SN 1–11 The Group of Connected Discourses With Verses – Sagāthāvaggasaṁyutta > SN 10 Connected Discourses with Spirits – Yakkhasaṁyutta > SN 10.12 With Āḷavaka

Linked Discourses 10.12 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 10.12

1. With Indaka – 1. Indakavagga

SN 10.12 With Āḷavaka – Āḷavakasutta

So I have heard.

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

At one time the Buddha was staying near Āḷavī in the haunt of the native spirit Āḷavaka.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā āḷaviyaṁ viharati āḷavakassa yakkhassa bhavane.

Then the native spirit Āḷavaka went up to the Buddha, and said to him:

Atha kho āḷavako yakkho yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Get out, ascetic!”

“nikkhama, samaṇā”ti.

Saying, “All right, sir,” the Buddha went out.

“Sādhāvuso”ti bhagavā nikkhami.

“Get in, ascetic!”

“Pavisa, samaṇā”ti.

Saying, “All right, sir,” the Buddha went in.

“Sādhāvuso”ti bhagavā pāvisi.

And for a second time the native spirit Āḷavaka said to the Buddha,

Dutiyampi kho āḷavako yakkho bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Get out, ascetic!”

“nikkhama, samaṇā”ti.

Saying, “All right, sir,” the Buddha went out.

“Sādhāvuso”ti bhagavā nikkhami.

“Get in, ascetic!”

“Pavisa, samaṇā”ti.

Saying, “All right, sir,” the Buddha went in.

“Sādhāvuso”ti bhagavā pāvisi.

And for a third time the native spirit Āḷavaka said to the Buddha,

Tatiyampi kho āḷavako yakkho bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Get out, ascetic!”

“nikkhama, samaṇā”ti.

Saying, “All right, sir,” the Buddha went out.

“Sādhāvuso”ti bhagavā nikkhami.

“Get in, ascetic!”

“Pavisa, samaṇā”ti.

Saying, “All right, sir,” the Buddha went in.

“Sādhāvuso”ti bhagavā pāvisi.

And for a fourth time the native spirit Āḷavaka said to the Buddha,

Catutthampi kho āḷavako yakkho bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Get out, ascetic!”

“nikkhama, samaṇā”ti.

“No, sir, I won’t get out.

“Na khvāhaṁ taṁ, āvuso, nikkhamissāmi.

Do what you must.”

Yaṁ te karaṇīyaṁ taṁ karohī”ti.

“I will ask you a question, ascetic.

“Pañhaṁ taṁ, samaṇa, pucchissāmi.

If you don’t answer me, I’ll drive you insane, or explode your heart, or grab you by the feet and throw you to the far shore of the Ganges!”

Sace me na byākarissasi, cittaṁ vā te khipissāmi, hadayaṁ vā te phālessāmi, pādesu vā gahetvā pāragaṅgāya khipissāmī”ti.

“I don’t see anyone in this world with its gods, Māras, and Brahmās, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans who could do that to me.

“Na khvāhaṁ taṁ, āvuso, passāmi sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya, yo me cittaṁ vā khipeyya hadayaṁ vā phāleyya, pādesu vā gahetvā pāragaṅgāya khipeyya.

But anyway, ask what you wish.”

Api ca tvaṁ, āvuso, puccha yadā kaṅkhasī”ti (…).

“What’s a person’s best wealth?

“Kiṁsūdha vittaṁ purisassa seṭṭhaṁ,

What brings happiness when practiced well?

Kiṁsu suciṇṇaṁ sukhamāvahāti;

What’s the sweetest taste of all?

Kiṁsu have sādutaraṁ rasānaṁ,

The one who they say has the best life: how do they live?”

Kathaṁjīviṁ jīvitamāhu seṭṭhan”ti.

“Faith here is a person’s best wealth.

“Saddhīdha vittaṁ purisassa seṭṭhaṁ,

The teaching brings happiness when practiced well.

Dhammo suciṇṇo sukhamāvahāti;

Truth is the sweetest taste of all.

Saccaṁ have sādutaraṁ rasānaṁ,

The one who they say has the best life lives by wisdom.”

Paññājīviṁ jīvitamāhu seṭṭhan”ti.

“How do you cross the flood?

“Kathaṁsu tarati oghaṁ,

How do you cross the deluge?

kathaṁsu tarati aṇṇavaṁ;

How do you get over suffering?

Kathaṁsu dukkhamacceti,

How do you get purified?”

kathaṁsu parisujjhatī”ti.

“By faith you cross the flood,

“Saddhāya tarati oghaṁ,

and by diligence the deluge.

appamādena aṇṇavaṁ;

By energy you get past suffering,

Vīriyena dukkhamacceti,

and you’re purified by wisdom.”

paññāya parisujjhatī”ti.

“How do you get wisdom?

“Kathaṁsu labhate paññaṁ,

How do you earn wealth?

kathaṁsu vindate dhanaṁ;

How do you get a good reputation?

Kathaṁsu kittiṁ pappoti,

How do you hold on to friends?

kathaṁ mittāni ganthati;

How do the departed not grieve

Asmā lokā paraṁ lokaṁ,

when passing from this world to the next?”

kathaṁ pecca na socatī”ti.

“One who is diligent and discerning

“Saddahāno arahataṁ,

gains wisdom by wanting to learn,

dhammaṁ nibbānapattiyā;

having faith in the perfected ones,

Sussūsaṁ labhate paññaṁ,

and the teaching for becoming extinguished.

appamatto vicakkhaṇo.

Being responsible, acting appropriately,

Patirūpakārī dhuravā,

and working hard you earn wealth.

uṭṭhātā vindate dhanaṁ;

Truthfulness wins you a good reputation.

Saccena kittiṁ pappoti,

You hold on to friends by giving.

dadaṁ mittāni ganthati;

That’s how the departed do not grieve

Asmā lokā paraṁ lokaṁ,

when passing from this world to the next.

evaṁ pecca na socati.

A faithful householder

Yassete caturo dhammā,

who has these four qualities

saddhassa gharamesino;

does not grieve after passing away:

Saccaṁ dhammo dhiti cāgo,

truth, principle, steadfastness, and generosity.

sa ve pecca na socati.

Go ahead, ask others as well,

Iṅgha aññepi pucchassu,

there are many ascetics and brahmins.

puthū samaṇabrāhmaṇe;

See whether anything better is found

Yadi saccā dhammā cāgā,

than truth, self-control, generosity, and patience.”

khantyā bhiyyodha vijjatī”ti.

“Why now would I question

“Kathaṁ nu dāni puccheyyaṁ,

the many ascetics and brahmins?

puthū samaṇabrāhmaṇe;

Today I understand

Yohaṁ ajja pajānāmi,

what’s good for the next life.

yo attho samparāyiko.

It was truly for my benefit

Atthāya vata me buddho,

that the Buddha came to stay at Āḷavī.

vāsāyāḷavimāgamā;

Today I understand

Yohaṁ ajja pajānāmi,

where a gift is very fruitful.

yattha dinnaṁ mahapphalaṁ.

I myself will journey

So ahaṁ vicarissāmi,

village to village, town to town,

Gāmā gāmaṁ purā puraṁ;

paying homage to the Buddha,

Namassamāno sambuddhaṁ,

and the natural excellence of the teaching!”

Dhammassa ca sudhammatan”ti.

Indakavaggo paṭhamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Indako sakka sūci ca,

Maṇibhaddo ca sānu ca;

Piyaṅkara punabbasu sudatto ca,

The Linked Discourses with Native Spirits are complete.

Dve sukkā cīraāḷavīti dvādasa.