1.1“Aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgato, bhikkhave, uposatho upavuttho mahapphalo hoti mahānisaṁso mahājutiko mahāvipphāro.“Mendicants, the observance of the sabbath with its eight factors is very fruitful and beneficial and brilliant and bountiful.1.2Kathaṁ upavuttho ca, bhikkhave, aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgato uposatho mahapphalo hoti mahānisaṁso mahājutiko mahāvipphāro?And how should it be observed?

1.3Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati:It’s when a noble disciple reflects:1.4‘yāvajīvaṁ arahanto pāṇātipātaṁ pahāya pāṇātipātā paṭiviratā nihitadaṇḍā nihitasatthā lajjī dayāpannā, sabbapāṇabhūtahitānukampino viharanti.‘As long as they live, the perfected ones give up killing living creatures, renouncing the rod and the sword. They are scrupulous and kind, and live full of sympathy for all living beings.1.5Ahampajja imañca rattiṁ imañca divasaṁ pāṇātipātaṁ pahāya pāṇātipātā paṭivirato nihitadaṇḍo nihitasattho lajjī dayāpanno, sabbapāṇabhūtahitānukampī viharāmi.I, too, for this day and night will give up killing living creatures, renouncing the rod and the sword. I’ll be scrupulous and kind, and live full of sympathy for all living beings.1.6Imināpaṅgena arahataṁ anukaromi, uposatho ca me upavuttho bhavissatī’ti.I will observe the sabbath by doing as the perfected ones do in this respect.’1.7Iminā paṭhamena aṅgena samannāgato hoti …pe….This is its first factor. …

2.1PTS 4.252‘Yāvajīvaṁ arahanto uccāsayanamahāsayanaṁ pahāya uccāsayanamahāsayanā paṭiviratā nīcaseyyaṁ kappenti—mañcake vā tiṇasanthārake vā.‘As long as they live, the perfected ones give up high and luxurious beds. They sleep in a low place, either a cot or a grass mat.2.2Ahampajja imañca rattiṁ imañca divasaṁ uccāsayanamahāsayanaṁ pahāya uccāsayanamahāsayanā paṭivirato nīcaseyyaṁ kappemi—mañcake vā tiṇasanthārake vā.I, too, for this day and night will give up high and luxurious beds. I’ll sleep in a low place, either a cot or a grass mat.2.3Imināpaṅgena arahataṁ anukaromi, uposatho ca me upavuttho bhavissatī’ti.I will observe the sabbath by doing as the perfected ones do in this respect.’2.4Iminā aṭṭhamena aṅgena samannāgato hoti.This is its eighth factor.2.5Evaṁ upavuttho kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgato uposatho mahapphalo hoti mahānisaṁso mahājutiko mahāvipphāro.The observance of the sabbath with its eight factors in this way is very fruitful and beneficial and brilliant and bountiful.

3.1Kīvamahapphalo hoti kīvamahānisaṁso kīvamahājutiko kīvamahāvipphāro?How much so?3.2Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yo imesaṁ soḷasannaṁ mahājanapadānaṁ pahūtarattaratanānaṁ issariyādhipaccaṁ rajjaṁ kāreyya, seyyathidaṁ—Suppose you were to rule as sovereign lord over these sixteen great countries—Aṅga, Magadha, Kāsi, Kosala, Vajji, Malla, Cetī, Vaccha, Kuru, Pañcāla, Maccha, Sūrasena, Assaka, Avanti, Gandhāra, and Persia—full of the seven treasures.3.3aṅgānaṁ magadhānaṁ kāsīnaṁ kosalānaṁ vajjīnaṁ mallānaṁ cetīnaṁ vaṅgānaṁ kurūnaṁ pañcālānaṁ macchānaṁ sūrasenānaṁ assakānaṁ avantīnaṁ gandhārānaṁ kambojānaṁ, aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgatassa uposathassa etaṁ kalaṁ nāgghati soḷasiṁ.This wouldn’t be worth a sixteenth part of the sabbath with its eight factors.3.4Taṁ kissa hetu?Why is that?3.5Kapaṇaṁ, bhikkhave, mānusakaṁ rajjaṁ dibbaṁ sukhaṁ upanidhāya.Because human kingship is a poor thing compared to the happiness of the gods.

4.1Yāni, bhikkhave, mānusakāni paññāsa vassāni, cātumahārājikānaṁ devānaṁ eso eko rattindivo.Fifty years in the human realm is one day and night for the gods of the four great kings.4.2Tāya rattiyā tiṁsarattiyo māso.Thirty such days make up a month.4.3Tena māsena dvādasamāsiyo saṁvaccharo.Twelve such months make up a year.4.4Tena saṁvaccharena dibbāni pañca vassasatāni cātumahārājikānaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ.The lifespan of the gods of the four great kings is five hundred of these heavenly years.4.5Ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ, bhikkhave, vijjati yaṁ idhekacco itthī vā puriso vā aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgataṁ uposathaṁ upavasitvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā cātumahārājikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyya.It’s possible that some woman or man who has observed the eight-factored sabbath will—when their body breaks up, after death—be reborn in the company of the gods of the four great kings.4.6Idaṁ kho panetaṁ, bhikkhave, sandhāya bhāsitaṁ:This is what I was referring to when I said:4.7‘kapaṇaṁ mānusakaṁ rajjaṁ dibbaṁ sukhaṁ upanidhāya’.‘Human kingship is a poor thing compared to the happiness of the gods.’

5.1PTS 4.253Yāni, bhikkhave, mānusakāni vassasatāni, tāvatiṁsānaṁ devānaṁ eso eko rattindivo.A hundred years in the human realm is one day and night for the gods of the thirty-three.5.2Tāya rattiyā tiṁsarattiyo māso.Thirty such days make up a month.5.3Tena māsena dvādasamāsiyo saṁvaccharo.Twelve such months make up a year.5.4Tena saṁvaccharena dibbaṁ vassasahassaṁ tāvatiṁsānaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ.The lifespan of the gods of the thirty-three is a thousand of these heavenly years.5.5Ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ, bhikkhave, vijjati yaṁ idhekacco itthī vā puriso vā aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgataṁ uposathaṁ upavasitvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā tāvatiṁsānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyya.It’s possible that some woman or man who has observed the eight-factored sabbath will—when their body breaks up, after death—be reborn in the company of the gods of the thirty-three.5.6Idaṁ kho panetaṁ, bhikkhave, sandhāya bhāsitaṁ:This is what I was referring to when I said:5.7‘kapaṇaṁ mānusakaṁ rajjaṁ dibbaṁ sukhaṁ upanidhāya’.‘Human kingship is a poor thing compared to the happiness of the gods.’

6.1Yāni, bhikkhave, mānusakāni dve vassasatāni, yāmānaṁ devānaṁ eso eko rattindivo.Two hundred years in the human realm is one day and night for the gods of Yama.6.2Tāya rattiyā tiṁsarattiyo māso.Thirty such days make up a month.6.3Tena māsena dvādasamāsiyo saṁvaccharo.Twelve such months make up a year.6.4Tena saṁvaccharena dibbāni dve vassasahassāni yāmānaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ.The lifespan of the gods of Yama is two thousand of these heavenly years.6.5Ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ, bhikkhave, vijjati yaṁ idhekacco itthī vā puriso vā aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgataṁ uposathaṁ upavasitvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā yāmānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyya.It’s possible that some woman or man who has observed the eight-factored sabbath will—when their body breaks up, after death—be reborn in the company of the gods of Yama.6.6Idaṁ kho panetaṁ, bhikkhave, sandhāya bhāsitaṁ:This is what I was referring to when I said:6.7‘kapaṇaṁ mānusakaṁ rajjaṁ dibbaṁ sukhaṁ upanidhāya’.‘Human kingship is a poor thing compared to the happiness of the gods.’

7.1Yāni, bhikkhave, mānusakāni cattāri vassasatāni, tusitānaṁ devānaṁ eso eko rattindivo.Four hundred years in the human realm is one day and night for the joyful gods.7.2Tāya rattiyā tiṁsarattiyo māso.Thirty such days make up a month.7.3Tena māsena dvādasamāsiyo saṁvaccharo.Twelve such months make up a year.7.4Tena saṁvaccharena dibbāni cattāri vassasahassāni tusitānaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ.The lifespan of the joyful gods is four thousand of these heavenly years.7.5Ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ, bhikkhave, vijjati yaṁ idhekacco itthī vā puriso vā aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgataṁ uposathaṁ upavasitvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā tusitānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyya.It’s possible that some woman or man who has observed the eight-factored sabbath will—when their body breaks up, after death—be reborn in the company of the joyful gods.7.6Idaṁ kho panetaṁ, bhikkhave, sandhāya bhāsitaṁ:This is what I was referring to when I said:7.7‘kapaṇaṁ mānusakaṁ rajjaṁ dibbaṁ sukhaṁ upanidhāya’.‘Human kingship is a poor thing compared to the happiness of the gods.’

8.1PTS 4.254Yāni, bhikkhave, mānusakāni aṭṭha vassasatāni, nimmānaratīnaṁ devānaṁ eso eko rattindivo.Eight hundred years in the human realm is one day and night for the gods who love to create.8.2Tāya rattiyā tiṁsarattiyo māso.Thirty such days make up a month.8.3Tena māsena dvādasamāsiyo saṁvaccharo.Twelve such months make up a year.8.4Tena saṁvaccharena dibbāni aṭṭha vassasahassāni nimmānaratīnaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ.The lifespan of the gods who love to create is eight thousand of these heavenly years.8.5Ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ, bhikkhave, vijjati yaṁ idhekacco itthī vā puriso vā aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgataṁ uposathaṁ upavasitvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā nimmānaratīnaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyya.It’s possible that some woman or man who has observed the eight-factored sabbath will—when their body breaks up, after death—be reborn in the company of the gods who love to create.8.6Idaṁ kho panetaṁ, bhikkhave, sandhāya bhāsitaṁ:This is what I was referring to when I said:8.7‘kapaṇaṁ mānusakaṁ rajjaṁ dibbaṁ sukhaṁ upanidhāya’.‘Human kingship is a poor thing compared to the happiness of the gods.’

9.1Yāni, bhikkhave, mānusakāni soḷasa vassasatāni, paranimmitavasavattīnaṁ devānaṁ eso eko rattindivo.Sixteen hundred years in the human realm is one day and night for the gods who control what is created by others.9.2Tāya rattiyā tiṁsarattiyo māso.Thirty such days make up a month.9.3Tena māsena dvādasamāsiyo saṁvaccharo.Twelve such months make up a year.9.4Tena saṁvaccharena dibbāni soḷasa vassasahassāni paranimmitavasavattīnaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ.The lifespan of the gods who control what is created by others is sixteen thousand of these heavenly years.9.5Ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ, bhikkhave, vijjati yaṁ idhekacco itthī vā puriso vā aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgataṁ uposathaṁ upavasitvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā paranimmitavasavattīnaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyya.It’s possible that some woman or man who has observed the eight-factored sabbath will—when their body breaks up, after death—be reborn in the company of the gods who control what is created by others.9.6Idaṁ kho panetaṁ, bhikkhave, sandhāya bhāsitaṁ:This is what I was referring to when I said:9.7‘kapaṇaṁ mānusakaṁ rajjaṁ dibbaṁ sukhaṁ upanidhāyā’ti.‘Human kingship is a poor thing compared to the happiness of the gods.’

10.1Pāṇaṁ na haññe na cadinnamādiye,You shouldn’t kill living creatures, or steal,10.2Musā na bhāse na ca majjapo siyā;or lie, or drink liquor.10.3Abrahmacariyā virameyya methunā,Be chaste, refraining from sex,10.4Rattiṁ na bhuñjeyya vikālabhojanaṁ.and don’t eat at night, the wrong time.

11.1Mālaṁ na dhāre na ca gandhamācare,Not wearing garlands or applying fragrance,11.2Mañce chamāyaṁ va sayetha santhate;you should sleep on a low bed, <j>or a mat on the ground.11.3Etañhi aṭṭhaṅgikamāhuposathaṁ,This is the eight-factored sabbath, they say,11.4Buddhena dukkhantagunā pakāsitaṁ.revealed by the Buddha, <j>who has gone to suffering’s end.

12.1Cando ca suriyo ca ubho sudassanā,The moon and sun are both fair to see,12.2Obhāsayaṁ anupariyanti yāvatā;radiating as far as they revolve.12.3Tamonudā te pana antalikkhagā,Those dispellers of darkness, travelers in midair,12.4Nabhe pabhāsanti disāvirocanā.shine in the firmament, dazzling the quarters.

13.1PTS 4.255Etasmiṁ yaṁ vijjati antare dhanaṁ,All of the wealth that’s found in this realm—13.2Muttā maṇi veḷuriyañca bhaddakaṁ;pearls, gems, fine beryl too,13.3Siṅgīsuvaṇṇaṁ atha vāpi kañcanaṁ,mountain gold or lustrous gold,13.4Yaṁ jātarūpaṁ haṭakanti vuccati.or the native gold called ‘coruscant’—

14.1Aṭṭhaṅgupetassa uposathassa,they’re not worth a sixteenth part14.2Kalampi te nānubhavanti soḷasiṁ;of the sabbath with its eight factors,14.3Candappabhā tāragaṇā ca sabbe.as starlight cannot rival the moon.

15.1Tasmā hi nārī ca naro ca sīlavā,So an ethical woman or man,15.2Aṭṭhaṅgupetaṁ upavassuposathaṁ;who has observed the eight-factored sabbath,15.3Puññāni katvāna sukhudrayāni,having made merit whose outcome is happiness,15.4Aninditā saggamupenti ṭhānan”ti.blameless, they go to a heavenly place.”

15.5Dutiyaṁ.