1At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Magadhans at Andhakavinda.

Now at that time the Buddha was meditating in the open during the dark of night, while a gentle rain drizzled down.

Then, late at night, the beautiful Brahmā Sahampati, lighting up the entirety of Andhakavinda, went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and recited these verses in the Buddha’s presence:

2“One should frequent secluded lodgings,
and practice to be released from fetters.
If you don’t find enjoyment there,
live in the Saṅgha, guarded and mindful.

3Walking for alms from family to family,
with senses guarded, alert and mindful.
One should frequent secluded lodgings,
free of fear, freed in the fearless.

4Where dreadful serpents slither,
where the lightning flashes and the sky thunders
in the dark of the night;
there meditates a mendicant, free of goosebumps.

5For this has in fact been seen by me,
it isn’t just what the testament says.
Within a single spiritual dispensation
a thousand are destroyers of Death.

6And of trainees there are more than five hundred,
and ten times ten tens;
all are stream-enterers,
freed from rebirth in the animal realm.

7And as for other people
who I think have shared in merit —
I couldn’t even number them,
for fear of speaking falsely.”

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā māgadhesu vihārati andhakavinde.

Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā rattandhakāratimisāyaṁ abbhokāse nisinno hoti, devo ca ekamekaṁ phusāyati.

Atha kho brahmā sahampati abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇo kevalakappaṁ andhakavindaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho brahmā sahampati bhagavato santike imā gāthāyo abhāsi: 

2"Sevetha pantāni senāsanāni,
Careyya saṁyojanavippamokkhā;
Sace ratiṁ nādhigaccheyya tattha,
Saṅghe vase rakkhitatto satīmā.

3Kulākulaṁ piṇḍikāya caranto,
Indriyagutto nipako satimā;
Sevetha pantāni senāsanāni,
Bhayā pamutto abhaye vimutto.

4Yattha bheravā sarīsapā,
Vijju sañcarati thanayati devo;
Andhakāratimisāya rattiyā,
Nisīdi tattha bhikkhu vigatalomahaṁso.

5Idañhi jātu me diṭṭhaṁ,
nayidaṁ itihītihaṁ;
Ekasmiṁ brahmacariyasmiṁ,
sahassaṁ maccuhāyinaṁ.

6Bhiyyo pañcasatā sekkhā,
dasā ca dasadhā dasa;
Sabbe sotasamāpannā,
atiracchānagāmino.

7Athāyaṁ itarā pajā,
puññabhāgāti me mano;
Saṅkhātuṁ nopi sakkomi,
musāvādassa ottapan"ti.