sutta » sn » sn11 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 11.3

Dhajaggasutta

The Banner’s Crest The Crest of the Standard

Sāvatthiyaṁ.
At Sāvatthī.
At Savatthi.

Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:
There the Buddha addressed the mendicants,
There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus:

“bhikkhavo”ti.
“Mendicants!”
“Bhikkhus!”

“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.
“Venerable sir,” they replied.
“Venerable sir!” those bhikkhus replied.

Bhagavā etadavoca:
The Buddha said this:
The Blessed One said this:

“Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, devāsurasaṅgāmo samupabyūḷho ahosi.
“Once upon a time, mendicants, a battle was fought between the gods and the titans.
“Bhikkhus, once in the past the devas and the asuras were arrayed for battle.

Atha kho, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo deve tāvatiṁse āmantesi:
Then Sakka, lord of gods, addressed the gods of the thirty-three:
Then Sakka, lord of the devas, addressed the Tavatimsa devas thus:

‘Sace, mārisā, devānaṁ saṅgāmagatānaṁ uppajjeyya bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā, mameva tasmiṁ samaye dhajaggaṁ ullokeyyātha.
‘Good sirs, when the gods are fighting, if you get scared or terrified, just look up at my banner’s crest.
‘Dear sirs, when the devas are engaged in battle, if fear or trepidation or terror should arise, on that occasion you should look up at the crest of my standard.

Mamañhi vo dhajaggaṁ ullokayataṁ yaṁ bhavissati bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā, so pahīyissati.
Then your fear and terror will go away.
For when you look up at the crest of my standard, whatever fear or trepidation or terror you may have will be abandoned.

No ce me dhajaggaṁ ullokeyyātha, atha pajāpatissa devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokeyyātha.
If you can’t see my banner’s crest, then look up at the banner’s crest of the Progenitor, king of gods.
If you cannot look up at the crest of my standard, then you should look up at the crest of the deva-king Pajapati's standard. For when you look up at the crest of his standard, whatever fear or trepidation or terror you may have will be abandoned.

Pajāpatissa hi vo devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokayataṁ yaṁ bhavissati bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā, so pahīyissati.
Then your fear and terror will go away.
If you cannot look up at the crest of the deva-king Pajapati's standard, then you should look up at the crest of the deva-king Varuna's standard.

No ce pajāpatissa devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokeyyātha, atha varuṇassa devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokeyyātha.
If you can’t see his banner’s crest, then look up at the banner’s crest of Varuṇa, king of gods.
For when you look up at the crest of his standard, whatever fear or trepidation or terror you may have will be abandoned. If you cannot look up at the crest of the deva-king Varuna's standard, then you should look up at the crest of the deva-king Isana's standard.

Varuṇassa hi vo devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokayataṁ yaṁ bhavissati bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā, so pahīyissati.
Then your fear and terror will go away.
For when you look up at the crest of his standard, whatever fear or trepidation or terror you may have will be abandoned.’

No ce varuṇassa devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokeyyātha, atha īsānassa devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokeyyātha.
If you can’t see his banner’s crest, then look up at the banner’s crest of Īsāna, king of gods.
Bhikkhus, for those who look up at the crest of the standard of Sakka, lord of the devas;

Īsānassa hi vo devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokayataṁ yaṁ bhavissati bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā, so pahīyissatī’ti.
Then your fear and terror will go away.’
or of Pajapati, the deva-king; or of Varuna, the deva-king;

Taṁ kho pana, bhikkhave, sakkassa vā devānamindassa dhajaggaṁ ullokayataṁ, pajāpatissa vā devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokayataṁ, varuṇassa vā devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokayataṁ, īsānassa vā devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokayataṁ yaṁ bhavissati bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā, so pahīyethāpi nopi pahīyetha.
However, when they look up at those banner’s crests their fear and terror might go away or it might not.
or of Isana, the deva-king, whatever fear or trepidation or terror they may have may or may not be abandoned.

Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?
For what reason?

Sakko hi, bhikkhave, devānamindo avītarāgo avītadoso avītamoho bhīru chambhī utrāsī palāyīti.
Because Sakka is not free of greed, hate, and delusion. He is fearful, scared, nervous, quick to flee.
Because Sakka, lord of the devas, is not devoid of lust, not devoid of hatred, not devoid of delusion; he can be timid, petrified, frightened, quick to flee.

Ahañca kho, bhikkhave, evaṁ vadāmi:
But, mendicants, I say this:
But, bhikkhus, I say this:

‘sace tumhākaṁ, bhikkhave, araññagatānaṁ vā rukkhamūlagatānaṁ vā suññāgāragatānaṁ vā uppajjeyya bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā, mameva tasmiṁ samaye anussareyyātha:
If you’ve gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut and you get scared or terrified, just recollect me:
If you have gone to a forest or to the foot of a tree or to an empty hut, and fear or trepidation or terror should arise in you, on that occasion you should recollect me thus:

“itipi so bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā”ti.
‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those who wish to train, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.’
‘The Blessed One is an arahant, perfectly enlightened, accomplished in true knowledge and conduct, fortunate, knower of the world, unsurpassed leader of persons to be tamed, teacher of devas and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One.’ For when you recollect me,

Mamañhi vo, bhikkhave, anussarataṁ yaṁ bhavissati bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā, so pahīyissati.
Then your fear and terror will go away.
bhikkhus, whatever fear or trepidation or terror you may have will be abandoned.

No ce maṁ anussareyyātha, atha dhammaṁ anussareyyātha:
If you can’t recollect me, then recollect the teaching:
If you cannot recollect me, then you should recollect the Dhamma thus:

“svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo sandiṭṭhiko akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhī”ti.
‘The teaching is well explained by the Buddha—apparent in the present life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.’
‘The Dhamma is well expounded by the Blessed One, directly visible, immediate, inviting one to come and see, applicable, to be personally experienced by the wise.’ For when you recollect the Dhamma,

Dhammañhi vo, bhikkhave, anussarataṁ yaṁ bhavissati bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā, so pahīyissati.
Then your fear and terror will go away.
bhikkhus, whatever fear or trepidation or terror you may have will be abandoned.

No ce dhammaṁ anussareyyātha, atha saṅghaṁ anussareyyātha:
If you can’t recollect the teaching, then recollect the Saṅgha:
If you cannot recollect the Dhamma, then you should recollect the Sangha thus:

“suppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho ujuppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho ñāyappaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho sāmīcippaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, yadidaṁ cattāri purisayugāni aṭṭha purisapuggalā esa bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, āhuneyyo pāhuneyyo dakkhiṇeyyo añjalikaraṇīyo anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassā”ti.
‘The Saṅgha of the Buddha’s disciples is practicing the way that’s good, sincere, systematic, and proper. It consists of the four pairs, the eight individuals. This is the Saṅgha of the Buddha’s disciples that is worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of greeting with joined palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world.’
‘The Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples is practising the good way, practising the straight way, practising the true way, practising the proper way; that is, the four pairs of persons, the eight types of individuals: this Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, the unsurpassed field of merit for the world.’ For when you recollect the Sangha,

Saṅghañhi vo, bhikkhave, anussarataṁ yaṁ bhavissati bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā, so pahīyissati.
Then your fear and terror will go away.
bhikkhus, whatever fear or trepidation or terror you may have will be abandoned.

Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?
For what reason?

Tathāgato hi, bhikkhave, arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vītarāgo vītadoso vītamoho abhīru acchambhī anutrāsī apalāyī’”ti.
Because the Realized One is free of greed, hate, and delusion. He is fearless, brave, bold, and stands his ground.”
Because, bhikkhus, the Tathagata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One is devoid of lust, devoid of hatred, devoid of delusion; he is brave, courageous, bold, ready to stand his place.”

Idamavoca bhagavā.
That is what the Buddha said.
This is what the Blessed One said.

Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:
Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:
Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this:

“Araññe rukkhamūle vā,
“In the wilderness, at a tree’s root,
“In a forest, at the foot of a tree,

suññāgāreva bhikkhavo;
or an empty hut, O mendicants,
Or in an empty hut, O bhikkhus,

Anussaretha sambuddhaṁ,
recollect the Buddha,
You should recollect the Buddha:

bhayaṁ tumhāka no siyā.
and no fear will come to you.
No fear will then arise in you.

No ce buddhaṁ sareyyātha,
If you can’t recollect the Buddha—
But if you cannot recall the Buddha,

lokajeṭṭhaṁ narāsabhaṁ;
the eldest in the world, the chief of men—
Best in the world, the bull of men,

Atha dhammaṁ sareyyātha,
then recollect the teaching,
Then you should recall the Dhamma,

niyyānikaṁ sudesitaṁ.
emancipating, well taught.
Emancipating, well expounded.

No ce dhammaṁ sareyyātha,
If you can’t recollect the teaching—
But if you cannot recall the Dhamma,

niyyānikaṁ sudesitaṁ;
emancipating, well taught—
Emancipating, well expounded,

Atha saṅghaṁ sareyyātha,
then recollect the Saṅgha,
Then you should recall the Sangha,

puññakkhettaṁ anuttaraṁ.
the supreme field of merit.
The unsurpassed field of merit.

Evaṁ buddhaṁ sarantānaṁ,
Thus recollecting the Buddha,
For those who thus recall the Buddha,

Dhammaṁ saṅghañca bhikkhavo;
the teaching, and the Saṅgha, mendicants,
The Dhamma, and the Sangha, bhikkhus,

Bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā,
fear and terror
No fear or trepidation

Lomahaṁso na hessatī”ti.
and goosebumps will be no more.”
will arise, Nor any grisly terror.