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.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rajagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrel Sanctuary.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.

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

Atha kho sukkāya bhikkhuniyā abhippasanno yakkho rājagahe rathikāya rathikaṁ siṅghāṭakena siṅghāṭakaṁ upasaṅkamitvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imā gāthāyo abhāsi:
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:
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:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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