sutta » sn » sn10 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 10.1

Indakasutta

With Indaka With Indaka

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
So I have heard.
Thus have I heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati indakūṭe pabbate, indakassa yakkhassa bhavane.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha on Mount Indra’s Peak, the haunt of the native spirit Indaka.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha on Mount Inda’s Peak, the haunt of the yakkha Indaka.

Atha kho indako yakkho yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:
Then the native spirit Indaka went up to the Buddha, and addressed him in verse:
Then the yakkha Indaka approached the Blessed One and addressed him in verse:

“Rūpaṁ na jīvanti vadanti buddhā,
“The Buddhas say that form is not the soul.
“As the Buddhas say that form is not the soul,

Kathaṁ nvayaṁ vindatimaṁ sarīraṁ;
Then how does this body manifest?
How then does one obtain this body?

Kutassa aṭṭhīyakapiṇḍameti,
Where do the bones and liver come from?
From where do one’s bones and liver come?

Kathaṁ nvayaṁ sajjati gabbharasmin”ti.
And how does one cling on in the womb?”
How is one begotten in the womb?”

“Paṭhamaṁ kalalaṁ hoti,
“First there’s a drop of coagulate;
“First there is the kalala;

kalalā hoti abbudaṁ;
from there a little bud appears;
From the kalala comes the abbuda;

Abbudā jāyate pesi,
next it becomes a piece of flesh;
From the abbuda the pesī is produced;

pesi nibbattatī ghano;
which produces a swelling.
From the pesī the ghana arises;

Ghanā pasākhā jāyanti,
From that swelling the limbs appear,
From the ghana emerge the limbs,

kesā lomā nakhāpi ca.
the head hair, body hair, and nails.
The head-hair, body-hair, and nails.

Yañcassa bhuñjatī mātā,
And whatever the mother eats—
And whatever food the mother eats—

annaṁ pānañca bhojanaṁ;
the food and drink that she consumes—
The meals and drink that she consumes—

Tena so tattha yāpeti,
nourishes them there,
By this the being there is maintained,

mātukucchigato naro”ti.
the person in the mother’s womb.”
The person inside the mother’s womb.”