sutta » sn » sn2 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 2.30

Nānātitthiyasāvakasutta

Various Sectarians The Disciples of Various Monastics of Other Religions

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
Thus have I heard.
So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrel Sanctuary.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.

Atha kho sambahulā nānātitthiyasāvakā devaputtā asamo ca sahali ca nīko ca ākoṭako ca vegabbhari ca māṇavagāmiyo ca abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ veḷuvanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu.
Then, when the night had advanced, a number of young devas, disciples of various sectarian teachers—Asama and Sahalī and Niṅka and Ākoṭaka and Vetambarī and Māṇavagāmiya—of stunning beauty, illuminating the entire Bamboo Grove, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, they paid homage to the Blessed One and stood to one side.
Then, late at night, several glorious gods lit up the entire Bamboo Grove. They were Asama, Sahalī, Niṅka, Ākoṭaka, Vetambarī, and Māṇavagāmiya, and all of them were disciples of various monastics of other religions. They went up to the Buddha, bowed, and stood to one side.

Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho asamo devaputto pūraṇaṁ kassapaṁ ārabbha bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:
Then, standing to one side, the young deva Asama spoke this verse referring to Pūraṇa Kassapa in the presence of the Blessed One:
Standing to one side, the god Asama recited this verse about Pūraṇa Kassapa in the Buddha’s presence:

“Idha chinditamārite,
“In injuring and killing here,
“In injuring and killing here,

Hatajānīsu kassapo;
In beating and extortion,
in beating and extortion,

Na pāpaṁ samanupassati,
Kassapa did not recognize evil
Kassapa saw no evil,

Puññaṁ vā pana attano;
Nor see any merit for oneself.
nor any merit for oneself.

Sa ve vissāsamācikkhi,
He indeed taught what is worthy of trust:
What he taught should truly be trusted,

Satthā arahati mānanan”ti.
That teacher deserves esteem. ”
he’s worthy of esteem as Teacher.”

Atha kho sahali devaputto makkhaliṁ gosālaṁ ārabbha bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:
Then the young deva Sahalī spoke this verse referring to Makkhali Gosāla in the presence of the Blessed One:
Then the god Sahalī recited this verse about the bamboo-staffed ascetic Gosāla in the Buddha’s presence:

“Tapojigucchāya susaṁvutatto,
“By austerity and scrupulousness, he attained complete self-restraint.
“Through fervent mortification in disgust of sin he became well restrained.

Vācaṁ pahāya kalahaṁ janena;
He abandoned contentious talk with people,
He gave up arguing with people.

Samosavajjā virato saccavādī,
Refrained from falsehood, a speaker of truth.
Refraining from false speech, he spoke the truth.

Na hi nūna tādisaṁ karoti pāpan”ti.
Surely such a one does no evil.
Surely such a man does no wrong!”

Atha kho nīko devaputto nigaṇṭhaṁ nāṭaputtaṁ ārabbha bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:
Then the young deva Niṅka spoke this verse referring to Nigaṇṭha Nātaputta in the presence of the Blessed One:
Then the god Niṅka recited this verse about the Jain ascetic of the Ñātika clan in the Buddha’s presence:

“Jegucchī nipako bhikkhu,
“A scrupulous discerning bhikkhu,
“Disgusted at sin, an alert mendicant,

Cātuyāmasusaṁvuto;
Well restrained by the four controls,
well restrained in the fourfold constraint;

Diṭṭhaṁ sutañca ācikkhaṁ,
Explaining what is seen and heard:
explaining what is seen and heard:

Na hi nūna kibbisī siyā”ti.
Surely, he could not be a sinner. ”
surely he can be no sinner!”

Atha kho ākoṭako devaputto nānātitthiye ārabbha bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:
Then the young deva Ākoṭaka spoke this verse referring to various sectarian teachers in the presence of the Blessed One:
Then the god Ākoṭaka recited this verse about various sectarian teachers in the Buddha’s presence:

“Pakudhako kātiyāno nigaṇṭho,
“Pakudhaka Kātiyāna and the Nigaṇṭha,
“Pakudhaka, Kātiyāna, and Nigaṇṭha,

Ye cāpime makkhalipūraṇāse;
Along with Makkhali and Pūraṇa:
as well as this bamboo-staffed ascetic and Pūraṇa:

Gaṇassa satthāro sāmaññappattā,
Teachers of companies, attained to ascetic stature:
Teachers of communities, attained ascetics,

Na hi nūna te sappurisehi dūre”ti.
They were surely not far from superior men. ”
surely they weren’t far from truly good men!”

Atha kho vegabbhari devaputto ākoṭakaṁ devaputtaṁ gāthāya paccabhāsi:
Then the young deva Vetambarī replied to the young deva Ākoṭaka in verse:
Then the god Vetambarī replied to the god Ākoṭaka in verse:

“Sahācaritena chavo sigālo,
“Even by howling along the wretched jackal
“Though the wretched jackal howls along,

Na kotthuko sīhasamo kadāci;
Remains a vile beast, never the lion’s peer.
it never equals the lion.

Naggo musāvādī gaṇassa satthā,
So though he be the teacher of a group, The naked ascetic, speaker of falsehood,
A naked liar with suspicious conduct,

Saṅkassarācāro na sataṁ sarikkho”ti.
Arousing suspicion by his conduct, Bears no resemblance to superior men. ”
though they teach a community, is not like the good.”

Atha kho māro pāpimā begabbhariṁ devaputtaṁ anvāvisitvā bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:
Then Māra the Evil One took possession of the young deva Vetambarī and recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:
Then Māra the Wicked took possession of the god Vetambarī and recited this verse in the Buddha’s presence:

“Tapojigucchāya āyuttā,
“Those engaged in austerity and scrupulousness,
“Those dedicated to mortification in disgust of sin,

pālayaṁ pavivekiyaṁ;
Those protecting their solitude,
safeguarding their seclusion,

Rūpe ca ye niviṭṭhāse,
And those who have settled on form,
attached to form,

devalokābhinandino;
Delighting in the world of devas:
they rejoice in the heavenly realm.

Te ve sammānusāsanti,
Indeed, these mortals instruct rightly
Indeed, those mortals give correct instructions

paralokāya mātiyā”ti.
In regard to the other world. ”
regarding the next world.”

Atha kho bhagavā “māro ayaṁ pāpimā” iti viditvā, māraṁ pāpimantaṁ gāthāya paccabhāsi:
Then the Blessed One, having understood, “This is Māra the Evil One, ” replied to Māra the Evil One in verse:
Then the Buddha, knowing that this was Māra the Wicked, replied to him in verse:

“Ye keci rūpā idha vā huraṁ vā,
“Whatever forms exist here or beyond,
“Whatever forms there are <j>in this world or the world beyond,

Ye cantalikkhasmiṁ pabhāsavaṇṇā;
And those of luminous beauty in the sky,
and those of shining beauty in the sky,

Sabbeva te te namucippasatthā,
All these, indeed, you praise, Namuci,
all of these you praise, Namuci,

Āmisaṁva macchānaṁ vadhāya khittā”ti.
Like bait thrown out for catching fish. ”
like bait tossed out for catching fish.”

Atha kho māṇavagāmiyo devaputto bhagavantaṁ ārabbha bhagavato santike imā gāthāyo abhāsi:
Then, in the Blessed One’s presence, the young deva Māṇavagāmiya recited these verses referring to the Blessed One:
Then the god Māṇavagāmiya recited this verse about the Buddha in his presence:

“Vipulo rājagahīyānaṁ,
“Vipula is called the best of mountains
“Of all the mountains of Rājagaha,

giri seṭṭho pavuccati;
Among the hills of Rājagaha,
Vipula’s said to be the best.

Seto himavataṁ seṭṭho,
Seta, the best of snow-clad mountains,
Seta is the best of the Himalayan peaks,

ādicco aghagāminaṁ.
The sun, the best of travellers in the sky.
and the sun, of travelers in space.

Samuddo udadhinaṁ seṭṭho,
“The ocean is the best body of water,
The ocean is the best of seas,

nakkhattānaṁva candimā;
The moon, the best of nocturnal lights,
and the moon, of lights that shine at night.

Sadevakassa lokassa,
But in this world together with its devas
But in all the world with its gods,

buddho aggo pavuccatī”ti.
The Buddha is declared supreme. ”
the Buddha is declared foremost.”

Nānātitthiyavaggo tatiyo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Sivo khemo ca serī ca,

Ghaṭī jantu ca rohito;

Nando nandivisālo ca,

Susimo nānātitthiyena te dasāti.

Devaputtasaṁyuttaṁ samattaṁ.
The Linked Discourses on Gods are complete.