sutta » sn » sn8 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 8.8

Parosahassasutta

Over a Thousand Over a Thousand

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ aḍḍhatelasehi bhikkhusatehi.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery, together with a large Saṅgha of 1,250 mendicants.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park, together with a great Saṅgha of bhikkhus, with , bhikkhus.

Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā bhikkhū nibbānapaṭisaṁyuttāya dhammiyā kathāya sandasseti samādapeti samuttejeti sampahaṁseti.
Now at that time the Buddha was educating, encouraging, firing up, and inspiring the mendicants with a Dhamma talk about extinguishment.
Now on that occasion the Blessed One was instructing, exhorting, inspiring, and gladdening the bhikkhus with a Dhamma talk concerning Nibbāna.

Te ca bhikkhū aṭṭhiṁ katvā manasi katvā sabbacetasā samannāharitvā ohitasotā dhammaṁ suṇanti.
And those mendicants were paying attention, applying the mind, concentrating wholeheartedly, and actively listening.
And those bhikkhus were listening to the Dhamma with eager ears, attending to it as a matter of vital concern, directing their whole mind to it.

Atha kho āyasmato vaṅgīsassa etadahosi:
Then Venerable Vaṅgīsa thought,
Then it occurred to the Venerable Vaṅgīsa:

“ayaṁ kho bhagavā bhikkhū nibbānapaṭisaṁyuttāya dhammiyā kathāya sandasseti samādapeti samuttejeti sampahaṁseti.
“The Buddha is educating, encouraging, firing up, and inspiring the mendicants with a Dhamma talk about extinguishment.
This Blessed One is instructing the bhikkhus with a Dhamma talk concerning Nibbāna.

Te ca bhikkhū aṭṭhiṁ katvā manasi katvā sabbacetasā samannāharitvā ohitasotā dhammaṁ suṇanti.
And those mendicants are paying attention, applying the mind, concentrating wholeheartedly, and actively listening.
And those bhikkhus are listening to the Dhamma with eager ears…”

Yannūnāhaṁ bhagavantaṁ sammukhā sāruppāhi gāthāhi abhitthaveyyan”ti.
Why don’t I extoll him in his presence with fitting verses?”
Let me extol the Blessed One to his face with suitable verses.”

Atha kho āyasmā vaṅgīso uṭṭhāyāsanā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then Venerable Vaṅgīsa got up from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his joined palms toward the Buddha, and said,
Then the Venerable Vaṅgīsa rose from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, and, raising his joined hands in reverential salutation towards the Blessed One, said to him:

“paṭibhāti maṁ, bhagavā, paṭibhāti maṁ, sugatā”ti.
“I feel inspired to speak, Blessed One! I feel inspired to speak, Holy One!”
An inspiration has come to me, Blessed One! An inspiration has come to me, Fortunate One!

“Paṭibhātu taṁ, vaṅgīsā”ti bhagavā avoca.
“Then speak as you feel inspired,” said the Buddha.
Then express your inspiration, Vaṅgīsa.

Atha kho āyasmā vaṅgīso bhagavantaṁ sammukhā sāruppāhi gāthāhi abhitthavi:
Then Vaṅgīsa extolled the Buddha in his presence with fitting verses:
Then the Venerable Vaṅgīsa extolled the Blessed One to his face with suitable verses

“Parosahassaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ,
“Over a thousand mendicants
“Over a thousand bhikkhus here

sugataṁ payirupāsati;
revere the Holy One
Attend upon the Fortunate One

Desentaṁ virajaṁ dhammaṁ,
as he teaches the immaculate Dhamma,
As he teaches the dust-free Dhamma,

nibbānaṁ akutobhayaṁ.
extinguishment, fearing nothing from any quarter.
Nibbāna inaccessible to fear.

Suṇanti dhammaṁ vimalaṁ,
They listen to the immaculate Dhamma
“They listen to the stainless Dhamma

sammāsambuddhadesitaṁ;
taught by the fully awakened Buddha;
Taught by the Perfectly Enlightened One.

Sobhati vata sambuddho,
the Buddha is so brilliant,
The Enlightened One indeed shines

bhikkhusaṅghapurakkhato.
at the fore of the mendicant Saṅgha,
Honoured by the Bhikkhu Saṅgha.

Nāganāmosi bhagavā,
Blessed One, your name is ‘Giant’,
“O Blessed One, your name is ‘Nāga, ’

isīnaṁ isisattamo;
seventh of the sages.
The best seer of the seers.

Mahāmeghova hutvāna,
You are like a great cloud
Like a great cloud bearing rain

sāvake abhivassati.
that rains on your disciples.
You pour down on the disciples.

Divāvihārā nikkhamma,
I’ve left my day’s meditation,
“Having emerged from his daytime abode

satthudassanakamyatā;
out of desire to see the teacher.
From a desire to behold the Teacher,

Sāvako te mahāvīra,
Great hero, your disciple Vaṅgīsa
Your disciple Vaṅgīsa, O great hero,

pāde vandati vaṅgiso”ti.
bows at your feet.”
Bows down in worship at your feet.

“Kiṁ nu te, vaṅgīsa, imā gāthāyo pubbe parivitakkitā, udāhu ṭhānasova taṁ paṭibhantī”ti?
“Vaṅgīsa, had you previously composed these verses, or did they spring to mind in the moment?”
“Had you already thought out these verses, Vaṅgīsa, or did they occur to you spontaneously?”

“Na kho me, bhante, imā gāthāyo pubbe parivitakkitā, atha kho ṭhānasova maṁ paṭibhantī”ti.
“They sprang to mind in the moment, sir.”
“I had not already thought out these verses, venerable sir; they occurred to me spontaneously.”

“Tena hi taṁ, vaṅgīsa, bhiyyoso mattāya pubbe aparivitakkitā gāthāyo paṭibhantū”ti.
“Well then, Vaṅgīsa, speak some more spontaneously inspired verses.”
“In that case, Vaṅgīsa, let some more verses, not already thought out, occur to you.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā vaṅgīso bhagavato paṭissutvā bhiyyoso mattāya bhagavantaṁ pubbe aparivitakkitāhi gāthāhi abhitthavi:
“Yes, sir,” replied Vaṅgīsa. Then he extolled the Buddha with some more spontaneously inspired verses, not previously composed:
“Yes, venerable sir, ” the Venerable Vaṅgīsa replied. Then he extolled the Blessed One with some more verses that had not been previously thought out:

“Ummaggapathaṁ mārassa abhibhuyya,
“Having overcome Māra’s devious path,
“Having overcome the deviant course of Māra’s path,

Carasi pabhijja khilāni;
you wander with hard-heartedness dissolved.
You fare having demolished barrenness of mind.

Taṁ passatha bandhapamuñcakaraṁ,
See him, the liberator from bonds, unattached,
Behold him, the releaser from bondage,

Asitaṁ bhāgaso pavibhajaṁ.
analyzing the teaching.
Unattached, dissecting into parts.

Oghassa nittharaṇatthaṁ,
You have explained in many ways
“For the sake of leading us across the flood

Anekavihitaṁ maggaṁ akkhāsi;
the path to cross the flood.
You declared the path with its many aspects.

Tasmiñce amate akkhāte,
The Seers of Truth stand unfaltering
The seers of Dhamma stand immovable

Dhammaddasā ṭhitā asaṁhīrā.
in the freedom from death you’ve explained.
In that Deathless declared by you.

Pajjotakaro ativijjha,
As the bringer of light who has pierced the truth,
“The light-maker, having pierced right through,

Sabbaṭṭhitīnaṁ atikkamamaddasa;
you’ve seen what lies beyond all realms.
Saw the transcendence of all stations;

Ñatvā ca sacchikatvā ca,
When you saw and realized this for yourself,
Having known and realized it himself,

Aggaṁ so desayi dasaddhānaṁ.
you taught it first to the group of five.
He taught the chief matter to the five.

Evaṁ sudesite dhamme,
When the Dhamma has been so well taught,
“When the Dhamma has been so well taught,

Ko pamādo vijānataṁ dhammaṁ;
how could those who know it be negligent?
What negligence is there for those who understand it?

Tasmā hi tassa bhagavato sāsane,
That’s why, being diligent, we should always train
Therefore, living diligent in the Blessed One’s Teaching,

Appamatto sadā namassamanusikkhe”ti.
respectfully in the Buddha’s teaching.”
One should always reverently train in it.