Satthāravandanāsutta — Reader

Homage of the Teacher

Satthāravandanāsutta

Near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove. “Once upon a time, mendicants, Sakka, lord of gods, addressed his chariot handler Mātali, ‘My dear Mātali, harness the chariot with its team of a thousand thoroughbreds. We will go to a park and see the scenery.’ ‘Yes, lord,’ replied Mātali. He harnessed the chariot and informed Sakka,

Sāvatthiyaṁ jetavane. “Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo mātaliṁ saṅgāhakaṁ āmantesi: ‘yojehi, samma mātali, sahassayuttaṁ ājaññarathaṁ, uyyānabhūmiṁ gacchāma subhūmiṁ dassanāyā’ti. ‘Evaṁ, bhaddantavā’ti kho, bhikkhave, mātali saṅgāhako sakkassa devānamindassa paṭissutvā sahassayuttaṁ ājaññarathaṁ yojetvā sakkassa devānamindassa paṭivedesi:

‘Good fellow, the chariot with its team of a thousand thoroughbreds has been harnessed. Please go at your convenience.’ Then Sakka descended from the Palace of Victory, raised his cupped palms, and revered the Buddha. So Mātali the chariot handler addressed Sakka in verse:

‘yutto kho te, mārisa, sahassayutto ājaññaratho. Yassadāni kālaṁ maññasī’ti. Atha kho, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo vejayantapāsādā orohanto añjaliṁ katvā sudaṁ bhagavantaṁ namassati. Atha kho, bhikkhave, mātali saṅgāhako sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

‘Gods and men worship you, Vāsava. So what’s the name of the spirit that you worship, Sakka?’

‘Yañhi devā manussā ca, taṁ namassanti vāsava; Atha ko nāma so yakkho, yaṁ tvaṁ sakka namassasī’ti.

‘It’s the fully awakened Buddha, the Teacher of peerless name in this world with its gods— that’s who I worship, Mātali.

‘Yo idha sammāsambuddho, asmiṁ loke sadevake; Anomanāmaṁ satthāraṁ, taṁ namassāmi mātali.

Those in whom greed, hate, and ignorance have faded away; the perfected ones with defilements ended— they’re who I worship, Mātali.

Yesaṁ rāgo ca doso ca, avijjā ca virājitā; Khīṇāsavā arahanto, te namassāmi mātali.

The trainees who enjoy reducing suffering, diligently pursuing the training for getting rid of greed and hate, and going past ignorance—

Ye rāgadosavinayā, avijjāsamatikkamā; Sekkhā apacayārāmā, appamattānusikkhare;

they’re who I worship, Mātali.’ ‘Those who you worship seem to be the best in the world, Sakka. I too will worship

Te namassāmi mātalī’ti. ‘Seṭṭhā hi kira lokasmiṁ, ye tvaṁ sakka namassasi; Ahampi te namassāmi,

those who you worship, Sakka.’ After saying this, Maghavā the chief, king of gods, Sujā’s husband, having worshiped the Buddha,

ye namassasi vāsavā’ti. Idaṁ vatvāna maghavā, devarājā sujampati; Bhagavantaṁ namassitvā,

climbed into his chariot.”

pamukho rathamāruhī”ti.