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Sūriyasutta

The Sun Suriya

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthī.
At Sāvatthī.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Paṭhamo vaggo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Dve kassapā ca māgho ca,

Māgadho dāmali kāmado;

Pañcālacaṇḍo tāyano,

Candimasūriyena te dasāti.