Mahālisutta — Reader

With Mahāli

Mahālisutta

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof. Then Mahāli the Licchavi went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him, “Sir, have you seen Sakka, lord of gods?”

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ. Atha kho mahāli licchavī yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho mahāli licchavī bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “Diṭṭho kho, bhante, bhagavatā sakko devānamindo”ti?

“I have, Mahāli.” “But surely, sir, you must have seen someone who looked like Sakka. For Sakka is hard to see.” “Mahāli, I understand Sakka. And I understand the things that he undertook and committed to, which enabled him to achieve the status of Sakka.

“Diṭṭho kho me, mahāli, sakko devānamindo”ti. “So hi nūna, bhante, sakkapatirūpako bhavissati. Duddaso hi, bhante, sakko devānamindo”ti. “Sakkañca khvāhaṁ, mahāli, pajānāmi sakkakaraṇe ca dhamme, yesaṁ dhammānaṁ samādinnattā sakko sakkattaṁ ajjhagā, tañca pajānāmi.

In a former life, when Sakka was a human being, he was a student named Magha. That’s why he’s called Maghavā, the Bounteous. In a former life, when Sakka was a human being, he gave gifts ably. That’s why he’s called Sakka, the Able. In a former life, when Sakka was a human being, he was first to give gifts. That’s why he’s called Purindada, the Firstgiver.

Sakko, mahāli, devānamindo pubbe manussabhūto samāno magho nāma māṇavo ahosi, tasmā maghavāti vuccati. Sakko, mahāli, devānamindo pubbe manussabhūto samāno sakkaccaṁ dānaṁ adāsi, tasmā sakkoti vuccati. Sakko, mahāli, devānamindo pubbe manussabhūto samāno pure dānaṁ adāsi, tasmā purindadoti vuccati.

In a former life, when Sakka was a human being, he gave the gift of a guest house. That’s why he’s called Vāsava, the Houser. Sakka thinks of a thousand needs in an hour. That’s why he’s called Sahassakkha, the Thousand-Eyed. Sakka’s wife is the titan maiden named Sujā. That’s why he’s called Sujampati, Sujā’s Husband.

Sakko, mahāli, devānamindo pubbe manussabhūto samāno āvasathaṁ adāsi, tasmā vāsavoti vuccati. Sakko, mahāli, devānamindo sahassampi atthānaṁ muhuttena cinteti, tasmā sahassakkhoti vuccati. Sakkassa, mahāli, devānamindassa sujā nāma asurakaññā pajāpati, tasmā sujampatīti vuccati.

Sakka rules as sovereign lord over the gods of the thirty-three. That’s why he’s called Devānaminda, the Lord of Gods. In a former life, when Sakka was a human being, he undertook seven vows. And it was because of undertaking these that he achieved the status of Sakka. What seven?

Sakko, mahāli, devānamindo devānaṁ tāvatiṁsānaṁ issariyādhipaccaṁ rajjaṁ kāreti, tasmā devānamindoti vuccati. Sakkassa, mahāli, devānamindassa pubbe manussabhūtassa satta vatapadāni samattāni samādinnāni ahesuṁ, yesaṁ samādinnattā sakko sakkattaṁ ajjhagā. Katamāni satta vatapadāni?

As long as I live, may I support my parents. As long as I live, may I honor the elders in the family. As long as I live, may I speak gently. As long as I live, may I not backbite.

Yāvajīvaṁ mātāpettibharo assaṁ, yāvajīvaṁ kule jeṭṭhāpacāyī assaṁ, yāvajīvaṁ saṇhavāco assaṁ, yāvajīvaṁ apisuṇavāco assaṁ,

As long as I live, may I live at home with heart rid of the stain of stinginess, freely generous, open-handed, loving to let go, committed to charity, loving to give and to share. As long as I live, may I speak the truth. As long as I live, may I be free of anger, or should anger arise, may I quickly get rid of it. In a former life, when Sakka was a human being, he undertook seven vows. And it was because of undertaking these that he achieved the status of Sakka.

yāvajīvaṁ vigatamalamaccherena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvaseyyaṁ muttacāgo payatapāṇi vossaggarato yācayogo dānasaṁvibhāgarato, yāvajīvaṁ saccavāco assaṁ, yāvajīvaṁ akkodhano assaṁ—sacepi me kodho uppajjeyya, khippameva naṁ paṭivineyyanti. Sakkassa, mahāli, devānamindassa pubbe manussabhūtassa imāni satta vatapadāni samattāni samādinnāni ahesuṁ, yesaṁ samādinnattā sakko sakkattaṁ ajjhagāti.

A child who respects their parents, and honors the elders in the family, whose speech is gentle and courteous, and has given up backbiting;

Mātāpettibharaṁ jantuṁ, kule jeṭṭhāpacāyinaṁ; Saṇhaṁ sakhilasambhāsaṁ, pesuṇeyyappahāyinaṁ.

who’s committed to getting rid of stinginess, is truthful, and has mastered anger: the gods of the thirty-three declare them to be a true person.”

Maccheravinaye yuttaṁ, saccaṁ kodhābhibhuṁ naraṁ; Taṁ ve devā tāvatiṁsā, āhu sappuriso itī”ti.