SN 1–11 The Group of Connected Discourses With Verses – Sagāthāvaggasaṁyutta > SN 11 Connected Discourses with Sakka – Sakkasaṁyutta > SN 11.3 The Banner’s Crest

Linked Discourses 11.3 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 11.3

Chapter One – 1. Paṭhamavagga

SN 11.3 The Banner’s Crest – Dhajaggasutta

At Sāvatthī.

Sāvatthiyaṁ.

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, a battle was fought between the gods and the demons.

“Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, devāsurasaṅgāmo samupabyūḷho ahosi.

Then Sakka, lord of gods, addressed the gods of the Thirty-Three:

Atha kho, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo deve tāvatiṁse āmantesi:

‘Good sirs, when the gods are fighting, if you get scared or terrified, just look up at my banner’s crest.

‘Sace, mārisā, devānaṁ saṅgāmagatānaṁ uppajjeyya bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā, mameva tasmiṁ samaye dhajaggaṁ ullokeyyātha.

Then your fear and terror will go away.

Mamañhi vo dhajaggaṁ ullokayataṁ yaṁ bhavissati bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā, so pahīyissati.

If you can’t see my banner’s crest, then look up at the banner’s crest of Pajāpati, king of gods.

No ce me dhajaggaṁ ullokeyyātha, atha pajāpatissa devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokeyyātha.

Then your fear and terror will go away.

Pajāpatissa hi vo devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokayataṁ yaṁ bhavissati bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā, so pahīyissati.

If you can’t see his banner’s crest, then look up at the banner’s crest of Varuṇa, king of gods.

No ce pajāpatissa devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokeyyātha, atha varuṇassa devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokeyyātha.

Then your fear and terror will go away.

Varuṇassa hi vo devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokayataṁ yaṁ bhavissati bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā, so pahīyissati.

If you can’t see his banner’s crest, then look up at the banner’s crest of Īsāna, king of gods.

No ce varuṇassa devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokeyyātha, atha īsānassa devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokeyyātha.

Then your fear and terror will go away.’

Īsānassa hi vo devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokayataṁ yaṁ bhavissati bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā, so pahīyissatī’ti.

However, when they look up at those banner’s crests their fear and terror might go away or it might not.

Taṁ kho pana, bhikkhave, sakkassa vā devānamindassa dhajaggaṁ ullokayataṁ, pajāpatissa vā devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokayataṁ, varuṇassa vā devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokayataṁ, īsānassa vā devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokayataṁ yaṁ bhavissati bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā, so pahīyethāpi nopi pahīyetha.

Why is that?

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Because Sakka is not free of greed, hate, and delusion. He is fearful, scared, nervous, quick to flee.

Sakko hi, bhikkhave, devānamindo avītarāgo avītadoso avītamoho bhīru chambhī utrāsī palāyīti.

But, bhikkhū, I say this:

Ahañca kho, bhikkhave, evaṁ vadāmi:

If you’ve gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut and you get scared or terrified, just recollect me:

‘sace tumhākaṁ, bhikkhave, araññagatānaṁ vā rukkhamūlagatānaṁ vā suññāgāragatānaṁ vā uppajjeyya bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā, mameva tasmiṁ samaye anussareyyātha:

‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those who wish to train, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.’

“itipi so bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā”ti.

Then your fear and terror will go away.

Mamañhi vo, bhikkhave, anussarataṁ yaṁ bhavissati bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā, so pahīyissati.

If you can’t recollect me, then recollect the teaching:

No ce maṁ anussareyyātha, atha dhammaṁ anussareyyātha:

‘The teaching is well explained by the Buddha—visible in this very life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.’

“svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo sandiṭṭhiko akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhī”ti.

Then your fear and terror will go away.

Dhammañhi vo, bhikkhave, anussarataṁ yaṁ bhavissati bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā, so pahīyissati.

If you can’t recollect the teaching, then recollect the Saṅgha:

No ce dhammaṁ anussareyyātha, atha saṅghaṁ anussareyyātha:

‘The Saṅgha of the Buddha’s disciples is practicing the way that’s good, direct, methodical, and proper. It consists of the four pairs, the eight individuals. This is the Saṅgha of the Buddha’s disciples that is worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of greeting with joined palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world.’

“suppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho ujuppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho ñāyappaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho sāmīcippaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, yadidaṁ cattāri purisayugāni aṭṭha purisapuggalā esa bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, āhuneyyo pāhuneyyo dakkhiṇeyyo añjalikaraṇīyo anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassā”ti.

Then your fear and terror will go away.

Saṅghañhi vo, bhikkhave, anussarataṁ yaṁ bhavissati bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā, so pahīyissati.

Why is that?

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Because the Realized One is free of greed, hate, and delusion. He is fearless, brave, bold, and stands his ground.”

Tathāgato hi, bhikkhave, arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vītarāgo vītadoso vītamoho abhīru acchambhī anutrāsī apalāyī’”ti.

That is what the Buddha said.

Idamavoca bhagavā.

Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:

Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:

“In the wilderness, at a tree’s root,

“Araññe rukkhamūle vā,

or an empty hut, O bhikkhū,

suññāgāreva bhikkhavo;

recollect the Buddha,

Anussaretha sambuddhaṁ,

and no fear will come to you.

bhayaṁ tumhāka no siyā.

If you can’t recollect the Buddha—

No ce buddhaṁ sareyyātha,

the eldest in the world, the bull of a man—

lokajeṭṭhaṁ narāsabhaṁ;

then recollect the teaching,

Atha dhammaṁ sareyyātha,

emancipating, well taught.

niyyānikaṁ sudesitaṁ.

If you can’t recollect the teaching—

No ce dhammaṁ sareyyātha,

emancipating, well taught—

niyyānikaṁ sudesitaṁ;

then recollect the Saṅgha,

Atha saṅghaṁ sareyyātha,

the supreme field of merit.

puññakkhettaṁ anuttaraṁ.

Thus recollecting the Buddha,

Evaṁ buddhaṁ sarantānaṁ,

the teaching, and the Saṅgha, bhikkhū,

Dhammaṁ saṅghañca bhikkhavo;

fear and terror

Bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā,

and goosebumps will be no more.”

Lomahaṁso na hessatī”ti.