sutta » sn » sn1 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 1.1

Oghataraṇasutta

Crossing the Flood Crossing the Flood

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
Thus have I heard.
So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Savatthi in Jeta’s Grove, Anathapiṇḍika’s Park.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery.

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, when the night had advanced, a certain devatā of stunning beauty, illuminating the entire Jeta’s Grove, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One, stood to one side, and said to him:
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,

“kathaṁ nu tvaṁ, mārisa, oghamatarī”ti?
“How, dear sir, did you cross the flood?”
“Good sir, how did you cross the flood?”

“Appatiṭṭhaṁ khvāhaṁ, āvuso, anāyūhaṁ oghamatarin”ti.
“By not halting, friend, and by not straining I crossed the flood. ”
“Neither standing nor swimming, sir, I crossed the flood.”

“Yathākathaṁ pana tvaṁ, mārisa, appatiṭṭhaṁ anāyūhaṁ oghamatarī”ti?
“But how is it, dear sir, that by not halting and by not straining you crossed the flood?”
“But in what way did you cross the flood neither standing nor swimming?”

“Yadāsvāhaṁ, āvuso, santiṭṭhāmi tadāssu saṁsīdāmi;
“When I came to a standstill, friend, then I sank;
“When I stood still, I went under.

yadāsvāhaṁ, āvuso, āyūhāmi tadāssu nibbuyhāmi.
but when I struggled, then I got swept away.
And when I swam, I was swept away.

Evaṁ khvāhaṁ, āvuso, appatiṭṭhaṁ anāyūhaṁ oghamatarin”ti.
It is in this way, friend, that by not halting and by not straining I crossed the flood. ”
That’s how I crossed the flood neither standing nor swimming.”

“Cirassaṁ vata passāmi,
“After a long time at last I see
“After a long time I see

brāhmaṇaṁ parinibbutaṁ;
A brahmin who is fully quenched,
a brahmin extinguished.

Appatiṭṭhaṁ anāyūhaṁ,
Who by not halting, not straining,
Neither standing nor swimming,

tiṇṇaṁ loke visattikan”ti.
Has crossed over attachment to the world.”
he’s crossed over clinging to the world.”

Idamavoca sā devatā.
This is what that devatā said.
This is what that deity said,

Samanuñño satthā ahosi.
The Teacher approved.
and the teacher approved.

Atha kho sā devatā:
Then that devatā, thinking,

“samanuñño me satthā”ti bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyīti.
“The Teacher has approved of me, ” paid homage to the Blessed One and, keeping him on the right, disappeared right there.
Then that deity, knowing that the teacher approved, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before vanishing right there.