1So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.

Then, late at night, several glorious gods lit up the entire Bamboo Grove. They were Asama, Sahalī, Niṅka, Ākoṭaka, Vetambarī, and Māṇavagāmiya, and all of them were disciples of various sectarian teachers. They went up to the Buddha, bowed, and stood to one side.

Standing to one side, the god Asama recited this verse about Pūraṇa Kassapa in the Buddha’s presence:

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2“In injuring and killing here,
in beating and extortion,
Kassapa saw no evil,
nor any merit for oneself.
What he taught should truly be trusted,
he’s worthy of esteem as Teacher.”

3Then the god Sahalī recited this verse about Makkhali Gosala in the Buddha’s presence:

4“Through mortification in disgust of sin he became well restrained.
He gave up arguing with people.
Refraining from false speech, he spoke the truth.
Surely such a man does no wrong!”

5Then the god Niṅka recited this verse about Nigaṇṭha Nātaputta in the Buddha’s presence:

6“Disgusted at sin, an alert mendicant,
well restrained in the four controls;
explaining what is seen and heard:
surely he can be no sinner!”

7Then the god Ākoṭaka recited this verse about various sectarian teachers in the Buddha’s presence:

8“Pakudhaka, Kātiyāna, and Nigaṇṭha,
as well as this Makkhali and Pūraṇa:
Teachers of communities, attained ascetics,
surely they weren’t far from truly good men!”

9Then the god Vetambarī replied to the god Ākoṭaka in verse:

10“Though the wretched jackal howls along,
it never equals the lion.
A naked liar with suspicious conduct,
though they teach a community, doesn’t resemble the good.”

11Then Māra the Wicked took possession of the god Vetambarī and recited this verse in the Buddha’s presence:

12“Those dedicated to mortification in disgust of sin,
safeguarding their seclusion,
attached to form,
they rejoice in the heavenly realm.
Indeed, those mortals give correct instructions
regarding the next world.”

13Then the Buddha, knowing that this was Māra the Wicked, replied to him in verse:

14“Whatever forms there are in this world or the world beyond,
and those of shining beauty in the sky,
all of these you praise, Namuci,
like bait tossed out for catching fish.”

15Then the god Māṇavagāmiya recited this verse about the Buddha in his presence:

16“Of all the mountains of Rājagaha,
Vipulo’s said to be the best.
Seta is the best of the Himalayan peaks,
and the sun, of travelers in space.

17The ocean is the best of seas,
and the moon, of lights that shine at night.
But in all the world with its gods,
the Buddha is declared foremost.”

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1Evaṁ me sutaṁ — ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe vihārati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.

Atha kho sambahulā nānātitthiyasāvakā devaputtā asamo ca sahali ca nīko ca ākoṭako ca vegabbhari ca māṇavagāmiyo ca abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ veḷuvanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu.

Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho asamo devaputto pūraṇaṁ kassapaṁ ārabbha bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi: 

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2"Idha chinditamārite,
Hatajānīsu kassapo;
Na pāpaṁ samanupassati,
Puññaṁ vā pana attano;
Sa ve vissāsamācikkhi,
Satthā arahati mānanan"ti.

3Atha kho sahali devaputto makkhaliṁ gosālaṁ ārabbha bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi: 

4"Tapojigucchāya susaṁvutatto,
Vācaṁ pahāya kalahaṁ janena;
Samosavajjā virato saccavādī,
Na hi nūna tādisaṁ karoti pāpan"ti.

5Atha kho nīko devaputto nigaṇṭhaṁ nāṭaputtaṁ ārabbha bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi: 

6"Jegucchī nipako bhikkhu,
Cātuyāmasusaṁvuto;
Diṭṭhaṁ sutañca ācikkhaṁ,
Na hi nūna kibbisī siyā"ti.

7Atha kho ākoṭako devaputto nānātitthiye ārabbha bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi: 

8"Pakudhako kātiyāno nigaṇṭho,
Ye cāpime makkhalipūraṇāse;
Gaṇassa satthāro sāmaññappattā,
Na hi nūna te sappurisehi dūre"ti.

9Atha kho vegabbhari devaputto ākoṭakaṁ devaputtaṁ gāthāya paccabhāsi: 

10"Sahācaritena chavo sigālo,
Na kotthuko sīhasamo kadāci;
Naggo musāvādī gaṇassa satthā,
Saṅkassarācāro na sataṁ sarikkho"ti.

11Atha kho māro pāpimā begabbhariṁ devaputtaṁ anvāvisitvā bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi: 

12"Tapojigucchāya āyuttā,
pālayaṁ pavivekiyaṁ;
Rūpe ca ye niviṭṭhāse,
devalokābhinandino;
Te ve sammānusāsanti,
paralokāya mātiyā"ti.

13Atha kho bhagavā "māro ayaṁ pāpimā" iti viditvā, māraṁ pāpimantaṁ gāthāya paccabhāsi: 

14"Ye keci rūpā idha vā huraṁ vā,
Ye cantalikkhasmiṁ pabhāsavaṇṇā;
Sabbeva te te namucippasatthā,
Āmisaṁva macchānaṁ vadhāya khittā"ti.

15Atha kho māṇavagāmiyo devaputto bhagavantaṁ ārabbha bhagavato santike imā gāthāyo abhāsi: 

16"Vipulo rājagahīyānaṁ,
giri seṭṭho pavuccati;
Seto himavataṁ seṭṭho,
ādicco aghagāminaṁ.

17Samuddo udadhinaṁ seṭṭho,
nakkhattānaṁva candimā;
Sadevakassa lokassa,
buddho aggo pavuccatī"ti.

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Nānātitthiyavaggo tatiyo.

18Sivo khemo ca serī ca,
Ghaṭī jantu ca rohito;
Nando nandivisālo ca,
Susimo nānātitthiyena te dasāti.

Devaputtasaṁyuttaṁ samattaṁ.