1Near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove.

“Once upon a time, mendicants, Sakka, lord of gods, addressed his charioteer Mātali, ‘My dear Mātali, harness the chariot with its team of a thousand thoroughbreds. We will go to a park and see the scenery.’

‘Yes, lord,’ replied Mātali. He harnessed the chariot and informed Sakka, ‘Good sir, the chariot with its team of a thousand thoroughbreds has been harnessed. Please go at your convenience.’

Then Sakka descended from the Palace of Victory, raised his joined palms, and revered the mendicant Saṅgha.

So Mātali the charioteer addressed Sakka in verse:

2‘It’s these who should worship you,
namely the humans stuck in their putrid bodies,
sunk in a corpse,
stricken by hunger and thirst.

3Why then do you envy those
who are homeless, Vāsava?
Relate the hermits’ way of life,
let us hear what you have to say.’

4‘This is why I envy the
homeless, Mātali.
When they leave a village,
they go without concern.

5They hoard no goods in storerooms,
nor in pots or baskets.
They seek food prepared by others,
and, true to their vows, live on that.

6The wise whose words are full of wisdom,
live peacefully and quietly.
Gods fight with demons,
and mortals fight each other, Mātali.

7Not fighting among those who fight,
they’re extinguished among those who’ve taken up arms.
Not grasping among those who grasp,
they’re who I worship, Mātali.’

8‘Those who you worship
seem to be the best in the world, Sakka.
I too will worship
those who you worship, Vāsava.’

9After saying this, Maghavā the chief,
king of gods, Sujā’s husband,
having worshipped the mendicant Saṅgha,
climbed into his chariot.”

1Sāvatthiyaṁ jetavane.

Tatra kho … pe … etadavoca: "Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo mātaliṁ saṅgāhakaṁ āmantesi: ‘yojehi, samma mātali, sahassayuttaṁ ājaññarathaṁ, uyyānabhūmiṁ gacchāma subhūmiṁ dassanāyā’ti.

‘Evaṁ, bhaddantavā’ti kho, bhikkhave, mātali saṅgāhako sakkassa devānamindassa paṭissutvā, sahassayuttaṁ ājaññarathaṁ yojetvā sakkassa devānamindassa paṭivedesi: ‘yutto kho te, mārisa, sahassayutto ājaññaratho, yassadāni kālaṁ maññasī’ti.

Atha kho, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo vejayantapāsādā orohanto añjaliṁ katvā sudaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ namassati.

Atha kho, bhikkhave, mātali saṅgāhako sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi: 

2‘Tañhi ete namasseyyuṁ,
pūtidehasayā narā;
Nimuggā kuṇapamhete,
khuppipāsasamappitā.

3Kiṁ nu tesaṁ pihayasi,
anāgārāna vāsava;
Ācāraṁ isinaṁ brūhi,
taṁ suṇoma vaco tavā’ti.

4‘Etaṁ tesaṁ pihayāmi,
anāgārāna mātali;
Yamhā gāmā pakkamanti,
anapekkhā vajanti te.

5Na tesaṁ koṭṭhe openti,
na kumbhi na kaḷopiyaṁ;
Paraniṭṭhitamesānā,
tena yāpenti subbatā.

6Sumantamantino dhīrā,
tuṇhībhūtā samañcarā;
Devā viruddhā asurehi,
puthu maccā ca mātali.

7Aviruddhā viruddhesu,
attadaṇḍesu nibbutā;
Sādānesu anādānā,
te namassāmi mātalī’ti.

8‘Seṭṭhā hi kira lokasmiṁ,
ye tvaṁ sakka namassasi;
Ahampi te namassāmi,
ye namassasi vāsavā’"ti.

9Idaṁ vatvāna maghavā,
devarājā sujampati;
Bhikkhusaṅghaṁ namassitvā,
pamukho rathamāruhīti.

Dutiyo vaggo.

10Devā pana tayo vuttā,
daliddañca rāmaṇeyyakaṁ;
Yajamānañca vandanā,
tayo sakkanamassanāti.