Vatapadasutta — Reader

Vows

Vatapadasutta

At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, 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? As long as I live, may I support my parents.

Sāvatthiyaṁ. “Sakkassa, bhikkhave, devānamindassa pubbe manussabhūtassa satta vatapadāni samattāni samādinnāni ahesuṁ, yesaṁ samādinnattā sakko sakkattaṁ ajjhagā. Katamāni satta vatapadāni? Yāvajīvaṁ mātāpettibharo assaṁ,

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. 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.

yāvajīvaṁ kule jeṭṭhāpacāyī assaṁ, yāvajīvaṁ saṇhavāco assaṁ, yāvajīvaṁ apisuṇavāco assaṁ, yāvajīvaṁ vigatamalamaccherena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvaseyyaṁ muttacāgo payatapāṇi vossaggarato yācayogo dānasaṁvibhāgarato,

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. A child who respects their parents,

yāvajīvaṁ saccavāco assaṁ, yāvajīvaṁ akkodhano assaṁ—sacepi me kodho uppajjeyya, khippameva naṁ paṭivineyyanti. Sakkassa, bhikkhave, devānamindassa pubbe manussabhūtassa imāni satta vatapadāni samattāni samādinnāni ahesuṁ, yesaṁ samādinnattā sakko sakkattaṁ ajjhagāti. Mātāpettibharaṁ jantuṁ,

and honors the elders in the family, whose speech is gentle and courteous, and has given up backbiting; who’s committed to getting rid of stinginess,

kule jeṭṭhāpacāyinaṁ; Saṇhaṁ sakhilasambhāsaṁ, pesuṇeyyappahāyinaṁ. Maccheravinaye yuttaṁ,

is truthful, and has mastered anger: the gods of the thirty-three declare them to be a true person.”