Saṁyutta Nikāya 2.29

Translators: sujato and bodhi

Linked Discourses 2.29

3. Nānātitthiyavagga
3. Various Sectarians

Susimasutta

With Susīma Susīma

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthī.
At Sāvatthī.

Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:
Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him,
Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. The Blessed One then said to him:

“tuyhampi no, ānanda, sāriputto ruccatī”ti?
“Ānanda, do you endorse Sāriputta?”
“Do you too, Ānanda, approve of Sāriputta?”

“Kassa hi nāma, bhante, abālassa aduṭṭhassa amūḷhassa avipallatthacittassa āyasmā sāriputto na rucceyya?
“Sir, who on earth would not endorse Venerable Sāriputta unless they’re a fool, a hater, delusional, or mentally deranged?
“Indeed, venerable sir, who would not approve of the Venerable Sāriputta, unless he were foolish, full of hatred, deluded, or mentally deranged?

Paṇḍito, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto.
Venerable Sāriputta is astute,
The Venerable Sāriputta, venerable sir, is wise,

Mahāpañño, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto.
he has great wisdom,
one of great wisdom,

Puthupañño, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto.
widespread wisdom,
of wide wisdom,

Hāsapañño, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto.
laughing wisdom,
of joyous wisdom,

Javanapañño, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto.
swift wisdom,
of swift wisdom,

Tikkhapañño, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto.
sharp wisdom,
of sharp wisdom,

Nibbedhikapañño, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto.
and penetrating wisdom.
of penetrative wisdom.

Appiccho, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto.
He has few wishes,
The Venerable Sāriputta, venerable sir, has few wishes;

Santuṭṭho, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto.
he’s content,
he is content,

Pavivitto, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto.
secluded,
secluded,

Asaṁsaṭṭho, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto.
aloof,
aloof,

Āraddhavīriyo, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto.
and energetic.
energetic.

Vattā, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto.
He gives advice
The Venerable Sāriputta, venerable sir, is one who gives advice,

Vacanakkhamo, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto.
and accepts advice;
one who accepts advice,

Codako, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto.
he accuses
a reprover,

Pāpagarahī, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto.
and criticizes wickedness.
one who censures evil.

Kassa hi nāma, bhante, abālassa aduṭṭhassa amūḷhassa avipallatthacittassa āyasmā sāriputto na rucceyyā”ti?
Who on earth would not endorse Venerable Sāriputta unless they’re a fool, a hater, delusional, or mentally deranged?”
Indeed, venerable sir, who would not approve of the Venerable Sāriputta, unless he were foolish, full of hatred, deluded, or mentally deranged?”

“Evametaṁ, ānanda, evametaṁ, ānanda.
“That’s so true, Ānanda! That’s so true!
“So it is, Ānanda, so it is!

Kassa hi nāma, ānanda, abālassa aduṭṭhassa amūḷhassa avipallatthacittassa sāriputto na rucceyya?
Who on earth would not endorse Venerable Sāriputta unless they’re a fool, a hater, delusional, or mentally deranged?”
Indeed, Ānanda, who would not approve of Sāriputta, unless he were foolish, full of hatred, deluded, or mentally deranged?

Paṇḍito, ānanda, sāriputto.
And the Buddha repeated all of Ānanda’s terms of praise.
Sāriputta, Ānanda, is wise .

Mahāpañño, ānanda, sāriputto.

Puthupañño, ānanda, sāriputto.

Hāsapañño, ānanda, sāriputto.

Javanapañño, ānanda, sāriputto.

Tikkhapañño, ānanda, sāriputto.

Nibbedhikapañño, ānanda, sāriputto.

Appiccho, ānanda, sāriputto.

Santuṭṭho, ānanda, sāriputto.

Pavivitto, ānanda, sāriputto.

Asaṁsaṭṭho, ānanda, sāriputto.

Āraddhavīriyo, ānanda, sāriputto.

Vattā, ānanda, sāriputto.

Vacanakkhamo, ānanda, sāriputto.

Codako, ānanda, sāriputto.

Pāpagarahī, ānanda, sāriputto.

Kassa hi nāma, ānanda, abālassa aduṭṭhassa amūḷhassa avipallatthacittassa sāriputto na rucceyyā”ti?
(as above) … unless he were mentally deranged?”

Atha kho susimo devaputto āyasmato sāriputtassa vaṇṇe bhaññamāne mahatiyā devaputtaparisāya parivuto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho susimo devaputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
While this praise of Sāriputta was being spoken, the god Susīma approached the Buddha, escorted by a large assembly of gods. He bowed, stood to one side, and said to him:
Then, while this praise of the Venerable Sāriputta was being spoken, the young deva Susīma, accompanied by a great assembly of young devas, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One, stood to one side, and said to him:

“Evametaṁ, bhagavā, evametaṁ, sugata.
“That’s so true, Blessed One! That’s so true, Holy One!
“So it is, Blessed One! So it is, Fortunate One!

Kassa hi nāma, bhante, abālassa aduṭṭhassa amūḷhassa avipallatthacittassa āyasmā sāriputto na rucceyya?
Who on earth would not endorse Venerable Sāriputta unless they’re a fool, a hater, delusional, or mentally deranged?”
Indeed, venerable sir, who would not approve of the Venerable Sāriputta …

Paṇḍito, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto.
And he too repeated all the terms of praise of Sāriputta, adding,

Mahāpañño, bhante, puthupañño, bhante, hāsapañño, bhante, javanapañño, bhante, tikkhapañño, bhante, nibbedhikapañño, bhante, appiccho, bhante, santuṭṭho, bhante, pavivitto, bhante, asaṁsaṭṭho, bhante, āraddhavīriyo, bhante, vattā, bhante, vacanakkhamo, bhante, codako, bhante, pāpagarahī, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto.

Kassa hi nāma, bhante, abālassa aduṭṭhassa amūḷhassa avipallatthacittassa āyasmā sāriputto na rucceyya?
unless he were mentally deranged?

Ahampi hi, bhante, yaññadeva devaputtaparisaṁ upasaṅkamiṁ, etadeva bahulaṁ saddaṁ suṇāmi:
“For I too, sir, whenever I go to an assembly of gods, frequently hear the same terms of praise.”
In my case too, venerable sir, no matter what assembly of young devas I have approached, I have often heard this same report:

‘paṇḍito āyasmā sāriputto;
‘The Venerable Sāriputta is wise …

mahāpañño āyasmā, puthupañño āyasmā, hāsapañño āyasmā, javanapañño āyasmā, tikkhapañño āyasmā, nibbedhikapañño āyasmā, appiccho āyasmā, santuṭṭho āyasmā, pavivitto āyasmā, asaṁsaṭṭho āyasmā, āraddhavīriyo āyasmā, vattā āyasmā, vacanakkhamo āyasmā, codako āyasmā, pāpagarahī āyasmā sāriputto’ti.

Kassa hi nāma, bhante, abālassa aduṭṭhassa amūḷhassa avipallatthacittassa āyasmā sāriputto na rucceyyā”ti?
Indeed, who would not approve of the Venerable Sāriputta, unless he were foolish, full of hatred, deluded, or mentally deranged?’”

Atha kho susimassa devaputtassa devaputtaparisā āyasmato sāriputtassa vaṇṇe bhaññamāne attamanā pamuditā pītisomanassajātā uccāvacā vaṇṇanibhā upadaṁseti.
While this praise of Sāriputta was being spoken, the gods of Susīma’s assembly—uplifted and overjoyed, full of rapture and happiness—generated a rainbow of bright colors.
Then, while this praise of the Venerable Sāriputta was being spoken, the young devas in Susīma’s assembly—elated, gladdened, full of rapture and joy—displayed diverse lustrous colours.

Seyyathāpi nāma maṇi veḷuriyo subho jātimā aṭṭhaṁso suparikammakato paṇḍukambale nikkhitto bhāsate ca tapate ca virocati ca;
Suppose there was a beryl gem that was naturally beautiful, eight-faceted, well-worked. When placed on a cream rug it would shine and glow and radiate.
Just as a beryl gem—beautiful, of fine quality, eight-faceted, of excellent workmanship—when placed on a brocade cloth, shines and beams and radiates,

evamevaṁ susimassa devaputtassa devaputtaparisā āyasmato sāriputtassa vaṇṇe bhaññamāne attamanā pamuditā pītisomanassajātā uccāvacā vaṇṇanibhā upadaṁseti.
In the same way, the gods of Susīma’s assembly generated a rainbow of bright colors.
so too the young devas in Susīma’s assembly … displayed diverse lustrous colours.

Seyyathāpi nāma nikkhaṁ jambonadaṁ dakkhakammāraputtaukkāmukhasukusalasampahaṭṭhaṁ paṇḍukambale nikkhittaṁ bhāsate ca tapate ca virocati ca;
Suppose there was a pendant of Black Plum River gold, fashioned by a deft smith, well wrought in the forge. When placed on a cream rug it would shine and glow and radiate.
And just as an ornament of finest gold—very skilfully burnished in a furnace by an adroit goldsmith—when placed on a brocade cloth, shines and beams and radiates,

Seyyathāpi nāma saradasamaye viddhe vigatavalāhake deve rattiyā paccūsasamayaṁ osadhitārakā bhāsate ca tapate ca virocati ca;
Suppose that in the autumn the heavens were clear and cloudless. At the crack of dawn, the Morning Star shines and glows and radiates.
And just as, when the night is fading, the morning star shines and beams and radiates,

Seyyathāpi nāma saradasamaye viddhe vigatavalāhake deve ādicco nabhaṁ abbhussakkamāno sabbaṁ ākāsagataṁ tamagataṁ abhivihacca bhāsate ca tapate ca virocati ca;
Suppose that in the autumn the heavens were clear and cloudless. As the sun is rising to the firmament, having dispelled all the darkness of space, shines and glows and radiates.
And just as in the autumn, when the sky is clear and cloudless, the sun, ascending in the sky, dispels all darkness from space as it shines and beams and radiates,

Atha kho susimo devaputto āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ ārabbha bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:
Then the god Susīma recited this verse about Venerable Sāriputta in the Buddha’s presence:
Then, with reference to the Venerable Sāriputta, the young deva Susīma recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:

“Paṇḍitoti samaññāto,
“He’s considered astute,
“He is widely known to be a wise man,

sāriputto akodhano;
Sāriputta, free of anger.
Sāriputta, who is free of anger;

Appiccho sorato danto,
Few in wishes, sweet, tamed,
Of few wishes, gentle, tamed,

satthuvaṇṇābhato isī”ti.
the seer shines in the Teacher’s praise!”
The seer adorned by the Teacher’s praise. ”

Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ ārabbha susimaṁ devaputtaṁ gāthāya paccabhāsi:
Then the Buddha replied to Susīma with this verse about Venerable Sāriputta:
Then the Blessed One, with reference to the Venerable Sāriputta, replied to the young deva Susīma in verse:

“Paṇḍitoti samaññāto,
“He’s considered astute,
“He is widely known to be a wise man,

sāriputto akodhano;
Sāriputta, free of anger.
Sāriputta, who is free of anger;

Appiccho sorato danto,
Few in wishes, sweet, tamed;
Of few wishes, gentle, tamed,

kālaṁ kaṅkhati sudanto”ti.
developed and well-tamed, he awaits his time.”
Developed, well tamed, he awaits the time. ”