Sudattasutta — Reader

With Sudatta

Sudattasutta

At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in the Cool Grove. Now at that time the householder Anāthapiṇḍika had arrived at Rājagaha on some business. He heard a rumor that a Buddha had arisen in the world.

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati sītavane. Tena kho pana samayena anāthapiṇḍiko gahapati rājagahaṁ anuppatto hoti kenacideva karaṇīyena. Assosi kho anāthapiṇḍiko gahapati: “buddho kira loke uppanno”ti.

Right away he wanted to go and see the Buddha, but he thought, “It’s too late to go and see the Buddha today. I’ll go and see him tomorrow.” He went to bed thinking of the Buddha. During the night he got up three times thinking it was morning.

Tāvadeva ca pana bhagavantaṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamitukāmo hoti. Athassa anāthapiṇḍikassa gahapatissa etadahosi: “akālo kho ajja bhagavantaṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamituṁ. Sve dānāhaṁ kālena bhagavantaṁ dassanāya gamissāmī”ti buddhagatāya satiyā nipajji. Rattiyā sudaṁ tikkhattuṁ vuṭṭhāsi pabhātanti maññamāno.

Then he approached the Sivaka Gate, and non-human beings opened it for him. But as he was leaving the city, light vanished and darkness appeared to him. He felt fear, terror, and goosebumps, and wanted to turn back. Then the invisible spirit Sivaka called out:

Atha kho anāthapiṇḍiko gahapati yena sivathikadvāraṁ tenupasaṅkami. Amanussā dvāraṁ vivariṁsu. Atha kho anāthapiṇḍikassa gahapatissa nagaramhā nikkhamantassa āloko antaradhāyi, andhakāro pāturahosi, bhayaṁ chambhitattaṁ lomahaṁso udapādi, tatova puna nivattitukāmo ahosi. Atha kho sivako yakkho antarahito saddamanussāvesi:

“A hundred elephants, a hundred horses, a hundred mule-drawn chariots, a hundred thousand maidens bedecked with jeweled earrings:

“Sataṁ hatthī sataṁ assā, Sataṁ assatarīrathā; Sataṁ kaññāsahassāni, Āmukkamaṇikuṇḍalā;

these are not worth a sixteenth part of a single forward stride! Forward, householder! Forward, householder!

Ekassa padavītihārassa, Kalaṁ nāgghanti soḷasiṁ. Abhikkama gahapati, abhikkama gahapati;

Going forward is better for you, not turning back!” Then darkness vanished and light appeared to Anāthapiṇḍika. His fear, terror, and goosebumps settled down. But for a second time, light vanished and darkness appeared to him. …

Abhikkamanaṁ te seyyo, no paṭikkamanan”ti. Atha kho anāthapiṇḍikassa gahapatissa andhakāro antaradhāyi, āloko pāturahosi, yaṁ ahosi bhayaṁ chambhitattaṁ lomahaṁso, so paṭippassambhi. Dutiyampi kho anāthapiṇḍikassa gahapatissa āloko antaradhāyi, andhakāro pāturahosi, bhayaṁ chambhitattaṁ lomahaṁso udapādi, tatova puna nivattitukāmo ahosi.

For a second time the invisible spirit Sivaka called out …

Dutiyampi kho sivako yakkho antarahito saddamanussāvesi: “Sataṁ hatthī sataṁ assā, …pe… Kalaṁ nāgghanti soḷasiṁ.

“… Going forward is better for you, not turning back!”

Abhikkama gahapati, abhikkama gahapati; Abhikkamanaṁ te seyyo, no paṭikkamanan”ti.

Then darkness vanished and light appeared to Anāthapiṇḍika. His fear, terror, and goosebumps settled down. But for a third time, light vanished and darkness appeared to him. …

Atha kho anāthapiṇḍikassa gahapatissa andhakāro antaradhāyi, āloko pāturahosi, yaṁ ahosi bhayaṁ chambhitattaṁ lomahaṁso, so paṭippassambhi. Tatiyampi kho anāthapiṇḍikassa gahapatissa āloko antaradhāyi, andhakāro pāturahosi, bhayaṁ chambhitattaṁ lomahaṁso udapādi, tatova puna nivattitukāmo ahosi.

For a third time the invisible spirit Sivaka called out …

Tatiyampi kho sivako yakkho antarahito saddamanussāvesi: “Sataṁ hatthī sataṁ assā, …pe… Kalaṁ nāgghanti soḷasiṁ.

“… Going forward is better for you, not turning back!”

Abhikkama gahapati, abhikkama gahapati; Abhikkamanaṁ te seyyo, no paṭikkamanan”ti.

Then darkness vanished and light appeared to Anāthapiṇḍika. His fear, terror, and goosebumps settled down. Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍika went to the Cool Grove and approached the Buddha. Now at that time the Buddha had risen at the crack of dawn and was walking mindfully in the open.

Atha kho anāthapiṇḍikassa gahapatissa andhakāro antaradhāyi, āloko pāturahosi, yaṁ ahosi bhayaṁ chambhitattaṁ lomahaṁso, so paṭippassambhi. Atha kho anāthapiṇḍiko gahapati yena sītavanaṁ yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami. Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā rattiyā paccūsasamayaṁ paccuṭṭhāya abbhokāse caṅkamati.

He saw Anāthapiṇḍika coming off in the distance. So he stepped down from the walking path, sat down on the seat spread out, and said to Anāthapiṇḍika, “Come, Sudatta.”

Addasā kho bhagavā anāthapiṇḍikaṁ gahapatiṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ. Disvāna caṅkamā orohitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Nisajja kho bhagavā anāthapiṇḍikaṁ gahapatiṁ etadavoca: “ehi, sudattā”ti.

Then Anāthapiṇḍika thought, “The Buddha calls me by name!” Smiling and elated, he bowed with his head to the Buddha’s feet and said to him, “Sir, I trust the Buddha slept well?” “A brahmin who is fully quenched always sleeps at ease.

Atha kho anāthapiṇḍiko gahapati, nāmena maṁ bhagavā ālapatīti, haṭṭho udaggo tattheva bhagavato pādesu sirasā nipatitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “kacci, bhante, bhagavā sukhamasayitthā”ti? “Sabbadā ve sukhaṁ seti, brāhmaṇo parinibbuto;

Sensual pleasures slip off them, they’re cooled, free of attachments. Since they’ve cut off all clinging, and removed the stress from the heart,

Yo na limpati kāmesu, sītibhūto nirūpadhi. Sabbā āsattiyo chetvā, vineyya hadaye daraṁ;

the peaceful sleep at ease, having found peace of mind.”

Upasanto sukhaṁ seti, santiṁ pappuyya cetasā”ti.

With Sudatta

Sudattasutta

“A hundred elephants, a hundred horses, a hundred mule-drawn chariots, a hundred thousand maidens bedecked with jeweled earrings:

“Sataṁ hatthī sataṁ assā, Sataṁ assatarīrathā; Sataṁ kaññāsahassāni, Āmukkamaṇikuṇḍalā;

these are not worth a sixteenth part of a single forward stride! Forward, householder! Forward, householder!

Ekassa padavītihārassa, Kalaṁ nāgghanti soḷasiṁ. Abhikkama gahapati, abhikkama gahapati;

For a second time the invisible spirit Sivaka called out …

Dutiyampi kho sivako yakkho antarahito saddamanussāvesi: “Sataṁ hatthī sataṁ assā, …pe… Kalaṁ nāgghanti soḷasiṁ.

“… Going forward is better for you, not turning back!”

Abhikkama gahapati, abhikkama gahapati; Abhikkamanaṁ te seyyo, no paṭikkamanan”ti.

Then darkness vanished and light appeared to Anāthapiṇḍika. His fear, terror, and goosebumps settled down. But for a third time, light vanished and darkness appeared to him. …

For a third time the invisible spirit Sivaka called out …

Tatiyampi kho sivako yakkho antarahito saddamanussāvesi: “Sataṁ hatthī sataṁ assā, …pe… Kalaṁ nāgghanti soḷasiṁ.

“… Going forward is better for you, not turning back!”

Abhikkama gahapati, abhikkama gahapati; Abhikkamanaṁ te seyyo, no paṭikkamanan”ti.

He saw Anāthapiṇḍika coming off in the distance. So he stepped down from the walking path, sat down on the seat spread out, and said to Anāthapiṇḍika, “Come, Sudatta.”

Sensual pleasures slip off them, they’re cooled, free of attachments. Since they’ve cut off all clinging, and removed the stress from the heart,

Yo na limpati kāmesu, sītibhūto nirūpadhi. Sabbā āsattiyo chetvā, vineyya hadaye daraṁ;

the peaceful sleep at ease, having found peace of mind.”

Upasanto sukhaṁ seti, santiṁ pappuyya cetasā”ti.