sutta » sn » sn9 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 9.7

Nāgadattasutta

With Nāgadatta

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

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā nāgadatto atikālena gāmaṁ pavisati, atidivā paṭikkamati.
Now at that time Venerable Nāgadatta had been entering the village too early and returning late in the day.
Now on that occasion the Venerable Nāgadatta had been entering the village too early and returning too 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 deity haunting that forest had sympathy for Nāgadatta, wanting what’s best for him. So they approached him wanting to stir him up, and recited these verses:
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:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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