sutta » sn » sn11 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 11.13

Mahālisutta

Mahāli With Mahāli

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

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Vesali in the Great Wood in the Hall with the Peaked Roof.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof.

Atha kho mahāli licchavī yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho mahāli licchavī bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then Mahāli the Licchavi approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:
Then Mahāli the Licchavi went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,

“Diṭṭho kho, bhante, bhagavatā sakko devānamindo”ti?
“Venerable sir, has the Blessed One seen Sakka, lord of the devas?”
“Sir, have you seen Sakka, lord of gods?”

“Diṭṭho kho me, mahāli, sakko devānamindo”ti.
“I have, Mahāli.”
“I have, Mahāli.”

“So hi nūna, bhante, sakkapatirūpako bhavissati.
“Surely, venerable sir, that must have been one who looked like Sakka, lord of the devas; for Sakka, lord of the devas,
“But surely, sir, you must have seen someone who looked like Sakka.

Duddaso hi, bhante, sakko devānamindo”ti.
is difficult to see.”
For Sakka is hard to see.”

“Sakkañca khvāhaṁ, mahāli, pajānāmi sakkakaraṇe ca dhamme, yesaṁ dhammānaṁ samādinnattā sakko sakkattaṁ ajjhagā, tañca pajānāmi.
“I know Sakka, Mahāli, and I know the qualities that make for Sakka, by the undertaking of which Sakka achieved the status of Sakka. ”
“Mahāli, I understand Sakka. And I understand the things that he undertook and committed to, which enabled him to achieve the status of Sakka.

Sakko, mahāli, devānamindo pubbe manussabhūto samāno magho nāma māṇavo ahosi, tasmā maghavāti vuccati.
“Mahāli, 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.
In a former life, when Sakka was a human being, he was a brahmanical student named Magha. That’s why he’s called Maghavā.

Sakko, mahāli, devānamindo pubbe manussabhūto samāno sakkaccaṁ dānaṁ adāsi, tasmā sakkoti vuccati.
Mahāli, 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.
In a former life, when Sakka was a human being, he gave gifts ably. That’s why he’s called Sakka the Able.

Sakko, mahāli, devānamindo pubbe manussabhūto samāno pure dānaṁ adāsi, tasmā purindadoti vuccati.
Mahāli, in the past, when Sakka, lord of the devas, was a human being, he gave gifts considerately; therefore he is called Sakka.
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.

Sakko, mahāli, devānamindo pubbe manussabhūto samāno āvasathaṁ adāsi, tasmā vāsavoti vuccati.
Mahāli, in the past, when Sakka, lord of the devas, was a human being, he gave a rest house; therefore he is called Vāsava.
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.

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

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

Sakko, mahāli, devānamindo devānaṁ tāvatiṁsānaṁ issariyādhipaccaṁ rajjaṁ kāreti, tasmā devānamindoti vuccati.
Mahāli, Sakka, lord of the devas, exercises supreme sovereignty and rulership over the Tavatimsa devas; therefore he is called lord of the devas.
Sakka rules as sovereign lord over the gods of the Thirty-Three. That’s why he’s called Devānaminda the Lord of Gods.

Sakkassa, mahāli, devānamindassa pubbe manussabhūtassa satta vatapadāni samattāni samādinnāni ahesuṁ, yesaṁ samādinnattā sakko sakkattaṁ ajjhagā.
Mahāli, 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.
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.

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

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 respect the family elders.’
As long as I live, may I honor the elders in the family.

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 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.’
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.

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 from anger, and if anger should arise in me may I dispel it quickly.’
As long as I live, may I be free of anger, or should anger arise, may I quickly get rid of it.

Sakkassa, mahāli, devānamindassa pubbe manussabhūtassa imāni satta vatapadāni samattāni samādinnāni ahesuṁ, yesaṁ samādinnattā sakko sakkattaṁ ajjhagāti.
In the past, Mahāli, 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.
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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Taṁ ve devā tāvatiṁsā,
The Tavatimsa devas call hi
the gods of the Thirty-Three

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