sutta » sn » sn11 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 11.7

Nadubbhiyasutta

One Should Not Transgress Not Betray

Sāvatthiyaṁ.
At Savatthi.
At Sāvatthī.

“Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, sakkassa devānamindassa rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi:
“Bhikkhus, once in the past, when Sakka, lord of the devas, was alone in seclusion, the following reflection arose in his mind:
“Once upon a time, mendicants, as Sakka, lord of gods, was in private retreat this thought came to his mind,

‘yopi me assa supaccatthiko tassapāhaṁ na dubbheyyan’ti.
‘Though someone may be my sworn enemy, | should not transgress even against him.’
‘I should never betray even a sworn enemy.’

Atha kho, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo sakkassa devānamindassa cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya yena sakko devānamindo tenupasaṅkami.
Then, bhikkhus, Vepacitti, lord of the asuras, having known with his own mind the reflection in Sakka's mind, approached Sakka, lord of the devas.
And then Vepacitti, lord of titans, knowing Sakka’s train of thought, approached him.

Addasā kho, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo vepacittiṁ asurindaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ.
Sakka saw Vepacitti coming in the distance
Sakka saw Vepacitti coming off in the distance,

Disvāna vepacittiṁ asurindaṁ etadavoca:
and said to him:
and said to him,

‘tiṭṭha, vepacitti, gahitosī’ti.
‘Stop, Vepacitti, you're caught!’
‘Stop, Vepacitti, you’re caught!’

‘Yadeva te, mārisa, pubbe cittaṁ, tadeva tvaṁ mā pajahāsī’ti.
‘Dear sir, do not abandon the idea that just occurred to you.’
‘Dear sir, don’t give up the idea you just had!’

‘Sapassu ca me, vepacitti, adubbhāyā’ti.
‘Swear, Vepacitti, that you won't transgress against me.’
‘Swear, Vepacitti, that you won’t betray me.’

‘Yaṁ musā bhaṇato pāpaṁ,
‘Whatever evil comes to a liar,
‘Whatever bad things happen to a liar,

Yaṁ pāpaṁ ariyūpavādino;
Whatever evil to a reviler of noble ones,
or to someone who slanders the noble ones,

Mittadduno ca yaṁ pāpaṁ,
Whatever evil to a betrayer of friends,
or to someone who betrays a friend,

Yaṁ pāpaṁ akataññuno;
Whatever evil to one without gratitude:
or to someone who’s ungrateful,

Tameva pāpaṁ phusatu,
That same evil touches the one
the same bad things impact

Yo te dubbhe sujampatī’”ti.
Who transgresses against you, Suja's husband.’”
anyone who betrays you, Sujā’s husband.’”