sutta » sn » sn11 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 11.12

Sakkanāmasutta

Sakka’s Names Sakka's Names

Sāvatthiyaṁ jetavane.
Near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove.
At Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove.

Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū etadavoca:
There the Buddha said to the mendicants:
There the Blessed One said to the bhikkhus:

“sakko, bhikkhave, devānamindo pubbe manussabhūto samāno magho nāma māṇavo ahosi, tasmā maghavāti vuccati.
“Mendicants, in a former life, when Sakka was a human being, he was a student named Magha. That’s why he’s called Maghavā.
“Bhikkhus, in the past, when Sakka, lord of the devas, was a human being, he was a brahmin youth named Magha; therefore he is called Maghavā.

Sakko, bhikkhave, devānamindo pubbe manussabhūto samāno pure dānaṁ adāsi, tasmā purindadoti vuccati.
In a former life, when Sakka was a human being, he was first to give gifts. That’s why he’s called Purindada the Firstgiver.
Bhikkhus, in the past, when Sakka, lord of the devas, was a human being, he gave gifts in city after city; therefore he is called Purindada, the Urban Giver.

Sakko, bhikkhave, devānamindo pubbe manussabhūto samāno sakkaccaṁ dānaṁ adāsi, tasmā sakkoti vuccati.
In a former life, when Sakka was a human being, he gave gifts ably. That’s why he’s called Sakka the Able.
Bhikkhus, in the past, when Sakka, lord of the devas, was a human being, he gave gifts considerately; therefore he is called Sakka.

Sakko, bhikkhave, devānamindo pubbe manussabhūto samāno āvasathaṁ adāsi, tasmā vāsavoti vuccati.
In a former life, when Sakka was a human being, he gave the gift of a guest house. That’s why he’s called Vāsava the Houser.
Bhikkhus, in the past, when Sakka, lord of the devas, was a human being, he gave a rest house; therefore he is called Vāsava.

Sakko, bhikkhave, devānamindo sahassampi atthānaṁ muhuttena cinteti, tasmā sahassakkhoti vuccati.
Sakka thinks of a thousand things in an hour. That’s why he’s called Sahassakkha the Thousand-Eyed.
Bhikkhus, Sakka, lord of the devas, thinks of a thousand matters in a moment; therefore he is called Sahassakkha, Thousand-eyed.

Sakkassa, bhikkhave, devānamindassa sujā nāma asurakaññā pajāpati, tasmā sujampatīti vuccati.
Sakka’s wife is the titan maiden named Sujā. That’s why he’s called Sujampati, Sujā’s Husband.
Bhikkhus, Sakka's wife is the asura maiden named Sujā; therefore he is called Sujampati, Sujā's husband.

Sakko, bhikkhave, devānamindo devānaṁ tāvatiṁsānaṁ issariyādhipaccaṁ rajjaṁ kāreti, tasmā devānamindoti vuccati.
Sakka rules as sovereign lord over the gods of the thirty-three. That’s why he’s called lord of gods.
Bhikkhus, Sakka, lord of the devas, exercises supreme sovereignty and rulership over the Tavatimsa devas; therefore he is called lord of the devas.

Sakkassa, bhikkhave, devānamindassa pubbe manussabhūtassa satta vatapadāni samattāni samādinnāni ahesuṁ, yesaṁ samādinnattā sakko sakkattaṁ ajjhagā.
In a former life, when Sakka was a human being, he undertook seven vows. And it was because of undertaking these that he achieved the status of Sakka.
Bhikkhus, in the past, when Sakka, lord of the devas, was a human being, he adopted and undertook seven vows by the undertaking of which he achieved the status of Sakka.

Katamāni satta vatapadāni?
What seven?
What were the seven vows?

Yāvajīvaṁ mātāpettibharo assaṁ,
As long as I live, may I support my parents.
‘As long as I live may I support my parents.’

yāvajīvaṁ kule jeṭṭhāpacāyī assaṁ,
As long as I live, may I honor the elders in the family.
‘As long as I live may I respect the family elders.’

yāvajīvaṁ saṇhavāco assaṁ,
As long as I live, may I speak gently.
‘As long as I live may I speak gently.’

yāvajīvaṁ apisuṇavāco assaṁ,
As long as I live, may I not speak divisively.
‘As long as I live may I not speak divisively.’

yāvajīvaṁ vigatamalamaccherena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvaseyyaṁ muttacāgo payatapāṇi vossaggarato yācayogo dānasaṁvibhāgarato,
As long as I live, may I live at home rid of the stain of stinginess, freely generous, open-handed, loving to let go, committed to charity, loving to give and to share.
‘As long as I live may I dwell at home with a mind devoid of the stain of stinginess, freely generous, open-handed, delighting in relinquishment, devoted to charity, delighting in giving and sharing.’

yāvajīvaṁ saccavāco assaṁ,
As long as I live, may I speak the truth.
‘As long as I live may I speak the truth.’

yāvajīvaṁ akkodhano assaṁ—sacepi me kodho uppajjeyya, khippameva naṁ paṭivineyyanti.
As long as I live, may I be free of anger, or should anger arise, may I quickly get rid of it.
‘As long as I live may I be free from anger, and if anger should arise in me may I dispel it quickly.’

Sakkassa, bhikkhave, devānamindassa pubbe manussabhūtassa imāni satta vatapadāni samattāni samādinnāni ahesuṁ, yesaṁ samādinnattā sakko sakkattaṁ ajjhagāti.
In a former life, when Sakka was a human being, he undertook seven vows. And it was because of undertaking these that he achieved the status of Sakka.
In the past, bhikkhus, when Sakka, lord of the devas, was a human being, he adopted and undertook these seven vows by the undertaking of which he achieved the status of Sakka.

Mātāpettibharaṁ jantuṁ,
A person who respects their parents,
When a person supports his parents,

kule jeṭṭhāpacāyinaṁ;
and honors the elders in the family,
And respects the family elders;

Saṇhaṁ sakhilasambhāsaṁ,
whose speech is gentle and courteous,
When his speech is gentle and courteous,

pesuṇeyyappahāyinaṁ.
and has given up divisiveness;
And he refrains from divisive words;

Maccheravinaye yuttaṁ,
who’s committed to getting rid of stinginess,
When he strives to remove meanness,

saccaṁ kodhābhibhuṁ naraṁ;
is truthful, and has mastered anger:
Is truthful, and vanquishes anger,

Taṁ ve devā tāvatiṁsā,
the gods of the thirty-three
The Tavatimsa devas call him

āhu sappuriso itī”ti.
say they really are a true person.”
Truly a superior person.”