sutta » sn » sn1 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 1.37

Samayasutta

The Congregation Concourse

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

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sakkesu viharati kapilavatthusmiṁ mahāvane mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ pañcamattehi bhikkhusatehi sabbeheva arahantehi;
At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans, in the Great Wood near Kapilavatthu, together with a large Saṅgha of five hundred mendicants, all of whom were perfected ones.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Sakyans at Kapilavatthu in the Great Wood together with a great Saṅgha of bhikkhus, with five hundred bhikkhus all of whom were arahants.

dasahi ca lokadhātūhi devatā yebhuyyena sannipatitā honti bhagavantaṁ dassanāya bhikkhusaṅghañca.
And most of the deities from ten solar systems had gathered to see the Buddha and the Saṅgha of mendicants.
And the devatās from ten world systems had for the most part assembled in order to see the Blessed One and the Bhikkhu Saṅgha.

Atha kho catunnaṁ suddhāvāsakāyikānaṁ devatānaṁ etadahosi:
Then four deities of the Pure Abodes, aware of what was happening, thought:
Then the thought occurred to four devatās of the host from the Pure Abodes:

“ayaṁ kho bhagavā sakkesu viharati kapilavatthusmiṁ mahāvane mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ pañcamattehi bhikkhusatehi sabbeheva arahantehi;
“This Blessed One is dwelling among the Sakyans at Kapilavatthu in the Great Wood together with a great Saṅgha of bhikkhus, with five hundred bhikkhus all of whom are arahants.

dasahi ca lokadhātūhi devatā yebhuyyena sannipatitā honti bhagavantaṁ dassanāya bhikkhusaṅghañca.
And the devatās from ten world systems have for the most part assembled in order to see the Blessed One and the Bhikkhu Saṅgha.

Yannūna mayampi yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkameyyāma; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavato santike paccekaṁ gāthaṁ bhāseyyāmā”ti.
“Why don’t we go to the Buddha and each recite a verse in his presence?”
Let us also approach the Blessed One and, in his presence, each speak our own verse. ”

Atha kho tā devatā—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evameva—suddhāvāsesu devesu antarahitā bhagavato purato pāturahesuṁ.
Then, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, they vanished from the Pure Abodes and reappeared in front of the Buddha.
Then, just as quickly as a strong man might extend his drawn-in arm or draw in his extended arm, those devatās disappeared from among the devas of the Pure Abodes and reappeared before the Blessed One.

Atha kho tā devatā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu.
They bowed to the Buddha and stood to one side.
Then those devatās paid homage to the Blessed One and stood to one side.

Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho ekā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:
Standing to one side, one deity recited this verse in the Buddha’s presence:
Standing to one side, one devatā recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:

“Mahāsamayo pavanasmiṁ,
“There’s a great congregation in the woods,
“A great concourse takes place in the woods,

Devakāyā samāgatā;
where hosts of gods have assembled.
The deva hosts have assembled.

Āgatamha imaṁ dhammasamayaṁ,
We’ve come to this righteous congregation
We have come to this Dhamma concourse

Dakkhitāye aparājitasaṅghan”ti.
to see the invincible Saṅgha!”
To see the invincible Saṅgha. ”

Atha kho aparā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:
Then another deity recited this verse in the Buddha’s presence:
Then another devatā recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:

“Tatra bhikkhavo samādahaṁsu,
“The mendicants there have immersion,
“The bhikkhus there are concentrated;

Cittamattano ujukaṁ akaṁsu;
they’ve straightened their own minds.
They have straightened their own minds.

Sārathīva nettāni gahetvā,
Like a charioteer holding the reins,
Like a charioteer who holds the reins,

Indriyāni rakkhanti paṇḍitā”ti.
the astute ones protect their senses.”
The wise ones guard their faculties. ”

Atha kho aparā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:
Then another deity recited this verse in the Buddha’s presence:
Then another devatā recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:

“Chetvā khīlaṁ chetvā palighaṁ,
“They snapped the post and snapped the cross-bar,
“Having cut through barrenness, cut the cross-bar,

Indakhīlaṁ ūhacca manejā;
unstirred, they tore out the boundary post.
Having uprooted Indra’s pillar, unstirred,

Te caranti suddhā vimalā,
They live pure and immaculate,
They wander about pure and stainless,

Cakkhumatā sudantā susunāgā”ti.
the young giants tamed by the Clear-eyed One.”
Young nagas well tamed by the One with Vision. ”

Atha kho aparā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:
Then another deity recited this verse in the Buddha’s presence:
Then another devatā recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:

“Ye keci buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gatāse,
“Anyone who has gone to the Buddha for refuge
“Those who have gone to the Buddha for refuge

Na te gamissanti apāyabhūmiṁ;
won’t go to a plane of loss.
Will not go to the plane of misery.

Pahāya mānusaṁ dehaṁ,
After giving up this human body,
On discarding the human body,

Devakāyaṁ paripūressantī”ti.
they swell the hosts of gods.”
They will fill the hosts of devas. ”