SN 1–11 The Group of Connected Discourses With Verses – Sagāthāvaggasaṁyutta > SN 7 Connected Discourses with Brahmins – Brāhmaṇasaṁyutta > SN 7.13 With Devahita

Linked Discourses 7.13 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 7.13

2. Lay Followers – 2. Upāsakavagga

SN 7.13 With Devahita – Devahitasutta

At Sāvatthī.

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Now at that time the Buddha was afflicted by winds.

Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā vātehābādhiko hoti;

Venerable Upavāṇa was his carer.

āyasmā ca upavāṇo bhagavato upaṭṭhāko hoti.

Then the Buddha said to Upavāṇa,

Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ upavāṇaṁ āmantesi:

“Please, Upavāṇa, find some hot water for me.”

“iṅgha me tvaṁ, upavāṇa, uṇhodakaṁ jānāhī”ti.

“Yes, sir,” replied Upavāṇa. He robed up, and, taking his bowl and robe, went to the home of the brahmin Devahita, and stood silently to one side.

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā upavāṇo bhagavato paṭissutvā nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena devahitassa brāhmaṇassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā tuṇhībhūto ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi.

Devahita saw him standing there

Addasā kho devahito brāhmaṇo āyasmantaṁ upavāṇaṁ tuṇhībhūtaṁ ekamantaṁ ṭhitaṁ.

and addressed him in verse:

Disvāna āyasmantaṁ upavāṇaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

“Silent stands the Master,

“Tuṇhībhūto bhavaṁ tiṭṭhaṁ,

shaven, wrapped in his outer robe.

muṇḍo saṅghāṭipāruto;

What do you want? What are you looking for?

Kiṁ patthayāno kiṁ esaṁ,

What have you come here to ask for?”

kiṁ nu yācitumāgato”ti.

“The perfected one, the Holy One in the world,

“Arahaṁ sugato loke,

the sage is afflicted by winds.

vātehābādhiko muni;

If there’s hot water,

Sace uṇhodakaṁ atthi,

give it to the sage, brahmin.

munino dehi brāhmaṇa.

I wish to bring it to the one

Pūjito pūjaneyyānaṁ,

who is esteemed by the estimable,

sakkareyyāna sakkato;

honored by the honorable,

Apacito apaceyyānaṁ,

venerated by the venerable.”

tassa icchāmi hātave”ti.

Then Devahita had a man fetch a carrying-pole with hot water. He also presented Upavāṇa with a jar of molasses.

Atha kho devahito brāhmaṇo uṇhodakassa kājaṁ purisena gāhāpetvā phāṇitassa ca puṭaṁ āyasmato upavāṇassa pādāsi.

Then Venerable Upavāṇa went up to the Buddha and bathed him with the hot water. Then he stirred molasses into hot water and presented it to the Buddha.

Atha kho āyasmā upavāṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ uṇhodakena nhāpetvā uṇhodakena phāṇitaṁ āloletvā bhagavato pādāsi.

Then the Buddha’s illness died down.

Atha kho bhagavato ābādho paṭippassambhi.

Then the brahmin Devahita went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him.

Atha kho devahito brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi.

When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side,

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.

and addressed the Buddha in verse:

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho devahito brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

“Where should you give an available gift?

“Kattha dajjā deyyadhammaṁ,

Where is a gift very fruitful?

kattha dinnaṁ mahapphalaṁ;

How does one who is donating

Kathañhi yajamānassa,

ensure the success of their religious donation?”

kathaṁ ijjhati dakkhiṇā”ti.

“One who knows their past lives,

“Pubbenivāsaṁ yo vedī,

and sees heaven and places of loss,

saggāpāyañca passati;

and has attained the ending of rebirth,

Atho jātikkhayaṁ patto,

that sage has perfect insight.

abhiññāvosito muni.

Here you should give an available gift;

Ettha dajjā deyyadhammaṁ,

what’s given here is very fruitful.

ettha dinnaṁ mahapphalaṁ;

That’s how a sponsor of sacrifices

Evañhi yajamānassa,

ensures the success of their religious donation.”

evaṁ ijjhati dakkhiṇā”ti.

When he had spoken, the brahmin Devahita said to the Buddha,

Evaṁ vutte, devahito brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Excellent, Master Gotama …

“abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe…

From this day forth, may Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”

upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.