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MN 37PTS MN 1.2516 min read

The Shorter Discourse on the Ending of Craving

Cūḷataṇhāsaṅkhayasutta

Moggallāna visits the heaven of Sakka, the lord of gods, to see whether he really understands what the Buddha is teaching.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Majjhima Nikāya 37Middle Discourses 37

0.2CūḷataṇhāsaṅkhayasuttaThe Shorter Discourse on the Ending of Craving

1.1Evaṁ me sutaṁ—So I have heard.1.2ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati pubbārāme migāramātupāsāde.At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in the stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mother in the Eastern Monastery.

2.1Atha kho sakko devānamindo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho sakko devānamindo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:And then Sakka, lord of gods, went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and said to him:1

2.2“kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, bhikkhu saṅkhittena taṇhāsaṅkhayavimutto hoti accantaniṭṭho accantayogakkhemī accantabrahmacārī accantapariyosāno seṭṭho devamanussānan”ti?“Sir, how do you briefly define a mendicant who is freed through the ending of craving, who has reached the ultimate end, the ultimate sanctuary from the yoke, the ultimate spiritual life, the ultimate goal, and is best among gods and humans?”2

3.1PTS 1.252“Idha, devānaminda, bhikkhuno sutaṁ hoti:“Lord of gods, take a mendicant who has heard:3.2‘sabbe dhammā nālaṁ abhinivesāyā’ti.‘Nothing is worth insisting on.’33.3Evañcetaṁ, devānaminda, bhikkhuno sutaṁ hoti:When a mendicant has heard that3.4‘sabbe dhammā nālaṁ abhinivesāyā’ti.nothing is worth insisting on,3.5So sabbaṁ dhammaṁ abhijānāti; sabbaṁ dhammaṁ abhiññāya sabbaṁ dhammaṁ parijānāti; sabbaṁ dhammaṁ pariññāya yaṁ kiñci vedanaṁ vedeti—they directly know all things. Directly knowing all things, they completely understand all things. Completely understanding all things, when they experience any kind of feeling—pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral—43.6sukhaṁ vā dukkhaṁ vā adukkhamasukhaṁ vā, so tāsu vedanāsu aniccānupassī viharati, virāgānupassī viharati, nirodhānupassī viharati, paṭinissaggānupassī viharati.they meditate observing impermanence, dispassion, cessation, and letting go in those feelings.3.7So tāsu vedanāsu aniccānupassī viharanto, virāgānupassī viharanto, nirodhānupassī viharanto, paṭinissaggānupassī viharanto na kiñci loke upādiyati.Meditating in this way, they don’t grasp at anything in the world.3.8Anupādiyaṁ na paritassati, aparitassaṁ paccattaññeva parinibbāyati:Not grasping, they’re not anxious. Not being anxious, they personally become extinguished.3.9‘khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānāti.They understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.’3.10Ettāvatā kho, devānaminda, bhikkhu saṅkhittena taṇhāsaṅkhayavimutto hoti accantaniṭṭho accantayogakkhemī accantabrahmacārī accantapariyosāno seṭṭho devamanussānan”ti.That’s how I briefly define a mendicant who is freed through the ending of craving, who has reached the ultimate end, the ultimate sanctuary from the yoke, the ultimate spiritual life, the ultimate goal, and is best among gods and humans.”

4.1Atha kho sakko devānamindo bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyi.Then Sakka, lord of gods, having approved and agreed with what the Buddha said, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before vanishing right there.

5.1Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā mahāmoggallāno bhagavato avidūre nisinno hoti.Now at that time Venerable Mahāmoggallāna was sitting not far from the Buddha.5.2Atha kho āyasmato mahāmoggallānassa etadahosi:He thought,5.3“kiṁ nu kho so yakkho bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhisamecca anumodi udāhu no;“Did that spirit comprehend what the Buddha said when he agreed with him, or not?55.4yannūnāhaṁ taṁ yakkhaṁ jāneyyaṁ—Why don’t I find out?”5.5yadi vā so yakkho bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhisamecca anumodi yadi vā no”ti?

6.1Atha kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evameva—pubbārāme migāramātupāsāde antarahito devesu tāvatiṁsesu pāturahosi.And then Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, vanished from the Eastern Monastery and reappeared among the gods of the thirty-three.67.1Tena kho pana samayena sakko devānamindo ekapuṇḍarīke uyyāne dibbehi pañcahi tūriyasatehi samappito samaṅgībhūto paricāreti.Now at that time Sakka was amusing himself in the Single Lotus Park, supplied and provided with a heavenly orchestra.7

7.2Addasā kho sakko devānamindo āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ.Seeing Mahāmoggallāna coming off in the distance,7.3Disvāna tāni dibbāni pañca tūriyasatāni paṭippaṇāmetvā yenāyasmā mahāmoggallāno tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ etadavoca:he waved off the orchestra, approached Mahāmoggallāna, and said,87.4“ehi kho, mārisa moggallāna, svāgataṁ, mārisa moggallāna.“Come, my good fellow Moggallāna! Welcome, my good fellow!7.5Cirassaṁ kho, mārisa moggallāna, imaṁ pariyāyaṁ akāsi yadidaṁ idhāgamanāya.It’s been a long time since you took the opportunity to come here.7.6Nisīda, mārisa moggallāna, idamāsanaṁ paññattan”ti.Sit, my good Moggallāna, here, a seat is ready.”7.7Nisīdi kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno paññatte āsane.Mahāmoggallāna sat down on the seat spread out,7.8Sakkopi kho devānamindo aññataraṁ nīcaṁ āsanaṁ gahetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.while Sakka took a low seat and sat to one side.

7.9Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ āyasmā mahāmoggallāno etadavoca:Mahāmoggallāna said to him,8.1“yathā kathaṁ pana kho, kosiya, bhagavā saṅkhittena taṇhāsaṅkhayavimuttiṁ abhāsi?“Kosiya, how did the Buddha briefly explain freedom through the ending of craving?98.2Sādhu mayampi etissā kathāya bhāgino assāma savanāyā”ti.Please share this talk with me so that I can also get to hear it.”

8.3PTS 1.253“Mayaṁ kho, mārisa moggallāna, bahukiccā bahukaraṇīyā—“My good Moggallāna, I have many duties, and much to do,8.4appeva sakena karaṇīyena, api ca devānaṁyeva tāvatiṁsānaṁ karaṇīyena.not only for myself, but also for the gods of the thirty-three.8.5Api ca, mārisa moggallāna, sussutaṁyeva hoti suggahitaṁ sumanasikataṁ sūpadhāritaṁ, yaṁ no khippameva antaradhāyati.Still, what is properly heard, learned, attended, and memorized does not vanish all of a sudden.108.6Bhūtapubbaṁ, mārisa moggallāna, devāsurasaṅgāmo samupabyūḷho ahosi.Once upon a time, a battle was fought between the gods and the titans.118.7Tasmiṁ kho pana, mārisa moggallāna, saṅgāme devā jiniṁsu, asurā parājiniṁsu.In that battle the gods won and the titans lost.8.8So kho ahaṁ, mārisa moggallāna, taṁ saṅgāmaṁ abhivijinitvā vijitasaṅgāmo tato paṭinivattitvā vejayantaṁ nāma pāsādaṁ māpesiṁ.When I returned from that battle as a conqueror, I created the Palace of Victory.8.9Vejayantassa kho, mārisa moggallāna, pāsādassa ekasataṁ niyyūhaṁ.The Palace of Victory has a hundred towers.8.10Ekekasmiṁ niyyūhe satta satta kūṭāgārasatāni.Each tower has seven hundred chambers.8.11Ekamekasmiṁ kūṭāgāre satta satta accharāyo.Each chamber has seven nymphs.8.12Ekamekissā accharāya satta satta paricārikāyo.Each nymph has seven maids.8.13Iccheyyāsi no tvaṁ, mārisa moggallāna, vejayantassa pāsādassa rāmaṇeyyakaṁ daṭṭhun”ti?Would you like to see the lovely Palace of Victory?”8.14Adhivāsesi kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno tuṇhībhāvena.Mahāmoggallāna consented with silence.

9.1PTS 1.254Atha kho sakko ca devānamindo vessavaṇo ca mahārājā āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ purakkhatvā yena vejayanto pāsādo tenupasaṅkamiṁsu.Then, putting Venerable Mahāmoggallāna in front, Sakka, lord of gods, and Vessavaṇa, the Great King, went to the Palace of Victory.129.2Addasaṁsu kho sakkassa devānamindassa paricārikāyo āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ;When they saw Moggallāna coming off in the distance, Sakka’s maids,9.3disvā ottappamānā hirīyamānā sakaṁ sakaṁ ovarakaṁ pavisiṁsu.being discreet and prudent, each went to her own bedroom.1310.1Seyyathāpi nāma suṇisā sasuraṁ disvā ottappati hirīyati;They were just like a daughter-in-law who is discreet and prudent when they see their father-in-law.10.2evameva sakkassa devānamindassa paricārikāyo āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ disvā ottappamānā hirīyamānā sakaṁ sakaṁ ovarakaṁ pavisiṁsu.

10.3Atha kho sakko ca devānamindo vessavaṇo ca mahārājā āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ vejayante pāsāde anucaṅkamāpenti anuvicarāpenti:Then Sakka and Vessavaṇa encouraged Moggallāna to wander and explore the palace, saying,1410.4“idampi, mārisa moggallāna, passa vejayantassa pāsādassa rāmaṇeyyakaṁ;“See, in the palace, my good Moggallāna, this lovely thing!10.5idampi, mārisa moggallāna, passa vejayantassa pāsādassa rāmaṇeyyakan”ti.And that lovely thing!”15

10.6“Sobhati idaṁ āyasmato kosiyassa, yathā taṁ pubbe katapuññassa.“That looks beautiful for the venerable Kosiya, as befits one who has made merit in the past.1610.7Manussāpi kiñcideva rāmaṇeyyakaṁ disvā evamāhaṁsu:Humans, when they see something lovely, also say:10.8‘sobhati vata bho yathā devānaṁ tāvatiṁsānan’ti.‘It looks beautiful enough for the gods of the thirty-three!’10.9Tayidaṁ āyasmato kosiyassa sobhati, yathā taṁ pubbe katapuññassā”ti.That looks beautiful for the venerable Kosiya, as befits one who has made merit in the past.”

11.1Atha kho āyasmato mahāmoggallānassa etadahosi:Then Moggallāna thought,11.2“atibāḷhaṁ kho ayaṁ yakkho pamatto viharati.“This spirit lives much too negligently.11.3Yannūnāhaṁ imaṁ yakkhaṁ saṁvejeyyan”ti.Why don’t I stir up a sense of urgency in him?”

11.4Atha kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno tathārūpaṁ iddhābhisaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkhāsi yathā vejayantaṁ pāsādaṁ pādaṅguṭṭhakena saṅkampesi sampakampesi sampavedhesi.Then Moggallāna used his psychic power to make the Palace of Victory shake and rock and tremble with his big toe.1711.5Atha kho sakko ca devānamindo, vessavaṇo ca mahārājā, devā ca tāvatiṁsā acchariyabbhutacittajātā ahesuṁ:Then Sakka, Vessavaṇa, and the gods of the thirty-three, their minds full of wonder and amazement, thought,11.6“acchariyaṁ vata, bho, abbhutaṁ vata, bho.“Oh lord, how incredible, how amazing!11.7Samaṇassa mahiddhikatā mahānubhāvatā, yatra hi nāma dibbabhavanaṁ pādaṅguṭṭhakena saṅkampessati sampakampessati sampavedhessatī”ti.The ascetic has such power and might that he makes the god’s home shake and rock and tremble with his big toe!”

12.1Atha kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ saṁviggaṁ lomahaṭṭhajātaṁ viditvā sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ etadavoca:Knowing that Sakka was shocked and awestruck, Moggallāna said to him,12.2“yathā kathaṁ pana kho, kosiya, bhagavā saṅkhittena taṇhāsaṅkhayavimuttiṁ abhāsi?“Kosiya, how did the Buddha briefly explain freedom through the ending of craving?12.3Sādhu mayampi etissā kathāya bhāgino assāma savanāyā”ti.Please share this talk with me so that I can also get to hear it.”

12.4“Idhāhaṁ, mārisa moggallāna, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁ; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsiṁ. Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho ahaṁ, mārisa moggallāna, bhagavantaṁ etadavocaṁ:“My good fellow Moggallāna, I approached the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and said to him,12.5‘kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, bhikkhu saṅkhittena taṇhāsaṅkhayavimutto hoti accantaniṭṭho accantayogakkhemī accantabrahmacārī accantapariyosāno seṭṭho devamanussānan’ti?‘Sir, how do you briefly define a mendicant who is freed with the ending of craving, who has reached the ultimate end, the ultimate sanctuary from the yoke, the ultimate spiritual life, the ultimate goal, and is best among gods and humans?’

13.1Evaṁ vutte, mārisa moggallāna, bhagavā maṁ etadavoca:When I had spoken the Buddha said to me:13.2‘idha, devānaminda, bhikkhuno sutaṁ hoti:‘Lord of gods, it’s when a mendicant has heard:13.3“sabbe dhammā nālaṁ abhinivesāyā”ti.“Nothing is worth insisting on.”13.4Evañcetaṁ, devānaminda, bhikkhuno sutaṁ hotiWhen a mendicant has heard that13.5“sabbe dhammā nālaṁ abhinivesāyā”ti.nothing is worth insisting on,13.6So sabbaṁ dhammaṁ abhijānāti, sabbaṁ dhammaṁ abhiññāya sabbaṁ dhammaṁ parijānāti, sabbaṁ dhammaṁ pariññāya yaṁ kiñci vedanaṁ vedeti sukhaṁ vā dukkhaṁ vā adukkhamasukhaṁ vā.they directly know all things. Directly knowing all things, they completely understand all things. Having completely understood all things, when they experience any kind of feeling—pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral—13.7So tāsu vedanāsu aniccānupassī viharati, virāgānupassī viharati, nirodhānupassī viharati, paṭinissaggānupassī viharati.they meditate observing impermanence, dispassion, cessation, and letting go in those feelings.13.8So tāsu vedanāsu aniccānupassī viharanto, virāgānupassī viharanto, nirodhānupassī viharanto, paṭinissaggānupassī viharanto na kiñci loke upādiyati,Meditating in this way, they don’t grasp at anything in the world.13.9anupādiyaṁ na paritassati, aparitassaṁ paccattaññeva parinibbāyati:Not grasping, they’re not anxious. Not being anxious, they personally become extinguished.13.10“khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā”ti pajānāti.They understand: “Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.”13.11Ettāvatā kho, devānaminda, bhikkhu saṅkhittena taṇhāsaṅkhayavimutto hoti accantaniṭṭho accantayogakkhemī accantabrahmacārī accantapariyosāno seṭṭho devamanussānan’ti.That’s how I briefly define a mendicant who is freed through the ending of craving, who has reached the ultimate end, the ultimate sanctuary from the yoke, the ultimate spiritual life, the ultimate goal, and is best among gods and humans.’13.12Evaṁ kho me, mārisa moggallāna, bhagavā saṅkhittena taṇhāsaṅkhayavimuttiṁ abhāsī”ti.That’s how the Buddha briefly explained freedom through the ending of craving to me.”

14.1PTS 1.255Atha kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno sakkassa devānamindassa bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evameva—devesu tāvatiṁsesu antarahito pubbārāme migāramātupāsāde pāturahosi.Moggallāna approved and agreed with what Sakka said. As easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, he vanished from among the gods of the thirty-three and reappeared in the Eastern Monastery.

14.2Atha kho sakkassa devānamindassa paricārikāyo acirapakkante āyasmante mahāmoggallāne sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ etadavocuṁ:Soon after Moggallāna left, Sakka’s maids said to him,14.3“eso nu te, mārisa, so bhagavā satthā”ti?“Good fellow, was that the Blessed One, your Teacher?”

14.4“Na kho me, mārisa, so bhagavā satthā.“No, it was not.14.5Sabrahmacārī me eso āyasmā mahāmoggallāno”ti.That was my spiritual companion Venerable Mahāmoggallāna.”18

14.6“Lābhā te, mārisa, suladdhaṁ te, mārisa“You’re fortunate, good fellow, so very fortunate,14.7yassa te sabrahmacārī evaṁmahiddhiko evaṁmahānubhāvo.to have a spiritual companion of such power and might!14.8Aho nūna te so bhagavā satthā”ti.We can’t believe that’s not the Blessed One, your Teacher!”

15.1Atha kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:Then Mahāmoggallāna went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,15.2“abhijānāti no, bhante, bhagavā ahu ñātaññatarassa mahesakkhassa yakkhassa saṅkhittena taṇhāsaṅkhayavimuttiṁ bhāsitā”ti?“Sir, do you recall briefly explaining freedom through the ending of craving to a certain well-known and illustrious spirit?”19

15.3“Abhijānāmahaṁ, moggallāna, idha sakko devānamindo yenāhaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā maṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho, moggallāna, sakko devānamindo maṁ etadavoca:“I do, Moggallāna.” And the Buddha retold all that happened when Sakka came to visit him, adding:15.4‘kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, bhikkhu saṅkhittena taṇhāsaṅkhayavimutto hoti accantaniṭṭho accantayogakkhemī accantabrahmacārī accantapariyosāno seṭṭho devamanussānan’ti.

15.5PTS 1.256Evaṁ vutte, ahaṁ, moggallāna, sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ etadavocaṁ15.6‘idha devānaminda, bhikkhuno sutaṁ hoti15.7“sabbe dhammā nālaṁ abhinivesāyā”ti.15.8Evaṁ cetaṁ, devānaminda, bhikkhuno sutaṁ hoti15.9“sabbe dhammā nālaṁ abhinivesāyā”ti.15.10So sabbaṁ dhammaṁ abhijānāti, sabbaṁ dhammaṁ abhiññāya sabbaṁ dhammaṁ parijānāti, sabbaṁ dhammaṁ pariññāya yaṁ kiñci vedanaṁ vedeti sukhaṁ vā dukkhaṁ vā adukkhamasukhaṁ vā.15.11So tāsu vedanāsu aniccānupassī viharati, virāgānupassī viharati, nirodhānupassī viharati, paṭinissaggānupassī viharati.15.12So tāsu vedanāsu aniccānupassī viharanto, virāgānupassī viharanto, nirodhānupassī viharanto,15.13paṭinissaggānupassī viharanto na kiñci loke upādiyati,15.14anupādiyaṁ na paritassati, aparitassaṁ paccattaññeva parinibbāyati:15.15“khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā”ti pajānāti.15.16Ettāvatā kho, devānaminda, bhikkhu saṅkhittena taṇhāsaṅkhayavimutto hoti accantaniṭṭho accantayogakkhemī accantabrahmacārī accantapariyosāno seṭṭho devamanussānan’ti.15.17Evaṁ kho ahaṁ, moggallāna, abhijānāmi sakkassa devānamindassa saṅkhittena taṇhāsaṅkhayavimuttiṁ bhāsitā”ti.“That’s how I recall briefly explaining freedom through the ending of craving to Sakka, lord of gods.”

15.18Idamavoca bhagavā.That is what the Buddha said.15.19Attamano āyasmā mahāmoggallāno bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.Satisfied, Venerable Mahāmoggallāna approved what the Buddha said.

15.20Cūḷataṇhāsaṅkhayasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ sattamaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. A long account of Sakka’s first meeting with the Buddha and conversion is found at DN 21. There he is said to have attained stream-entry, and so is destined for full awakening. Yet even a stream-enterer may slow their progress by negligence (Snp 2.1:9.3)

    Sakka’s epithet “lord of gods” (devānamindo) evokes his more familiar Sanskrit name, Indra.

    ↩ mn37:2.1

  2. This question directly follows on from the final question at DN 21:2.6.9, where Sakka asks whether all ascetics and brahmins have reached the ultimate goal. Here he delves deeper into what that means.

    Now that he is a confirmed Buddhist, Sakka switches from “ascetics and brahmins” to “mendicants”.

    This passage has an exact parallel at AN 7.61:12.2, and a variation at SN 22.4:1.5.

    ↩ mn37:2.2

  3. The Buddha is calling back to the previous conversation, where immediately before asking about the ultimate goal, Sakka had asked why all ascetics did not share a common doctrine (DN 21:2.6.6). The Buddha answered that, though the world has many and diverse elements, ascetics tend to fixate on one aspect and “insist” it is the only truth.

    ↩ mn37:3.2

  4. One who has learned the theory of non-attachment is still liable to become attached, so they apply their knowledge to experiential insight into “all things”. Normally “complete understanding” (pariññā) indicates arahantship, but here it reinforces “direct knowledge” (abhiññā) as the wisdom of stream-entry. However, the force of attachment is so deeply ingrained that even a stream-enterer, such as Sakka, with both theoretical and experiential wisdom is still not free. So they must then continue to meditate on the feelings in order to let go fully.

    ↩ mn37:3.5

  5. Moggallāna refers to Sakka as a “spirit” (yakkha).

    ↩ mn37:5.3

  6. Moggallāna was the foremost in psychic powers.

    ↩ mn37:6.1

  7. A pañcaṅgikatūriya is a band of five musicians, a “quintet”. Here it is amplified a hundredfold, so I translate “orchestra”.

    “Single lotus” (ekapuṇḍarīka) appears as an auspicious epithet in a prayer for wealth at Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 6.3.6.

    ↩ mn37:7.1

  8. The Pali paṭippaṇāmeti, literally “bend back”, occurs also in the “fending off” of Lady Luck at MN 49:5.9. Sometimes it has a metaphorical meaning (AN 6.42:10.2), but there it seems to indicate a physical movement with a staff, a waving gesture to ward off an ill omen. Normally the verb paṇamati means to “bow”, so it too has a physical meaning, even though the connotation is opposite. It is used by the Buddha in “dismissing” a badly behaved Saṅgha (MN 67:5.1). Perhaps there, as here, it also retains a physical aspect, to “wave off”.

    ↩ mn37:7.3

  9. Moggallāna refers to Sakka as “Kosiya” rather than the Buddha’s “lord of gods”. Old gods like Sakka tend to accrue many names. The word kosiya is explained by the commentaries as “owl”, which, if correct, would have been the totem for a clan of that name. It is, however, a patronymic: Rig Veda 1.10.11 has indra kauśika which means “Indra, son of Kuśika (or Kuśa)”. Kuśa grass is critical to the performance of Vedic rites, and the label probably initially implied “Brahmanized”, i.e. a king whose reign was authorized according to Vedic ritual. Kosiya is said to be a low class family name (Bu Pc 2:2.1.18).

    ↩ mn37:8.1

  10. The commentary reads no as a personal pronoun (amhākaṁ) which results in the sense, “Even what I have well remembered quickly vanishes.” This is logically dubious—how is it “properly learned” if it quickly vanishes?—and contradicted below where Sakka shows that he does in fact remember perfectly well (MN 37:12.5). Instead, read no as negative particle. Sakka is brushing Moggallāna off by insisting he has learned his lesson, without taking the trouble to actually remember it.

    ↩ mn37:8.5

  11. He tries to distract Moggallāna with talk of his glory days, rehashing vendettas that were old even in the Vedas.

    ↩ mn37:8.6

  12. Also known as Kuvera (DN 20:9.31, Snp 2.14:6.1), the name Vessavaṇa means “Son of the Renowned” from his father Viśrava, although DN 32:7.40 explains it as from the name of his city. He is one of the four great kings and guards the northern quarter.

    ↩ mn37:9.1

  13. The maids are described as possessing the cardinal virtues of hiri (conscience, discretion) and otappa (prudence), the “guardians of the world” and the foundations of moral integrity. Former translators have rendered this as if the maids were “embarrassed and ashamed”, but this is unwarranted. The maids were born in this realm as the result of their good kamma in past lives and are simply residing there in their own home. Unlike Sakka, who neglected his lesson and then tried to distract attention when reminded of it, they have nothing to be ashamed of.

    ↩ mn37:9.3

  14. This is a good example of (anu)-vicāra in the sense of “explore”.

    ↩ mn37:10.3

  15. The gods are pointing out various pretty features in the palace.

    ↩ mn37:10.5

  16. After Sakka’s disappointing response, Moggallāna is trying to say something nice. At the same time, he subtly implies the difference between his past merit and present negligence.

    ↩ mn37:10.6

  17. Referred to at Thag 20.1:55.1. Moggallāna displayed a similar wonder at SN 51.14:3.1, also a means of last resort in the face of negligence.

    ↩ mn37:11.4

  18. “Spiritual companion” (sabrahmacārī) normally refers to a fellow monastic, but here it alludes to the fact that both of them have seen the Dhamma.

    ↩ mn37:14.5

  19. It is unclear why Moggallāna asked for a repetition of the teaching at which he was present. One might have expected that he would report to the Buddha the events at Sakka’s palace.

    ↩ mn37:15.2