sutta » sn » sn4 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 4.20

Rajjasutta

Ruling Rulership

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu viharati himavantapadese araññakuṭikāyaṁ.
At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Kosalans, in a wilderness hut on the slopes of the Himalayas.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Kosalans in a small forest hut in the Himalayan region.

Atha kho bhagavato rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi:
Then as he was in private retreat this thought came to his mind,
Then, when the Blessed One was alone in seclusion, a reflection arose in his mind thus:

“sakkā nu kho rajjaṁ kāretuṁ ahanaṁ aghātayaṁ ajinaṁ ajāpayaṁ asocaṁ asocāpayaṁ dhammenā”ti?
“I wonder if it’s possible to rule legitimately, without killing or having someone kill for you; without conquering or having someone conquer for you; without sorrowing or causing sorrow?”
“Is it possible to exercise rulership righteously: without killing and without instigating others to kill, without confiscating and without instigating others to confiscate, without sorrowing and without causing sorrow?”

Atha kho māro pāpimā bhagavato cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
And then Māra the Wicked, knowing the Buddha’s train of thought, went up to him and said,
Then Māra the Evil One, having known with his own mind the reflection in the Blessed One’s mind, approached the Blessed One and said to him:

“kāretu, bhante, bhagavā rajjaṁ, kāretu, sugato, rajjaṁ ahanaṁ aghātayaṁ ajinaṁ ajāpayaṁ asocaṁ asocāpayaṁ dhammenā”ti.
“Rule, Blessed One! Rule, Holy One! Rule legitimately, without killing or having someone kill for you; without conquering or having someone conquer for you; without sorrowing or causing sorrow!”
“Venerable sir, let the Blessed One exercise rulership righteously: without killing and without instigating others to kill, without confiscating and without instigating others to confiscate, without sorrowing and without instigating others to cause sorrow. ”

“Kiṁ pana me tvaṁ, pāpima, passasi yaṁ maṁ tvaṁ evaṁ vadesi:
“But what do you see, Wicked One, that you say this to me?”
“But what do you see, Evil One, that you speak thus to me?”

‘kāretu, bhante, bhagavā rajjaṁ, kāretu sugato, rajjaṁ ahanaṁ aghātayaṁ ajinaṁ ajāpayaṁ asocaṁ asocāpayaṁ dhammenā’”ti?

“Bhagavatā kho, bhante, cattāro iddhipādā bhāvitā bahulīkatā yānīkatā vatthukatā anuṭṭhitā paricitā susamāraddhā.
“The Blessed One, sir, has developed and cultivated the four bases for psychic power, made them a vehicle and a basis, kept them up, consolidated them, and properly implemented them.
“Venerable sir, the Blessed One has developed and cultivated the four bases for spiritual power, made them a vehicle, made them a basis, stabilized them, exercised himself in them, and fully perfected them.

Ākaṅkhamāno ca, bhante, bhagavā himavantaṁ pabbatarājaṁ suvaṇṇaṁ tveva adhimucceyya suvaṇṇañca panassā”ti.
If he wished, the Blessed One need only determine that the Himalaya, king of mountains, was gold, and it would turn into gold.”
And, venerable sir, if the Blessed One wishes, he need only resolve that the Himalayas, the king of mountains, should become gold, and it would turn to gold. ”

“Pabbatassa suvaṇṇassa,
“Take a golden mountain,
“If there were a mountain made of gold,

jātarūpassa kevalo;
entirely of native gold, and double it—
Made entirely of solid gold,

Dvittāva nālamekassa,
it’s still not enough for one!
Not double this would suffice for one:

iti vidvā samañcare.
Knowing this, live a moral life.
Having known this, fare evenly.

Yo dukkhamaddakkhi yatonidānaṁ,
When a person has seen where suffering comes from
Who has seen the source whence suffering springs?

Kāmesu so jantu kathaṁ nameyya;
how could they incline towards sensual pleasures?
“How could a person incline to sensual pleasures

Upadhiṁ viditvā saṅgoti loke,
Realizing that attachment is a snare in the world,
Having known acquisition as a tie in the world,

Tasseva jantu vinayāya sikkhe”ti.
a person would train to remove it.”
A person should train for its removal. ”

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, realizing, “The Blessed One knows me, the Fortunate One knows me, ” sad and disappointed, disappeared right there.

Dutiyo vaggo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Pāsāṇo sīho sakalikaṁ,

Patirūpañca mānasaṁ;

Pattaṁ āyatanaṁ piṇḍaṁ,

Kassakaṁ rajjena te dasāti.