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

Now at that time Venerable Anuruddha rose at the crack of dawn and recited passages of the teaching. Then the native spirit Piyaṅkara’s Mother soothed her little child, saying:

3“Don’t make a sound, Piyaṅkara!
A mendicant recites passages of the teaching.
When we understand a passage,
we can practice for our welfare.

3Let us keep from harming living creatures,
and speak no lying words.
We should train ourselves well in ethics,
and hopefully we’ll be freed from the goblin realm.”

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā anuruddho sāvatthiyaṁ vihārati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā anuruddho rattiyā paccūsasamayaṁ paccuṭṭhāya dhammapadāni bhāsati. Atha kho piyaṅkaramātā yakkhinī puttakaṁ evaṁ tosesi: 

2"Mā saddaṁ kari piyaṅkara,
Bhikkhu dhammapadāni bhāsati;
Api ca dhammapadaṁ vijāniya,
Paṭipajjema hitāya no siyā.

3Pāṇesu ca saṁyamāmase,
Sampajānamusā na bhaṇāmase;
Sikkhema susīlyamattano,
Api muccema pisācayoniyā"ti.