sutta » kn » snp » vagga1 » Sutta Nipāta 1.10

Āḷavakasutta

With Āḷavaka

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā āḷaviyaṁ viharati āḷavakassa yakkhassa bhavane.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Āḷavī in the haunt of the native spirit Āḷavaka.

Atha kho āḷavako yakkho yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then the native spirit Āḷavaka went up to the Buddha, and said to him:

“nikkhama, samaṇā”ti.
“Get out, ascetic!”

“Sādhāvuso”ti bhagavā nikkhami.
Saying, “All right, sir,” the Buddha went out.

“Pavisa, samaṇā”ti.
“Get in, ascetic!”

“Sādhāvuso”ti bhagavā pāvisi.
Saying, “All right, sir,” the Buddha went in.

Dutiyampi kho …pe…
For a second time …

tatiyampi kho āḷavako yakkho bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
And for a third time the native spirit Āḷavaka said to the Buddha,

“nikkhama, samaṇā”ti.
“Get out, ascetic!”

“Sādhāvuso”ti bhagavā nikkhami.
Saying, “All right, sir,” the Buddha went out.

“Pavisa, samaṇā”ti.
“Get in, ascetic!”

“Sādhāvuso”ti bhagavā pāvisi.
Saying, “All right, sir,” the Buddha went in.

Catutthampi kho āḷavako yakkho bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
And for a fourth time the native spirit Āḷavaka said to the Buddha,

“nikkhama, samaṇā”ti.
“Get out, ascetic!”

“Na khvāhaṁ taṁ, āvuso, nikkhamissāmi.
“No, sir, I won’t get out.

Yaṁ te karaṇīyaṁ, taṁ karohī”ti.
Do what you must.”

“Pañhaṁ taṁ, samaṇa, pucchissāmi.
“I will ask you a question, ascetic.

Sace me na byākarissasi, cittaṁ vā te khipissāmi, hadayaṁ vā te phālessāmi, pādesu vā gahetvā pāragaṅgāya khipissāmī”ti.
If you don’t answer me, I’ll drive you insane, or explode your heart, or grab you by the feet and throw you to the far shore of the Ganges!”

“Na khvāhaṁ taṁ, āvuso, passāmi sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya yo me cittaṁ vā khipeyya hadayaṁ vā phāleyya pādesu vā gahetvā pāragaṅgāya khipeyya.
“I don’t see anyone in this world with its gods, Māras, and Brahmās, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans who could do that to me.

Api ca tvaṁ, āvuso, puccha yadākaṅkhasī”ti.
But anyway, ask what you wish.”

Atha kho āḷavako yakkho bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:
Then the native spirit Āḷavaka addressed the Buddha in verse:

“Kiṁ sūdha vittaṁ purisassa seṭṭhaṁ,
“What’s a person’s best wealth?

Kiṁ su suciṇṇaṁ sukhamāvahāti;
What brings happiness when practiced well?

Kiṁ su have sādutaraṁ rasānaṁ,
What’s the sweetest taste of all?

Kathaṁjīviṁ jīvitamāhu seṭṭhaṁ”.
The one they say has the best life: how do they live?”

“Saddhīdha vittaṁ purisassa seṭṭhaṁ,
“Faith here is a person’s best wealth.

Dhammo suciṇṇo sukhamāvahāti;
the teaching brings happiness when practiced well.

Saccaṁ have sādutaraṁ rasānaṁ,
Truth is the sweetest taste of all.

Paññājīviṁ jīvitamāhu seṭṭhaṁ”.
The one they say has the best life lives by wisdom.”

“Kathaṁ su tarati oghaṁ,
“How do you cross the flood?

kathaṁ su tarati aṇṇavaṁ;
How do you cross the deluge?

Kathaṁ su dukkhamacceti,
How do you get over suffering?

kathaṁ su parisujjhati”.
How do you get purified?”

“Saddhāya tarati oghaṁ,
“By faith you cross the flood,

appamādena aṇṇavaṁ;
and by diligence the deluge.

Vīriyena dukkhamacceti,
By energy you get past suffering,

paññāya parisujjhati”.
and you’re purified by wisdom.”

“Kathaṁ su labhate paññaṁ,
“How do you get wisdom?

kathaṁ su vindate dhanaṁ;
How do you earn wealth?

Kathaṁ su kittiṁ pappoti,
How do you get a good reputation?

kathaṁ mittāni ganthati;
How do you hold on to friends?

Asmā lokā paraṁ lokaṁ,
How do the departed not grieve

kathaṁ pecca na socati”.
when passing from this world to the next?”

“Saddahāno arahataṁ,
“One who is diligent and discerning

dhammaṁ nibbānapattiyā;
gains wisdom by wanting to learn,

Sussūsaṁ labhate paññaṁ,
having faith in the perfected ones,

appamatto vicakkhaṇo.
and the teaching for becoming extinguished.

Patirūpakārī dhuravā,
Being responsible, acting appropriately,

uṭṭhātā vindate dhanaṁ;
and working hard you earn wealth.

Saccena kittiṁ pappoti,
Truthfulness wins you a good reputation.

dadaṁ mittāni ganthati.
You hold on to friends by giving.

Yassete caturo dhammā,
A faithful householder

saddhassa gharamesino;
who has these four qualities

Saccaṁ dhammo dhiti cāgo,
does not grieve after passing away:

sa ve pecca na socati.
truth, principle, steadfastness, and generosity.

Iṅgha aññepi pucchassu,
Go ahead, ask others as well,

puthū samaṇabrāhmaṇe;
there are many ascetics and brahmins.

Yadi saccā damā cāgā,
See whether anything better is found

khantyā bhiyyodha vijjati”.
than truth, self-control, generosity, and patience.”

“Kathaṁ nu dāni puccheyyaṁ,
“Why now would I question

Puthū samaṇabrāhmaṇe;
the many ascetics and brahmins?

Yohaṁ ajja pajānāmi,
Today I understand

Yo attho samparāyiko.
what’s good for the next life.

Atthāya vata me buddho,
It was truly for my benefit

Vāsāyāḷavimāgamā;
that the Buddha came to stay at Āḷavī.

Yohaṁ ajja pajānāmi,
Today I understand

Yattha dinnaṁ mahapphalaṁ.
where a gift is very fruitful.

So ahaṁ vicarissāmi,
I myself will journey

Gāmā gāmaṁ purā puraṁ;
village to village, town to town,

Namassamāno sambuddhaṁ,
paying homage to the Buddha,

Dhammassa ca sudhammatan”ti.
and the natural excellence of the teaching!”

Āḷavakasuttaṁ dasamaṁ.