sutta » sn » sn2 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 2.30

Nānātitthiyasāvakasutta

The Disciples of Various Monastics of Other Religions Various Sectarians

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

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

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, 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.
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.

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

“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 saw no evil,
Kassapa did not recognize evil

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.