SN 1.74PTS (1st ed) SN 1.421 min read

Rain

Vuṭṭhisutta

A series of questions asked by one deity, answered by another, and then given a better answer by the Buddha.

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

0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 1.74Linked Discourses 1.74
0.28. Chetvāvagga8. Slain

0.3VuṭṭhisuttaRain

1.1“Kiṁsu uppatataṁ seṭṭhaṁ,“What’s the best of things that rise?1.2kiṁsu nipatataṁ varaṁ;And what’s the finest thing to fall?1.3Kiṁsu pavajamānānaṁ,And what of the things that go forth?1.4kiṁsu pavadataṁ varan”ti.And who’s the finest speaker?”
2.1“Bījaṁ uppatataṁ seṭṭhaṁ,“A seed’s the best of things that rise.2.2vuṭṭhi nipatataṁ varā;Rain’s the finest thing to fall.2.3Gāvo pavajamānānaṁ,Cattle, of things that go forth.2.4putto pavadataṁ varo”ti.And a child is the finest speaker.”¹
3.1“Vijjā uppatataṁ seṭṭhā,“Knowledge is best of things that rise.3.2avijjā nipatataṁ varā;Ignorance the finest thing to fall.3.3Saṅgho pavajamānānaṁ,The Saṅgha, of things that go forth.3.4buddho pavadataṁ varo”ti.And the Buddha is the finest speaker.”

Translator’s notes

The commentary says this refers to a child who testifies on one’s behalf in a court of law. But I think it is about the joy a parent feels when they hear their child speak for the first time. Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 7.4.2.38 says, “children utter speech” (prajā vācam pravadanti) when one year old.
↩ sn1.74:2.4