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SN 1.36PTS (1st ed) SN 1.251 min read

Faith

Saddhāsutta

A series of Satullapa gods address the Buddha with verses on various topics. The identifications of the verses in this unclear, and comparison with the Chinese parallels suggests the Pali may have suffered textual loss.

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

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 1.36Linked Discourses 1.36
  • 0.24. Satullapakāyikavagga4. The Host of a Hundred Felicities

0.3SaddhāsuttaFaith

1.1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

1.2Atha kho sambahulā satullapakāyikā devatāyo abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu.Then, late at night, several glorious deities of the host of a hundred felicities, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Buddha, bowed, and stood to one side.1.3Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho ekā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:Standing to one side, one deity spoke this verse in the Buddha’s presence:1

2.1“Saddhā dutiyā purisassa hoti,“Faith is a person’s partner.22.2No ce assaddhiyaṁ avatiṭṭhati;If faithlessness doesn’t linger,2.3Yaso ca kittī ca tatvassa hoti,fame and renown are theirs,2.4Saggañca so gacchati sarīraṁ vihāyā”ti.and when they discard this corpse they go to heaven.”

3.1Atha kho aparā devatā bhagavato santike imā gāthāyo abhāsi:Then another deity recited these verses in the Buddha’s presence:

4.1“Kodhaṁ jahe vippajaheyya mānaṁ,“Give up anger, get rid of conceit,34.2Saṁyojanaṁ sabbamatikkameyya;and get past all the fetters.4.3Taṁ nāmarūpasmimasajjamānaṁ,Chains don’t torment one who has nothing,4.4Akiñcanaṁ nānupatanti saṅgā”ti.not clinging to name and form.”4

5.1“Pamādamanuyuñjanti,“Fools and simpletons55.2bālā dummedhino janā;devote themselves to negligence.5.3Appamādañca medhāvī,But the wise protect diligence5.4dhanaṁ seṭṭhaṁva rakkhati.as their best treasure.

6.1Mā pamādamanuyuñjetha,Don’t devote yourself to negligence,6.2mā kāmarati santhavaṁ;or delight in erotic intimacy.6.3Appamatto hi jhāyanto,For if you’re diligent and practice absorption,6.4pappoti paramaṁ sukhan”ti.you’ll attain ultimate happiness.”

Translator’s notes

  1. The Pali text attributes none of the verses to the Buddha. However, in the two Chinese parallels at SA 1286 and SA-2 284, one deity gives an opening verse; the Buddha responds with a series of 5 or 6 verses; then the deity concludes with a verse in praise. This gives a much more satisfying structure, and it seems likely the Pali text has suffered loss.

    ↩ sn1.36:1.3

  2. This sounds like a typical deity verse in that it culminates by going to heaven, but it is attributed to the Buddha in the Chinese parallels.

    ↩ sn1.36:2.1

  3. This verse sounds unlike something a deity would say, and like something the Buddha would say.

    ↩ sn1.36:4.1

  4. While the deity is said to recite several verses, the Pali text finishes here with a close -ti indicating the end of the quote.

    ↩ sn1.36:4.4

  5. The Pali text indicates no speaker for the final verses, but presumably they too were spoken by the Buddha.

    ↩ sn1.36:5.1