Samuddakasutta — Reader

Seers by the Ocean

Samuddakasutta

At Sāvatthī. “Once upon a time, mendicants, several seers who were ethical, of good character, settled in leaf huts on the ocean shore. Now at that time a battle was fought between the gods and the titans. Then the seers thought,

Sāvatthiyaṁ. “Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, sambahulā isayo sīlavanto kalyāṇadhammā samuddatīre paṇṇakuṭīsu sammanti. Tena kho pana samayena devāsurasaṅgāmo samupabyūḷho ahosi. Atha kho, bhikkhave, tesaṁ isīnaṁ sīlavantānaṁ kalyāṇadhammānaṁ etadahosi:

‘The gods are principled, the titans are unprincipled. We may be at risk from the titans. Why don’t we approach Sambara, lord of titans, and beg him for a pledge of safety?’ Then, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, those seers vanished from those leaf huts on the ocean shore and reappeared in Sambara’s presence.

‘dhammikā kho devā, adhammikā asurā. Siyāpi no asurato bhayaṁ. Yannūna mayaṁ sambaraṁ asurindaṁ upasaṅkamitvā abhayadakkhiṇaṁ yāceyyāmā’ti. Atha kho, bhikkhave, te isayo sīlavanto kalyāṇadhammā—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evameva—samuddatīre paṇṇakuṭīsu antarahitā sambarassa asurindassa sammukhe pāturahesuṁ.

Then those seers addressed Sambara in verse: ‘The seers have come to Sambara to beg for a pledge of safety. For you can give them what you wish,

Atha kho, bhikkhave, te isayo sīlavanto kalyāṇadhammā sambaraṁ asurindaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsiṁsu: ‘Isayo sambaraṁ pattā, yācanti abhayadakkhiṇaṁ; Kāmaṅkaro hi te dātuṁ,

whether danger or safety.’ ‘There is no safety for seers, the hated associates of Sakka! Though you beg me for your safety,

bhayassa abhayassa vā’ti. ‘Isīnaṁ abhayaṁ natthi, duṭṭhānaṁ sakkasevinaṁ; Abhayaṁ yācamānānaṁ,

I’ll only give you fear!’ ‘Though we beg you for our safety, you give us only fear. This is what we get from you:

bhayameva dadāmi vo’ti. ‘Abhayaṁ yācamānānaṁ, bhayameva dadāsi no; Paṭiggaṇhāma te etaṁ,

may endless peril come to you! Whatever kind of seed you sow, that is the fruit you reap. A doer of good gets good,

akkhayaṁ hotu te bhayaṁ. Yādisaṁ vapate bījaṁ, tādisaṁ harate phalaṁ; Kalyāṇakārī kalyāṇaṁ,

a doer of bad gets bad. You, my dear, have sown your own seed, now you’ll experience the fruit.’ Then those seers, having cursed Sambara, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, vanished from Sambara’s presence and reappeared in those leaf huts on the ocean shore.

pāpakārī ca pāpakaṁ; Pavuttaṁ tāta te bījaṁ, phalaṁ paccanubhossasī’ti. Atha kho, bhikkhave, te isayo sīlavanto kalyāṇadhammā sambaraṁ asurindaṁ abhisapitvā—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evameva—sambarassa asurindassa sammukhe antarahitā samuddatīre paṇṇakuṭīsu pāturahesuṁ.

But after being cursed by the seers, Sambara woke in alarm three times that night.”

Atha kho, bhikkhave, sambaro asurindo tehi isīhi sīlavantehi kalyāṇadhammehi abhisapito rattiyā sudaṁ tikkhattuṁ ubbijjī”ti. Paṭhamo vaggo. Tassuddānaṁ Suvīraṁ susīmañceva,

dhajaggaṁ vepacittino; Subhāsitaṁ jayañceva, kulāvakaṁ nadubbhiyaṁ; Verocana asurindo,

isayo araññakañceva; Isayo ca samuddakāti.