sutta » sn » sn1 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 1.1

Oghataraṇasutta

Crossing the Flood Crossing the Flood

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

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

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,
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:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Atha kho sā devatā:
Then that devatā, thinking,

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