sutta » sn » sn4 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 4.6

Sappasutta

A Serpent Serpent

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.

Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā rattandhakāratimisāyaṁ abbhokāse nisinno hoti, devo ca ekamekaṁ phusāyati.
Now at that time the Buddha was meditating in the open during the dark of night, while a gentle rain drizzled down.
Now on that occasion the Blessed One was sitting out in the open in the thick darkness of the night while it was drizzling.

Atha kho māro pāpimā bhagavato bhayaṁ chambhitattaṁ lomahaṁsaṁ uppādetukāmo mahantaṁ sapparājavaṇṇaṁ abhinimminitvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami.
Then Māra the Wicked, wanting to make the Buddha feel fear, terror, and goosebumps, manifested in the form of a huge serpent king and approached him.
Then Māra the Evil One … manifested himself in the form of a giant king serpent and approached the Blessed One.

Seyyathāpi nāma mahatī ekarukkhikā nāvā;
Its body was like a huge canoe carved from a single tree.
Like a huge boat made from a single tree trunk,

evamassa kāyo hoti.
so its body,

Seyyathāpi nāma mahantaṁ soṇḍikākiḷañjaṁ;
Its hood was like a large brewer’s sieve.
Like a large brewer’s sieve,

evamassa phaṇo hoti.
so its hood.

Seyyathāpi nāma mahatī kosalikā kaṁsapāti;
Its eyes were like those big bronze cups from Kosala.
Like the large bronze dishes of Kosala,

evamassa akkhīni bhavanti.
so its eyes.

Seyyathāpi nāma deve gaḷagaḷāyante vijjullatā niccharanti;
Its tongue flickered from its mouth like lightning flashes in a thunderstorm.
Like flashes of lightning emitted when the sky thunders,

evamassa mukhato jivhā niccharati.
so its tongue darting out from its mouth,

Seyyathāpi nāma kammāragaggariyā dhamamānāya saddo hoti;
The sound of its breathing was like the puffing of a blacksmith’s bellows.
Like the sound of a smith’s bellows filling with air,

evamassa assāsapassāsānaṁ saddo hoti.
so the sound of its breathing in and out,

Atha kho bhagavā “māro ayaṁ pāpimā” iti viditvā māraṁ pāpimantaṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:
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, ” addressed Māra the Evil One in verses:

“Yo suññagehāni sevati,
“A self-controlled sage frequents
“He who resorts to empty huts for lodging—

Seyyā so muni attasaññato;
empty buildings for lodging.
He is the sage, self-controlled.

Vossajja careyya tattha so,
It’s appropriate for such a person
He should live there, having relinquished all:

Patirūpañhi tathāvidhassa taṁ.
to live there after relinquishing.
That is proper for one like him.

Carakā bahū bheravā bahū,
Though there are lots of creepy crawlies,
“Though many creatures crawl about,

Atho ḍaṁsasarīsapā bahū;
and lots of flies and snakes,
Many terrors, flies, serpents,

Lomampi na tattha iñjaye,
they wouldn’t stir a hair
Stirs not a hair because of them.

Suññāgāragato mahāmuni.
of a great sage in that empty hut.
The great sage gone to his empty hut

Nabhaṁ phaleyya pathavī caleyya,
Though the firmament may split and the earth may quake,
“Though the sky might split, the earth quake,

Sabbepi pāṇā uda santaseyyuṁ;
and all creatures be stricken with fear;
And all creatures be stricken with terror,

Sallampi ce urasi pakappayeyyuṁ,
and even if an arrow’s aimed at their breast,
Though men brandish a dart at their breast,

Upadhīsu tāṇaṁ na karonti buddhā”ti.
the Buddhas take no shelter in attachments.”
The enlightened take no shelter in acquisitions. ”

Atha kho māro pāpimā “jānāti maṁ bhagavā, jānāti maṁ sugato”ti dukkhī dummano tatthevantaradhāyīti.
Then Māra the Wicked, thinking, “The Buddha knows me! The Holy One knows me!” miserable and sad, vanished right there.
Then Māra the Evil One … disappeared right there.