Sutta Nipata Chapter 1: The Serpent Chapter - Uragavagga
1:10 Āḷavaka the Native Spirit
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhante Sujato.(More copyright information)
1:10 Āḷavaka the Native Spirit
So I have heard.:
At one time the Buddha was staying near Āḷavī in the haunt of the native spirit Āḷavaka.
Then the native spirit Āḷavaka went up to the Buddha, and said to him:
“Get out, ascetic!”
Saying: “All right, sir,” the Buddha went out.
“Get in, ascetic!”
Saying: “All right, sir,” the Buddha went in.
For a second time … And for a third time the native spirit Āḷavaka said to the Buddha: “Get out, ascetic!” Saying: “All right, sir,” the Buddha went out. “Get in, ascetic!” Saying: “All right, sir,” the Buddha went in.
And for a fourth time the native spirit Āḷavaka said to the Buddha: “Get out, ascetic!”
“No, sir, I won’t get out. Do what you must.”
“I will ask you a question, ascetic. If you don’t answer me, I’ll drive you insane, or explode your heart, or grab you by the feet and throw you to the far shore of the Ganges!”
“I don’t see anyone in this world with its gods, Māras, and Brahmās, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans who could do that to me. But anyway, ask what you wish.”
Then the native spirit Āḷavaka addressed the Buddha in verse:
Āḷavaka
181
“What’s a person’s best wealth?
What brings happiness when practiced well?
What’s the sweetest taste of all?
The one they say has the best life: how do they live?”
Buddha
182
“Faith here is a person’s best wealth.
the teaching brings happiness when practiced well.
Truth is the sweetest taste of all.
The one they say has the best life lives by wisdom.”
Āḷavaka
183
“How do you cross the flood?
How do you cross the deluge?
How do you get over suffering?
How do you get purified?”
Buddha
184
“By faith you cross the flood,
and by diligence the deluge.
By energy you get past suffering,
and you’re purified by wisdom.”
Āḷavaka
185
“How do you get wisdom?
How do you earn wealth?
How do you get a good reputation?
How do you hold on to friends?
How do the departed not grieve
when passing from this world to the next?”
Buddha
186
“One who is diligent and discerning
gains wisdom by wanting to learn,
having faith in the perfected ones,
and the teaching for becoming extinguished.
187
Being responsible, acting appropriately,
and working hard you earn wealth.
Truthfulness wins you a good reputation.
You hold on to friends by giving.
188
A faithful householder
who has these four qualities
does not grieve after passing away:
truth, principle, steadfastness, and generosity.
189
Go ahead, ask others as well,
there are many ascetics and brahmins.
See whether anything better is found
than truth, self-control, generosity, and patience.”
Āḷavaka
190
“Why now would I question
the many ascetics and brahmins?
Today I understand
what’s good for the next life.
191
It was truly for my benefit
that the Buddha came to stay at Āḷavī.
Today I understand
where a gift is very fruitful.
192
I myself will journey
village to village, town to town,
paying homage to the Buddha,
and the natural excellence of the teaching!”
Snp 1.10: Āḷavakasutta
Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā āḷaviyaṁ viharati āḷavakassa yakkhassa bhavane. Atha kho āḷavako yakkho yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "nikkhama, samaṇā"ti.
"Sādhāvuso"ti bhagavā nikkhami.
"Pavisa, samaṇā"ti.
"Sādhāvuso"ti bhagavā pāvisi.
Dutiyampi kho … pe … tatiyampi kho āḷavako yakkho bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "nikkhama, samaṇā"ti. "Sādhāvuso"ti bhagavā nikkhami. "Pavisa, samaṇā"ti. "Sādhāvuso"ti bhagavā pāvisi.
Catutthampi kho āḷavako yakkho bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "nikkhama, samaṇā"ti.
"Na khvāhaṁ taṁ, āvuso, nikkhamissāmi. Yaṁ te karaṇīyaṁ, taṁ karohī"ti.
"Pañhaṁ taṁ, samaṇa, pucchissāmi. Sace me na byākarissasi, cittaṁ vā te khipissāmi, hadayaṁ vā te phālessāmi, pādesu vā gahetvā pāragaṅgāya khipissāmī"ti.
"Na khvāhaṁ taṁ, āvuso, passāmi sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya yo me cittaṁ vā khipeyya hadayaṁ vā phāleyya pādesu vā gahetvā pāragaṅgāya khipeyya. Api ca tvaṁ, āvuso, puccha yadākaṅkhasī"ti.
Atha kho āḷavako yakkho bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:
181"Kiṁ sūdha vittaṁ purisassa seṭṭhaṁ,
Kiṁ su suciṇṇaṁ sukhamāvahāti;
Kiṁ su have sādutaraṁ rasānaṁ,
Kathaṁjīviṁ jīvitamāhu seṭṭhaṁ".
182
"Saddhīdha vittaṁ purisassa seṭṭhaṁ,
Dhammo suciṇṇo sukhamāvahāti;
Saccaṁ have sādutaraṁ rasānaṁ,
Paññājīviṁ jīvitamāhu seṭṭhaṁ".
183
"Kathaṁ su tarati oghaṁ,
kathaṁ su tarati aṇṇavaṁ;
Kathaṁ su dukkhamacceti,
kathaṁ su parisujjhati".
185
"Kathaṁ su labhate paññaṁ,
kathaṁ su vindate dhanaṁ;
Kathaṁ su kittiṁ pappoti,
kathaṁ mittāni ganthati;
Asmā lokā paraṁ lokaṁ,
kathaṁ pecca na socati".
186
"Saddahāno arahataṁ,
dhammaṁ nibbānapattiyā;
Sussūsaṁ labhate paññaṁ,
appamatto vicakkhaṇo.
187
Patirūpakārī dhuravā,
uṭṭhātā vindate dhanaṁ;
Saccena kittiṁ pappoti,
dadaṁ mittāni ganthati.
188
Yassete caturo dhammā,
saddhassa gharamesino;
Saccaṁ dhammo dhiti cāgo,
sa ve pecca na socati.
189
Iṅgha aññepi pucchassu,
puthū samaṇabrāhmaṇe;
Yadi saccā damā cāgā,
khantyā bhiyyodha vijjati".
190
"Kathaṁ nu dāni puccheyyaṁ,
Puthū samaṇabrāhmaṇe;
Yohaṁ ajja pajānāmi,
Yo attho samparāyiko.
191
Atthāya vata me buddho,
Vāsāyāḷavimāgamā;
Yohaṁ ajja pajānāmi,
Yattha dinnaṁ mahapphalaṁ.
192
So ahaṁ vicarissāmi,
Gāmā gāmaṁ purā puraṁ;
Namassamāno sambuddhaṁ,
Dhammassa ca sudhammatan"ti.
Āḷavakasuttaṁ dasamaṁ.