sutta » sn » sn9 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 9.9

Vajjiputtasutta

A Vajjian prince A Vajji

Ekaṁ samayaṁ aññataro vajjiputtako bhikkhu vesāliyaṁ viharati aññatarasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe.
On one occasion a certain bhikkhu, a Vajjian prince, was dwelling at Vesālī in a certain woodland thicket.
At one time a certain Vajjian mendicant was staying near Vesālī in a certain forest grove.

Tena kho pana samayena vesāliyaṁ vajjiputtako sabbaratticāro hoti.
Now on that occasion an all-night festival was being held in Vesālī.
Now at that time the Vajjis were holding an all-night event in Vesālī.

Atha kho so bhikkhu vesāliyā tūriyatāḷitavāditanigghosasaddaṁ sutvā paridevamāno tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:
Then that bhikkhu, lamenting as he heard the clamour of instruments, gongs, and music coming from Vesālī, on that occasion recited this verse:
Then that mendicant, groaning at the noise of musical instruments being beaten and played, on that occasion recited this verse:

“Ekakā mayaṁ araññe viharāma,
“We dwell in the forest all alone
“We dwell alone in the wilderness,

Apaviddhaṁva vanasmiṁ dārukaṁ;
Like a log rejected in the woods.
like a cast-off log in the forest.

Etādisikāya rattiyā,
On such a splendid night as this
On a night like this,

Ko su nāmamhehi pāpiyo”ti.
Who is there worse off than us?”
who’s worse off than me?”

Atha kho yā tasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe adhivatthā devatā tassa bhikkhuno anukampikā atthakāmā taṁ bhikkhuṁ saṁvejetukāmā yena so bhikkhu tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ bhikkhuṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:
Then the devatā that inhabited that woodland thicket, having compassion for that bhikkhu, desiring his good, desiring to stir up a sense of urgency in him, approached him and addressed him in verse:
The deity haunting that forest had compassion for that mendicant, and wanted what’s best for them. So they approached that mendicant wanting to stir them up, and addressed them in verse:

“Ekakova tvaṁ araññe viharasi,
“As you dwell in the forest all alone
“You dwell alone in the wilderness,

Apaviddhaṁva vanasmiṁ dārukaṁ;
Like a log rejected in the woods,
like a cast-off log in the forest.

Tassa te bahukā pihayanti,
Many are those who envy you,
Lots of people are jealous of you,

Nerayikā viya saggagāminan”ti.
As hell-beings envy those going to heaven.”
like beings in hell of those going to heaven.”

Atha kho so bhikkhu tāya devatāya saṁvejito saṁvegamāpādīti.
Then that bhikkhu, stirred up by that devatā, acquired a sense of urgency.
Impelled by that deity, that mendicant was struck with a sense of urgency.