sutta » sn » sn11 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 11.18

Gahaṭṭhavandanāsutta

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

Sāvatthiyaṁ.
At Sāvatthī.
At Sāvatthī.

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

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

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

‘Evaṁ, bhaddantavā’ti kho, bhikkhave, mātali saṅgāhako sakkassa devānamindassa paṭissutvā sahassayuttaṁ ājaññarathaṁ yojetvā sakkassa devānamindassa paṭivedesi:
‘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:
‘Yes, lord,’ replied Mātali. He harnessed the chariot and informed Sakka,

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

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

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

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

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

sabbe bhummā ca khattiyā;
All the khattiyas reigning on earth,
as do all the aristocrats 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 who, is that spirit,
So what’s the name of the spirit

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

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

sabbe bhummā ca khattiyā;
All the khattiyas reigning on earth,
as do all the aristocrats 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 worship those endowed with virtue,
But I revere those accomplished in ethics,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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