sutta » sn » sn11 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 11.20

Saṅghavandanāsutta

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

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

Tatra kho …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 harnessed 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 bhikkhusaṅghaṁ namassati.
Then Sakka descended from the Palace of Victory, raised his joined palms, and revered the mendicant Saṅgha.
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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ye tvaṁ sakka namassasi;
seem to be the best in the world, Sakka.
my lord Sakka, Are indeed the best in the world.

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

ye namassasi vāsavā’”ti.
those who you worship, Vāsava.’
Those whom you worship, Vāsava.’

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

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

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

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

Dutiyo vaggo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Devā pana tayo vuttā,

daliddañca rāmaṇeyyakaṁ;

Yajamānañca vandanā,

tayo sakkanamassanāti.