1At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Now at that time a certain lay woman had a son named Sānu who had been possessed by a native spirit. And as that lay woman wept, on that occasion she recited these verses:

2“I have heard this from the perfected ones.
The native spirits will not mess with anyone
who lives the spiritual life
by observing the sabbath

3complete in all eight factors
on the fourteenth and the fifteenth days,
and the eighth day of the fortnight,
as well as on the fortnight of special displays.
But now today I see
native spirits messing with Sānu.”

4-5“What you heard from the perfected ones is right.
The native spirits will not mess with anyone
who lives the spiritual life by observing the sabbath
complete in all eight factors
on the fourteenth and the fifteenth days,
and the eighth day of the fortnight,
as well as on the fortnight of special displays.
When Sānu regains consciousness tell him
this saying of the native spirits:
Don’t do bad deeds
either openly or in secret.

6If you should do a bad deed,
or you’re doing one now,
you won’t be freed from suffering,
though you fly away and flee.”

7“Mum, they cry for the dead,
or for one who’s alive but has disappeared.
I’m alive and you can see me,
so mum, why do you weep for me?”

8“Son, they cry for the dead,
or for one who’s alive but has disappeared.
But someone who has given up sensual pleasures
only to come back here again:
they cry for them as well,
for though still alive they’re really dead.

9My dear, you’ve been rescued from hot coals,
and you want to plunge right back in them!
My dear, you’ve been rescued from the abyss,
and you want to plunge right back there!

10Keep pushing forward, it’s what’s best for you!
Who have I got to complain to?
When your things have been saved from a fire,

would you want them to be burnt again?”

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ vihārati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

Tena kho pana samayena aññatarissā upāsikāya sānu nāma putto yakkhena gahito hoti. Atha kho sā upāsikā paridevamānā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imā gāthāyo abhāsi: 

2"Cātuddasiṁ pañcadasiṁ,
yā ca pakkhassa aṭṭhamī;
Pāṭihāriyapakkhañca,
aṭṭhaṅgasusamāgataṁ.

3Uposathaṁ upavasanti,
brahmacariyaṁ caranti ye;
Na tehi yakkhā kīḷanti,
iti me arahataṁ sutaṁ;
Sā dāni ajja passāmi,
yakkhā kīḷanti sānunā"ti.

4"Cātuddasiṁ pañcadasiṁ,
yā ca pakkhassa aṭṭhamī;
Pāṭihāriyapakkhañca,
aṭṭhaṅgasusamāgataṁ;
Uposathaṁ upavasanti,
brahmacariyaṁ caranti ye.

5Na tehi yakkhā kīḷanti,
sāhu te arahataṁ sutaṁ;
Sānuṁ pabuddhaṁ vajjāsi,
yakkhānaṁ vacanaṁ idaṁ;
Mākāsi pāpakaṁ kammaṁ,
āvi vā yadi vā raho.

6Sace ca pāpakaṁ kammaṁ,
karissasi karosi vā;
Na te dukkhā pamutyatthi,
uppaccāpi palāyato"ti.

7"Mataṁ vā amma rodanti,
yo vā jīvaṁ na dissati;
Jīvantaṁ amma passantī,
kasmā maṁ amma rodasī"ti.

8"Mataṁ vā putta rodanti,
yo vā jīvaṁ na dissati;
Yo ca kāme cajitvāna,
punarāgacchate idha;
Taṁ vāpi putta rodanti,
puna jīvaṁ mato hi so.

9Kukkuḷā ubbhato tāta,
kukkuḷaṁ patitumicchasi;
Narakā ubbhato tāta,
narakaṁ patitumicchasi.

10Abhidhāvatha bhaddante,
kassa ujjhāpayāmase;
Ādittā nīhataṁ bhaṇḍaṁ,

puna ḍayhitumicchasī"ti.