sutta » sn » sn1 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 1.41

Ādittasutta

Ablaze On Fire

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.
Then, when the night had advanced, a certain devatā of stunning beauty, illuminating the entire Jeta’s Grove, approached the Blessed One.
Then, late at night, a glorious deity, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side,

Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho sā devatā bhagavato santike imā gāthāyo abhāsi:
Having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One, stood to one side, and recited these verses in the presence of the Blessed One:
and recited these verses in the Buddha’s presence:

“Ādittasmiṁ agārasmiṁ,
“When one’s house is ablaze
“When your house is on fire,

yaṁ nīharati bhājanaṁ;
The vessel taken out
you rescue the pot

Taṁ tassa hoti atthāya,
Is the one that is useful,
that’s useful,

no ca yaṁ tattha ḍayhati.
Not the one left burnt inside.
not the one that’s burnt.

Evaṁ ādittako loko,
“So when the world is ablaze
And as the world is on fire

jarāya maraṇena ca;
With the fires of aging and death,
with old age and death,

Nīharetheva dānena,
One should take out one’s wealth by giving:
you should rescue by giving,

dinnaṁ hoti sunīhataṁ.
What is given is well salvaged.
for what’s given is rescued.

Dinnaṁ sukhaphalaṁ hoti,
“What is given yields pleasant fruit,
What’s given has happiness as its fruit,

nādinnaṁ hoti taṁ tathā;
But not so what is not given.
but not what isn’t given.

Corā haranti rājāno,
Thieves take it away, or kings,
Bandits take it, or rulers,

aggi ḍahati nassati.
It gets burnt by fire or is lost.
it’s consumed by fire, or lost.

Atha antena jahati,
“Then in the end one leaves the body
Then in the end this corpse is cast off,

Sarīraṁ sapariggahaṁ;
Along with one’s possessions.
along with all your possessions.

Etadaññāya medhāvī,
Having understood this, the wise person
Knowing this, a clever person

Bhuñjetha ca dadetha ca;
Should enjoy himself but also give.
would enjoy what they have and also give it away.

Datvā ca bhutvā ca yathānubhāvaṁ,
Having given and enjoyed as fits his means,
After giving and using according to their means,

Anindito saggamupeti ṭhānan”ti.
Blameless he goes to the heavenly state. ”
blameless, they go to a heavenly place.”