glorious deity, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and said to him:

“chayime, bhante, dhammā bhikkhuno aparihānāya saṁvattanti.
“Sir, these six things don’t lead to the decline of a mendicant.

Katame cha?
What six?

Satthugāravatā, dhammagāravatā, saṅghagāravatā, sikkhāgāravatā, sovacassatā, kalyāṇamittatā—
Respect for the Teacher, for the teaching, for the Saṅgha, for the training; being easy to admonish, and good friendship.

ime kho, bhante, cha dhammā bhikkhuno aparihānāya saṁvattantī”ti.
These six things don’t lead to the decline of a mendicant.”

Idamavoca sā devatā.
That’s what that deity said,

Samanuñño satthā ahosi.
and the teacher approved.

Atha kho sā devatā “samanuñño me satthā”ti bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyi.
Then that deity, knowing that the teacher approved, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before vanishing right there.

Atha kho bhagavā tassā rattiyā accayena bhikkhū āmantesi:
Then, when the night had passed, the Buddha addressed the mendicants:

“imaṁ, bhikkhave, rattiṁ aññatarā devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yenāhaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā maṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho, bhikkhave, sā devatā maṁ etadavoca:
“Tonight, a glorious deity, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, came to me, bowed, stood to one side, and said to me:

‘chayime, bhante, dhammā bhikkhuno aparihānāya saṁvattanti.
‘Sir, these six things don’t lead to the decline of a mendicant.

Katame cha?
What six?

ime kho, bhante, cha dhammā bhikkhuno aparihānāya saṁvattantī’ti.
These six things don’t lead to the decline of a mendicant.’

Idamavoca, bhikkhave, sā devatā.
That is what that deity said.

Idaṁ vatvā maṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyī”ti.
Then he bowed and respectfully circled me, keeping me on his right side, before vanishing right there.”

Evaṁ vutte āyasmā sāriputto bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā etadavoca:
When he said this, Venerable Sāriputta said to the Buddha:

“imassa kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa evaṁ vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāmi.
“Sir, this is how I understand the detailed meaning of the Buddha’s brief statement.

Idha, bhante, bhikkhu attanā ca satthugāravo hoti satthugāravatāya ca vaṇṇavādī.
It’s when a mendicant personally respects the Teacher and praises such respect.

Ye caññe bhikkhū na satthugāravā te ca satthugāravatāya samādapeti.
And they encourage other mendicants who lack such respect to respect the Teacher.

Ye caññe bhikkhū satthugāravā tesañca vaṇṇaṁ bhaṇati bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena.
And they praise other mendicants who respect the Teacher at the right time, truthfully and correctly.

Attanā ca dhammagāravo hoti …
They personally respect the teaching …

saṅghagāravo hoti …
They personally respect the Saṅgha …

sikkhāgāravo hoti …
They personally respect the training …

suvaco hoti …
They are personally easy to admonish …

kalyāṇamitto hoti kalyāṇamittatāya ca vaṇṇavādī.
They personally have good friends, and praise such friendship.

Ye caññe bhikkhū na kalyāṇamittā te ca kalyāṇamittatāya samādapeti.
And they encourage other mendicants who lack good friends to develop good friendship.

Ye caññe bhikkhū kalyāṇamittā tesañca vaṇṇaṁ bhaṇati bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena.
And they praise other mendicants who have good friends at the right time, truthfully and correctly.

Imassa kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa evaṁ vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāmī”ti.
That’s how I understand the detailed meaning of the Buddha’s brief statement.”

“Sādhu sādhu, sāriputta.
“Good, good, Sāriputta!

Sādhu kho tvaṁ, sāriputta, imassa mayā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa evaṁ vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāsi.
It’s good that you understand the detailed meaning of what I’ve said in brief like this.

Idha, sāriputta, bhikkhu attanā ca satthugāravo hoti satthugāravatāya ca vaṇṇavādī.
It’s when a mendicant personally respects the Teacher …

Ye caññe bhikkhū na satthugāravā te ca satthugāravatāya samādapeti.

Ye caññe bhikkhū satthugāravā tesañca vaṇṇaṁ bhaṇati bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena.