Candimasutta — Reader

The Moon

Candimasutta

At Sāvatthī. Now at that time the Moon God had been seized by Rāhu, lord of titans. Then the Moon God, recollecting the Buddha, at that time spoke this verse: “Homage to you, Buddha, hero!

Sāvatthinidānaṁ. Tena kho pana samayena candimā devaputto rāhunā asurindena gahito hoti. Atha kho candimā devaputto bhagavantaṁ anussaramāno tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi: “Namo te buddha vīratthu,

You’re free in every way. I’ve wandered into confinement: be my refuge!” Then the Buddha addressed Rāhu in verse concerning the Moon God:

vippamuttosi sabbadhi; Sambādhapaṭipannosmi, tassa me saraṇaṁ bhavā”ti. Atha kho bhagavā candimaṁ devaputtaṁ ārabbha rāhuṁ asurindaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

“The Moon God has gone for refuge to the Realized One, the perfected one. The Buddhas have compassion for the world— so Rāhu, release the Moon!”

“Tathāgataṁ arahantaṁ, candimā saraṇaṁ gato; Rāhu candaṁ pamuñcassu, buddhā lokānukampakā”ti.

Then Rāhu, having released the Moon, rushed to see Vepacitti, lord of titans and stood to one side, shocked and awestruck. Vepacitti addressed him in verse: “Why the rush? Rāhu, you released the Moon

Atha kho rāhu asurindo candimaṁ devaputtaṁ muñcitvā taramānarūpo yena vepacitti asurindo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā saṁviggo lomahaṭṭhajāto ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitaṁ kho rāhuṁ asurindaṁ vepacitti asurindo gāthāya ajjhabhāsi: “Kiṁ nu santaramānova, rāhu candaṁ pamuñcasi;

and came here looking like you’re in shock: why do you stand there so scared?” “My head would have exploded in seven pieces, I would have found no happiness in life,

Saṁviggarūpo āgamma, kiṁ nu bhītova tiṭṭhasī”ti. “Sattadhā me phale muddhā, jīvanto na sukhaṁ labhe;

if, when enchanted by the Buddha’s verse, I had not released the Moon.”

Buddhagāthābhigītomhi, no ce muñceyya candiman”ti.