sutta » sn » sn11 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 11.20

Saṅghavandanāsutta

The Worship of the Saṅgha or Sakka's Worship Who Sakka Worships

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

Tatra kho …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 harnessed 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 bhikkhusaṅghaṁ namassati.
Then, bhikkhus, Sakka, lord of the devas, descending from the Vejayanta Palace, raised his joined hands in reverential salutation and worshipped the Saṅgha of bhikkhus.
Then Sakka descended from the Palace of Victory, raised his joined palms, and revered the mendicant Saṅgha.

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

‘Tañhi ete namasseyyuṁ,
‘It is these that should worship you—
‘It’s these who should worship you,

pūtidehasayā narā;
The humans stuck in a putrid body,
namely the humans stuck in their putrid bodies,

Nimuggā kuṇapamhete,
Those submerged inside a corpse,
sunk in a carcass,

khuppipāsasamappitā.
Afflicted with hunger and thirst.
stricken by hunger and thirst.

Kiṁ nu tesaṁ pihayasi,
Why then do you envy them,
Why then do you envy those

anāgārāna vāsava;
These who dwell homeless, Vāsava?
who are homeless, Vāsava?

Ācāraṁ isinaṁ brūhi,
Tell us about the seers’ conduct;
Relate the seers’ way of life,

taṁ suṇoma vaco tavā’ti.
Let us hear what you have to say.’
let us hear what you say.’

‘Etaṁ tesaṁ pihayāmi,
‘This is why I envy them,
‘This is why I envy the

anāgārāna mātali;
Those who dwell homeless, Mātali:
homeless, Mātali.

Yamhā gāmā pakkamanti,
Whatever village they depart from,
When they leave a village,

anapekkhā vajanti te.
They leave it without concern.
they proceed without concern.

Na tesaṁ koṭṭhe openti,
‘They do not keep their goods in storage,
They hoard no goods in storerooms,

na kumbhi na kaḷopiyaṁ;
Neither in a pot nor in a box.
nor in pots or baskets.

Paraniṭṭhitamesānā,
Seeking what has been prepared by others,
They seek food prepared by others,

tena yāpenti subbatā.
By this they live, firm in vows:
and, true to their vows, live on that.

Sumantamantino dhīrā,
Those wise ones who give good counsel,
The wise whose words are full of wisdom,

tuṇhībhūtā samañcarā;
Maintaining silence, of even faring.
live peacefully and quietly.

Devā viruddhā asurehi,
While devas fight with asuras
Gods fight with titans,

puthu maccā ca mātali.
And people fight with one another,
and mortals fight each other, Mātali.

Aviruddhā viruddhesu,
Among those who fight, they do not fight;
Not fighting among those who fight,

attadaṇḍesu nibbutā;
Among the violent, they are quenched;
extinguished among those who are armed,

Sādānesu anādānā,
Among those who grasp, they do not grasp:
not grasping among those who grasp:

te namassāmi mātalī’ti.
These are the ones whom I worship, Mātali.’
they’re who I worship, Mātali.’

‘Seṭṭhā hi kira lokasmiṁ,
‘Those whom you worship,
‘Those who you worship

ye tvaṁ sakka namassasi;
my lord Sakka, Are indeed the best in the world.
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, Vāsava.’
those who you worship, Vāsava.’

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

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

Bhikkhusaṅghaṁ namassitvā,
Having worshipped the Bhikkhu Saṅgha,
having worshipped the mendicant Saṅgha,

pamukho rathamāruhīti.
The chief, climbed into his chariot.”
climbed into his chariot.”

Dutiyo vaggo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Devā pana tayo vuttā,

daliddañca rāmaṇeyyakaṁ;

Yajamānañca vandanā,

tayo sakkanamassanāti.