SN 1–11 The Group of Connected Discourses With Verses – Sagāthāvaggasaṁyutta > SN 11 Connected Discourses with Sakka – Sakkasaṁyutta > SN 11.1 With Suvīra

Linked Discourses 11.1 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 11.1

Chapter One – 1. Paṭhamavagga

SN 11.1 With Suvīra – Suvīrasutta

So I have heard.

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

There the Buddha addressed the bhikkhū,

Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

“Bhikkhū!”

“bhikkhavo”ti.

“Venerable sir,” they replied.

“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.

The Buddha said this:

Bhagavā etadavoca:

“Once upon a time, bhikkhū, the demons marched against the gods.

“Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, asurā deve abhiyaṁsu.

Then Sakka, lord of gods, addressed the god Suvīra,

Atha kho, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo suvīraṁ devaputtaṁ āmantesi:

‘Dear Suvīra, the demons march against the gods!

‘ete, tāta suvīra, asurā deve abhiyanti.

Go, and march against the demons!’

Gaccha, tāta suvīra, asure paccuyyāhī’ti.

‘Yes, lord,’ replied Suvīra. But he fell into negligence.

‘Evaṁ, bhaddantavā’ti kho, bhikkhave, suvīro devaputto sakkassa devānamindassa paṭissutvā pamādaṁ āpādesi.

For a second time Sakka addressed Suvīra,

Dutiyampi kho, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo suvīraṁ devaputtaṁ āmantesi:

‘Dear Suvīra, the demons march against the gods!

‘ete, tāta suvīra, asurā deve abhiyanti.

Go, and march against the demons!’

Gaccha, tāta suvīra, asure paccuyyāhī’ti.

‘Yes, lord,’ replied Suvīra. But for a second time he fell into negligence.

‘Evaṁ, bhaddantavā’ti kho, bhikkhave, suvīro devaputto sakkassa devānamindassa paṭissutvā dutiyampi pamādaṁ āpādesi.

For a third time Sakka addressed Suvīra,

Tatiyampi kho, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo suvīraṁ devaputtaṁ āmantesi:

‘Dear Suvīra, the demons march against the gods!

‘ete, tāta suvīra, asurā deve abhiyanti.

Go, and march against the demons!’

Gaccha, tāta suvīra, asure paccuyyāhī’ti.

‘Yes, lord,’ replied Suvīra. But for a third time he fell into negligence.

‘Evaṁ, bhaddantavā’ti kho, bhikkhave, suvīro devaputto sakkassa devānamindassa paṭissutvā tatiyampi pamādaṁ āpādesi.

Then Sakka addressed the god Suvīra in verse:

Atha kho, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo suvīraṁ devaputtaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

‘Suvīra, go to that place

‘Anuṭṭhahaṁ avāyāmaṁ,

where you can achieve happiness

sukhaṁ yatrādhigacchati;

without working for it or trying hard—

Suvīra tattha gacchāhi,

and take me with you!’

mañca tattheva pāpayā’ti.

‘That a lazy man who does no work,

‘Alasvassa anuṭṭhātā,

and doesn’t do his duty,

na ca kiccāni kāraye;

should fulfill all his desires:

Sabbakāmasamiddhassa,

Sakka, grant me this boon!’

taṁ me sakka varaṁ disā’ti.

‘Suvīra, go to that place

‘Yatthālaso anuṭṭhātā,

where a lazy man who does no work

accantaṁ sukhamedhati;

prospers in unending happiness—

Suvīra tattha gacchāhi,

and take me with you!’

mañca tattheva pāpayā’ti.

‘O Sakka, first among gods,

‘Akammunā devaseṭṭha,

that we might find the happiness

sakka vindemu yaṁ sukhaṁ;

that’s sorrowless, unstressed:

Asokaṁ anupāyāsaṁ,

Sakka, grant me this boon!’

taṁ me sakka varaṁ disā’ti.

‘If there exists anywhere a place

‘Sace atthi akammena,

where one can live happily without working,

koci kvaci na jīvati;

that surely would be extinguishment’s path!

Nibbānassa hi so maggo,

Go there, Suvīra,

suvīra tattha gacchāhi;

and take me with you!’

Mañca tattheva pāpayā’ti.

So, bhikkhū, even Sakka, lord of gods—while living off of the fruit of his good and bad deeds, and ruling as sovereign lord over these gods of the Thirty-Three—will speak in praise of initiative and energy.

So hi nāma, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo sakaṁ puññaphalaṁ upajīvamāno devānaṁ tāvatiṁsānaṁ issariyādhipaccaṁ rajjaṁ kārento uṭṭhānavīriyassa vaṇṇavādī bhavissati.

But since you have gone forth in such a well explained teaching and training, it would be truly beautiful for you to try hard, strive, and make an effort to attain the unattained, achieve the unachieved, and realize the unrealized!”

Idha kho taṁ, bhikkhave, sobhetha, yaṁ tumhe evaṁ svākkhāte dhammavinaye pabbajitā samānā uṭṭhaheyyātha ghaṭeyyātha vāyameyyātha appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya, asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāyā”ti.