sutta » sn » sn10 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 10.9

Paṭhamasukkāsutta

With the Nun Sukkā (1st) With the Nun Sukkā (1st)

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rajagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrel Sanctuary.

Tena kho pana samayena sukkā bhikkhunī mahatiyā parisāya parivutā dhammaṁ deseti.
Now, at that time the nun Sukkā was teaching Dhamma, surrounded by a large assembly.
Now on that occasion the bhikkhuni Sukka, surrounded by a large assembly, was teaching the Dhamma.

Atha kho sukkāya bhikkhuniyā abhippasanno yakkho rājagahe rathikāya rathikaṁ siṅghāṭakena siṅghāṭakaṁ upasaṅkamitvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imā gāthāyo abhāsi:
Then a native spirit was so devoted to Sukkā that he went from street to street and from square to square, and on that occasion recited these verses:
Then a yakkha who had full confidence in the bhikkhuni Sukka, going from street to street and from square to square in Rajagaha, on that occasion recited these verses:

“Kiṁ me katā rājagahe manussā,
“What’s up with these people in Rājagaha?
“What has happened to these people in Rajagaha?

Madhupītāva seyare;
They sleep like they’ve been drinking mead!
They sleep as if they've been drinking mead.

Ye sukkaṁ na payirupāsanti,
They don’t attend on Sukkā
Why don’t they attend on Sukka

Desentiṁ amataṁ padaṁ.
as she’s teaching the state free of death.
As she teaches the deathless state?

Tañca pana appaṭivānīyaṁ,
But the wise—
“But the wise,

Asecanakamojavaṁ;
it’s as if they drink it up,
as it were, drink it up—

Pivanti maññe sappaññā,
so irresistible, delicious, and nutritious,
That [Dhamma] irresistible, Ambrosial, nutritious—

Valāhakamiva panthagū”ti.
like travelers enjoying a cool cloud.”
As travellers do a cloud.