sutta » sn » sn2 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 2.5

Dāmalisutta

With Dāmali Dāmali

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthī.
At Sāvatthī.

Atha kho dāmali devaputto abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇo kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi.
Then, late at night, the glorious god Dāmali, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side,
Then, when the night had advanced, the young deva Dāmali, of stunning beauty, illuminating the entire Jeta’s Grove, approached the Blessed One.

Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho dāmali devaputto bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:
and recited this verse in the Buddha’s presence:
Having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One, stood to one side, and recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:

“Karaṇīyametaṁ brāhmaṇena,
“This is what should be done by a brahmin:
“This should be done by the brahmin:

Padhānaṁ akilāsunā;
unrelenting striving.
Striving without weariness,

Kāmānaṁ vippahānena,
Then, with the giving up of sensual pleasures,
That by his abandoning of sensual desires

Na tenāsīsate bhavan”ti.
they won’t hope to be reborn.”
He does not yearn for existence. ”

“Natthi kiccaṁ brāhmaṇassa,
“The brahmin has nothing left to do,”
“For the brahmin there is no task to be done,

(dāmalīti bhagavā)
said the Buddha to Dāmali,
[O Dāmali, ” said the Blessed One],

Katakicco hi brāhmaṇo;
“for they’ve completed their task.
“For the brahmin has done what should be done.

Yāva na gādhaṁ labhati nadīsu,
So long as a person fails to gain a footing in the river,
While he has not gained a footing in the river,

Āyūhati sabbagattebhi jantu;
they strive with every limb.
A man will strain with all his limbs;

Gādhañca laddhāna thale ṭhito yo,
But someone who has gained a footing <j>and stands on dry land
But a footing gained, standing on the ground,

Nāyūhatī pāragato hi sova.
need not strive, <j>for they have reached the far shore.
He need not strain for he has gone beyond.

Esūpamā dāmali brāhmaṇassa,
Dāmali, this is a simile for the brahmin,
“This is a simile for the brahmin, O Dāmali,

Khīṇāsavassa nipakassa jhāyino;
alert, a meditator who has ended defilements.
For the taintless one, the discreet meditator.

Pappuyya jātimaraṇassa antaṁ,
Since they’ve reached the end of rebirth and death,
Having reached the end of birth and death,

Nāyūhatī pāragato hi so”ti.
they need not strive, <j>for they have reached the far shore.”
He need not strain for he has gone beyond. ”