sutta » sn » sn9 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 9.7

Nāgadattasutta

With Nāgadatta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā nāgadatto kosalesu viharati aññatarasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe.
On one occasion the Venerable Nāgadatta was dwelling among the Kosalans in a certain woodland thicket.
At one time Venerable Nāgadatta was staying in the land of the Kosalans in a certain forest grove.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā nāgadatto atikālena gāmaṁ pavisati, atidivā paṭikkamati.
Now on that occasion the Venerable Nāgadatta had been entering the village too early and returning too late in the day.
Now at that time Venerable Nāgadatta had been entering the village too early and returning late in the day.

Atha kho yā tasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe adhivatthā devatā āyasmato nāgadattassa anukampikā atthakāmā āyasmantaṁ nāgadattaṁ saṁvejetukāmā yenāyasmā nāgadatto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ nāgadattaṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:
Then the devatā that inhabited that woodland thicket, having compassion for the Venerable Nāgadatta, desiring his good, desiring to stir up a sense of urgency in him, approached him and addressed him in verses:
Then the deity haunting that forest had compassion for Nāgadatta, wanting what’s best for him. So they approached him wanting to stir him up, and recited these verses:

“Kāle pavisa nāgadatta,
Entering the village early, Nāgadatta associates too closely with lay folk, Sharing their happiness and suffering.
“Entering too early,

Divā ca āgantvā ativelacārī;
Returning late in the day,
and returning after spending too much of the day,

Saṁsaṭṭho gahaṭṭhehi,
Nāgadatta associates too closely with lay folk,
Nāgadatta mixes with lay people,

Samānasukhadukkho.
Sharing their happiness and suffering.
sharing their joys and sorrows.

Bhāyāmi nāgadattaṁ suppagabbhaṁ,
I am afraid for Nāgadatta,
I’m afraid for Nāgadatta; he’s so reckless

Kulesu vinibaddhaṁ;
So impudent, bound to families.
in his attachment to families.

Mā heva maccurañño balavato,
Do not come under the End-maker’s control,
May he not come under the King of Death’s power,

Antakassa vasaṁ upesī”ti.
[In the grip] of the powerful King of Death.
under the sway of the terminator!”

Atha kho āyasmā nāgadatto tāya devatāya saṁvejito saṁvegamāpādīti.
Then the Venerable Nāgadatta, stirred up by that deity, acquired a sense of urgency
Impelled by that deity, Venerable Nāgadatta was struck with a sense of urgency.