sutta » sn » sn10 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 10.12

Āḷavakasutta

With Āḷavaka Alavaka

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

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā āḷaviyaṁ viharati āḷavakassa yakkhassa bhavane.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Āḷavī in the haunt of the native spirit Āḷavaka.
On one occasion, the Blessed One was dwelling at Alavi, the haunt of the yakkha Alavaka.

Atha kho āḷavako yakkho yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then the native spirit Āḷavaka went up to the Buddha, and said to him:
Then the yakkha Alavaka approached the Blessed One and said to him:

“nikkhama, samaṇā”ti.
“Get out, ascetic!”
“Get out, ascetic!”

“Sādhāvuso”ti bhagavā nikkhami.
Saying, “All right, sir,” the Buddha went out.
“All right, friend,” the Blessed One said, and he went out.

“Pavisa, samaṇā”ti.
“Get in, ascetic!”
“Come in, ascetic.”

“Sādhāvuso”ti bhagavā pāvisi.
Saying, “All right, sir,” the Buddha went in.
“All right, friend,” the Blessed One said, and he went in.

Dutiyampi kho āḷavako yakkho bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
And for a second time the native spirit Āḷavaka said to the Buddha,
A second time the yakkha Alavaka said to the Blessed One:

“nikkhama, samaṇā”ti.
“Get out, ascetic!”
“Get out, ascetic!”

“Sādhāvuso”ti bhagavā nikkhami.
Saying, “All right, sir,” the Buddha went out.
“All right, friend,” the Blessed One said, and he went out.

“Pavisa, samaṇā”ti.
“Get in, ascetic!”
“Come in, ascetic.”

“Sādhāvuso”ti bhagavā pāvisi.
Saying, “All right, sir,” the Buddha went in.
“All right, friend,” the Blessed One said, and he went in.

Tatiyampi kho āḷavako yakkho bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
And for a third time the native spirit Āḷavaka said to the Buddha,
A third time the yakkha Alavaka said to the Blessed One:

“nikkhama, samaṇā”ti.
“Get out, ascetic!”
“Get out, ascetic!”

“Sādhāvuso”ti bhagavā nikkhami.
Saying, “All right, sir,” the Buddha went out.
“All right, friend,” the Blessed One said, and he went out.

“Pavisa, samaṇā”ti.
“Get in, ascetic!”
“Come in, ascetic.”

“Sādhāvuso”ti bhagavā pāvisi.
Saying, “All right, sir,” the Buddha went in.
“All right, friend,” the Blessed One said, and he went in.

Catutthampi kho āḷavako yakkho bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
And for a fourth time the native spirit Āḷavaka said to the Buddha,
A fourth time the yakkha Alavaka said to the Blessed One:

“nikkhama, samaṇā”ti.
“Get out, ascetic!”
“Get out, ascetic.”

“Na khvāhaṁ taṁ, āvuso, nikkhamissāmi.
“No, sir, I won’t get out.
“I won't go out, friend.

Yaṁ te karaṇīyaṁ taṁ karohī”ti.
Do what you must.”
Do whatever you have to do.”

“Pañhaṁ taṁ, samaṇa, pucchissāmi.
“I will ask you a question, ascetic.
“I'll ask you a question, ascetic.

Sace me na byākarissasi, cittaṁ vā te khipissāmi, hadayaṁ vā te phālessāmi, pādesu vā gahetvā pāragaṅgāya khipissāmī”ti.
If you don’t answer me, I’ll drive you insane, or explode your heart, or grab you by the feet and throw you to the far shore of the Ganges!”
If you won't answer me, I'll drive you insane or I'll split your heart or I'll grab you by the feet and hurl you across the Ganges.”

“Na khvāhaṁ taṁ, āvuso, passāmi sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya, yo me cittaṁ vā khipeyya hadayaṁ vā phāleyya, pādesu vā gahetvā pāragaṅgāya khipeyya.
“I don’t see anyone in this world with its gods, Māras, and Divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans who could do that to me.
“I do not see anyone in this world, friend, with its devas, Mara, and Brahma, in this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, its devas and humans, who could drive me insane or split my heart or grab me by the feet and hurl me across the Ganges.

Api ca tvaṁ, āvuso, puccha yadā kaṅkhasī”ti (…).
But anyway, ask what you wish.”
But ask whatever you want, friend.”

“Kiṁsūdha vittaṁ purisassa seṭṭhaṁ,
“What’s a person’s best wealth?
“What here is a man’s best treasure?

Kiṁsu suciṇṇaṁ sukhamāvahāti;
What brings happiness when practiced well?
What practised well brings happiness?

Kiṁsu have sādutaraṁ rasānaṁ,
What’s the sweetest taste of all?
What is really the sweetest of tastes?

Kathaṁjīviṁ jīvitamāhu seṭṭhan”ti.
The one they say has the best life: how do they live?”
How lives the one who they say lives best?”

“Saddhīdha vittaṁ purisassa seṭṭhaṁ,
“Faith here is a person’s best wealth.
“Faith Is here a man’s best treasure;

Dhammo suciṇṇo sukhamāvahāti;
The teaching brings happiness when practiced well.
Dhamma practised well brings happiness;

Saccaṁ have sādutaraṁ rasānaṁ,
Truth is the sweetest taste of all.
Truth is really the sweetest of tastes;

Paññājīviṁ jīvitamāhu seṭṭhan”ti.
The one they say has the best life lives by wisdom.”
One living by wisdom they say lives best.”

“Kathaṁsu tarati oghaṁ,
“How do you cross the flood?
“How does one cross over the flood?

kathaṁsu tarati aṇṇavaṁ;
How do you cross the deluge?
How does one cross the rugged sea?

Kathaṁsu dukkhamacceti,
How do you get over suffering?
How does one overcome suffering?

kathaṁsu parisujjhatī”ti.
How do you get purified?”
How is one purified?”

“Saddhāya tarati oghaṁ,
“By faith you cross the flood,
“By faith one crosses over the flood,

appamādena aṇṇavaṁ;
and by diligence the deluge.
By diligence, the rugged sea.

Vīriyena dukkhamacceti,
By energy you get past suffering,
By energy one overcomes suffering,

paññāya parisujjhatī”ti.
and you’re purified by wisdom.”
By wisdom one is purified.”

“Kathaṁsu labhate paññaṁ,
“How do you get wisdom?
“How does one gain wisdom?

kathaṁsu vindate dhanaṁ;
How do you earn wealth?
How does one find wealth?

Kathaṁsu kittiṁ pappoti,
How do you get a good reputation?
How does one achieve acclaim?

kathaṁ mittāni ganthati;
How do you hold on to friends?
How bind friends to oneself?

Asmā lokā paraṁ lokaṁ,
How do the departed not grieve
How does one not sorrow?”

kathaṁ pecca na socatī”ti.
when passing from this world to the next?”
When passing from this world to the next,

“Saddahāno arahataṁ,
“One who is diligent and discerning
If one is diligent and astute.

dhammaṁ nibbānapattiyā;
gains wisdom by wanting to learn,
From desire to learn one gains wisdom

Sussūsaṁ labhate paññaṁ,
having faith in the perfected ones,
Placing faith in the Dhamma of the arahants

appamatto vicakkhaṇo.
and the teaching for becoming extinguished.
For the attainment of Nibbana,

Patirūpakārī dhuravā,
Being responsible, acting appropriately,
“Doing what is proper, dutiful,

uṭṭhātā vindate dhanaṁ;
and working hard you earn wealth.
One with initiative finds wealth.

Saccena kittiṁ pappoti,
Truthfulness wins you a good reputation.
By truthfulness one wins acclaim;

dadaṁ mittāni ganthati;
You hold on to friends by giving.
Giving, one binds friends.

Asmā lokā paraṁ lokaṁ,
That’s how the departed do not grieve
When passing from this world to the next.”

evaṁ pecca na socati.
when passing from this world to the next.
That is how one does not sorrow

Yassete caturo dhammā,
A faithful householder
In whom dwell these four qualities—

saddhassa gharamesino;
who has these four qualities
The faithful seeker of the household life

Saccaṁ dhammo dhiti cāgo,
does not grieve after passing away:
Truth, Dhamma, steadfastness, generosity—

sa ve pecca na socati.
truth, principle, steadfastness, and generosity.
Does not sorrow when he passes on.

Iṅgha aññepi pucchassu,
Go ahead, ask others as well,
“Come now, ask others as well,

puthū samaṇabrāhmaṇe;
there are many ascetics and brahmins.
The many ascetics and brahmins,

Yadi saccā dhammā cāgā,
See whether anything better is found
Than truth, self-control, generosity, and patience.

khantyā bhiyyodha vijjatī”ti.
than truth, self-control, generosity, and patience.”
Whether there is found here anything better”

“Kathaṁ nu dāni puccheyyaṁ,
“Why now would I question
“Why now should I ask this question

puthū samaṇabrāhmaṇe;
the many ascetics and brahmins?
Of the many ascetics and brahmins?

Yohaṁ ajja pajānāmi,
Today I understand
“Today I have understood

yo attho samparāyiko.
what’s good for the next life.
The good pertaining to the future life.

Atthāya vata me buddho,
It was truly for my benefit
Indeed, for my sake the Buddha

vāsāyāḷavimāgamā;
that the Buddha came to stay at Āḷavī.
Came to reside at Alavi,

Yohaṁ ajja pajānāmi,
Today I understand
Today I have understood

yattha dinnaṁ mahapphalaṁ.
where a gift is very fruitful.
Where a gift bears great fruit.

So ahaṁ vicarissāmi,
I myself will journey
“I myself will travel about

Gāmā gāmaṁ purā puraṁ;
village to village, town to town,
From village to village, town to town,

Namassamāno sambuddhaṁ,
paying homage to the Buddha,
Paying homage to the Enlightened One

Dhammassa ca sudhammatan”ti.
and the natural excellence of the teaching!”
And to the excellence of the Dhamma.”

Indakavaggo paṭhamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Indako sakka sūci ca,

Maṇibhaddo ca sānu ca;

Piyaṅkara punabbasu sudatto ca,

Dve sukkā cīraāḷavīti dvādasa.

Yakkhasaṁyuttaṁ samattaṁ.
The Linked Discourses with Native Spirits are complete.