sutta » sn » sn11 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 11.18

Gahaṭṭhavandanāsutta

Who Sakka Worships The Worship of Householders or Sakka's Worship

Sāvatthiyaṁ.
At Sāvatthī.
At Sāvatthī.

Tatra …pe… etadavoca:
There the Blessed One said this:

“bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo mātaliṁ saṅgāhakaṁ āmantesi:
“Once upon a time, mendicants, Sakka, lord of gods, addressed his charioteer Mātali,
“Bhikkhus, once in the past Sakka, lord of the devas, addressed his charioteer Mātali thus:

‘yojehi, samma mātali, sahassayuttaṁ ājaññarathaṁ. Uyyānabhūmiṁ gacchāma subhūmiṁ dassanāyā’ti.
‘My dear Mātali, harness the chariot with its team of a thousand thoroughbreds. We will go to a park and see the scenery.’
‘Harness the chariot with its team of a thousand thoroughbreds, friend Mātali. Let us go to the park grounds to see the beautiful scenery.’

‘Evaṁ, bhaddantavā’ti kho, bhikkhave, mātali saṅgāhako sakkassa devānamindassa paṭissutvā sahassayuttaṁ ājaññarathaṁ yojetvā sakkassa devānamindassa paṭivedesi:
‘Yes, lord,’ replied Mātali. He harnessed the chariot and informed Sakka,
‘Yes, your lordship,’ Mātali the charioteer replied. Then he hamessed the chariot with its team of a thousand thoroughbreds and announced to Sakka, lord of the devas:

‘yutto kho te, mārisa, sahassayutto ājaññaratho.
‘Good sir, the chariot with its team of a thousand thoroughbreds has been harnessed.
‘The chariot has been harnessed, dear sir.

Yassadāni kālaṁ maññasī’ti.
Please go at your convenience.’
You may come at your own convenience.’

Atha kho, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo vejayantapāsādā orohanto añjaliṁ katvā sudaṁ puthuddisā namassati.
Then Sakka descended from the Palace of Victory, raised his joined palms, and revered the different quarters.
Then, bhikkhus, Sakka, lord of the devas, descending from the Vejayanta Palace, raised his joined hands in reverential salutation, and worshipped the different quarters.

Atha kho, bhikkhave, mātali saṅgāhako sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:
So Mātali the charioteer addressed Sakka in verse:
Then Mātali the charioteer addressed Sakka in verse:

‘Taṁ namassanti tevijjā,
‘Those proficient in the three Vedas worship you,
‘These all humbly worship you— those versed in the Triple Veda,

sabbe bhummā ca khattiyā;
as do all the aristocrats on earth,
All the khattiyas reigning on earth,

Cattāro ca mahārājā,
the four great kings,
The Four Great Kings

tidasā ca yasassino;
and the glorious thirty.
and the glorious Thirty—

Atha ko nāma so yakkho,
So what’s the name of the spirit
So who, is that spirit,

yaṁ tvaṁ sakka namassasī’ti.
that you worship, Sakka?’
O Sakka, to whom you bow in worship?’

‘Maṁ namassanti tevijjā,
‘Those proficient in the three Vedas worship me,
‘These all humbly worship me, those versed in the Triple Veda,—

sabbe bhummā ca khattiyā;
as do all the aristocrats on earth,
All the khattiyas reigning on earth,

Cattāro ca mahārājā,
the four great kings,
The Four Great Kings

tidasā ca yasassino.
and the glorious thirty.
and the glorious Thirty—

Ahañca sīlasampanne,
But I revere those accomplished in ethics,
But I worship those endowed with virtue,

cirarattasamāhite;
who have long trained in immersion,
Those long trained in concentration,

Sammāpabbajite vande,
who have rightly gone forth
Those who have properly gone forth

brahmacariyaparāyane.
committed to the spiritual life.
With the holy life their destination.

Ye gahaṭṭhā puññakarā,
I also worship those householders,
Those householders making merit,

sīlavanto upāsakā;
the ethical lay followers
The lay followers possessed of virtue

Dhammena dāraṁ posenti,
who make merit, Mātali,
Who righteously maintain a wife

te namassāmi mātalī’ti.
providing for a partner in a principled manner.’
I worship as well, Mātali.’

‘Seṭṭhā hi kira lokasmiṁ,
‘Those who you worship
‘Those are indeed the best in the world,

ye tvaṁ sakka namassasi;
seem to be the best in the world, Sakka.
whom you worship, my lord Sakka;

Ahampi te namassāmi,
I too will worship
I too will worship them—

ye namassasi vāsavā’ti.
those who you worship, Sakka.’
Those whom you worship, Vasava.’

Idaṁ vatvāna maghavā,
After saying this, Maghavā the chief,
Having given this explanation,

devarājā sujampati;
king of gods, Sujā’s husband,
The deva-king Maghavā, Sujā's husband,

Puthuddisā namassitvā,
having worshipped the quarters
Having worshipped the different quarters,

pamukho rathamāruhī”ti.
climbed into his chariot.”
The chief, climbed into his chariot.”