sutta » sn » sn2 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 2.10

Sūriyasutta

Suriya The Sun

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthī.
At Sāvatthī.

Tena kho pana samayena sūriyo devaputto rāhunā asurindena gahito hoti.
Now on that occasion the young deva Suriya had been seized by Rāhu, lord of the asuras.
Now at that time the Sun God had been seized by Rāhu, lord of titans.

Atha kho sūriyo devaputto bhagavantaṁ anussaramāno tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:
Then, recollecting the Blessed One, the young deva Suriya on that occasion recited this verse:
Then the Sun God, recollecting the Buddha, at that time recited this verse:

“Namo te buddha vīratthu,
“Let homage be to you, the Buddha!
“Homage to you, Buddha, hero!

vippamuttosi sabbadhi;
O hero, you are everywhere released.
You’re everywhere free.

Sambādhapaṭipannosmi,
I have fallen into captivity,
I’ve wandered into confinement:

tassa me saraṇaṁ bhavā”ti.
So please be my refuge.”
be my refuge!”

Atha kho bhagavā sūriyaṁ devaputtaṁ ārabbha rāhuṁ asurindaṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:
Then, referring to the young deva Suriya, the Blessed One addressed Rāhu, lord of the asuras, in verse:
Then the Buddha addressed Rāhu in verse concerning the Sun God:

“Tathāgataṁ arahantaṁ,
“To the Tathāgata, the Arahant,
“The Sun God has gone for refuge

sūriyo saraṇaṁ gato;
Suriya has gone for refuge.
to the Realized One, the perfected one.

Rāhu sūriyaṁ pamuñcassu,
Release Suriya, O Rāhu,
The Buddhas have compassion for the world—

buddhā lokānukampakā.
Buddhas have compassion for the world.
so Rāhu, release the Sun!

Yo andhakāre tamasi pabhaṅkaro,
“The maker of light in darkness,
He is a beacon in the darkness,

Verocano maṇḍalī uggatejo;
The disk of fiery might in the gloom,
the blazing sun, circle of magnificent flame.

Mā rāhu gilī caramantalikkhe,
O Rāhu, do not swallow the radiant one, while (it's) moving across the sky
Rāhu, do not swallow him as he traverses the sky.

Pajaṁ mamaṁ rāhu pamuñca sūriyan”ti.
Rāhu, release my child Suriya.”
Rāhu, release my offspring, the Sun!”

Atha kho rāhu asurindo sūriyaṁ devaputtaṁ muñcitvā taramānarūpo yena vepacitti asurindo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā saṁviggo lomahaṭṭhajāto ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi.
Then Rāhu, lord of the asuras, released the young deva Suriya and hurriedly approached Vepacitti, lord of the asuras. Having approached, shocked and terrified, he stood to one side.
Then Rāhu, having released the Sun, rushed to see Vepacitti, lord of titans and stood to one side, shocked and awestruck.

Ekamantaṁ ṭhitaṁ kho rāhuṁ asurindaṁ vepacitti asurindo gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:
Then, as he stood there, Vepacitti, lord of the asuras, addressed him in verse:
Vepacitti addressed him in verse:

“Kiṁ nu santaramānova,
“Why, Rāhu, did you come in a hurry?
“Why the rush?

rāhu sūriyaṁ pamuñcasi;
Why did you release Suriya?
Rāhu, you released the Sun

Saṁviggarūpo āgamma,
Having come as if in shock,
and came here looking like you’re in shock:

kiṁ nu bhītova tiṭṭhasī”ti.
Why do you stand there frightened?”
why do you stand there so scared?”

“Sattadhā me phale muddhā,
“My head would have split in seven parts,
“My head would have exploded in seven pieces,

jīvanto na sukhaṁ labhe;
While living I would have found no ease,
I would have found no joy in life,

Buddhagāthābhigītomhi,
If, when chanted over by the Buddha’s verses,
if, when enchanted by the Buddha’s spell,

no ce muñceyya sūriyan”ti.
I had not let go of Suriya.”
I had not released the Sun.”

Paṭhamo vaggo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Dve kassapā ca māgho ca,

Māgadho dāmali kāmado;

Pañcālacaṇḍo tāyano,

Candimasūriyena te dasāti.