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SN 11.23PTS (1st ed) SN 1.2381 min read

The Sambari Sorcery

Sambarimāyāsutta

When Vepacitti fell ill, Sakka visited his old adversary, who begged to be cured. But Sakka demanded to be taught a powerful magic spell first.

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

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 11.23Linked Discourses 11.23
  • 0.23. TatiyavaggaChapter Three

0.3SambarimāyāsuttaThe Sambari Sorcery

1.1Sāvatthiyaṁ …pe…At Sāvatthī.

1.2bhagavā etadavoca:The Buddha said this:

1.3“bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo ābādhiko ahosi dukkhito bāḷhagilāno.“Once upon a time, mendicants, Vepacitti, lord of titans, was sick, suffering, gravely ill.1.4Atha kho, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo yena vepacitti asurindo tenupasaṅkami gilānapucchako.So Sakka went to see him to ask after his illness.

1.5Addasā kho, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ.Vepacitti saw Sakka coming off in the distance,1.6Disvāna sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ etadavoca:and said to him,1.7‘tikiccha maṁ, devānamindā’ti.‘Heal me, lord of gods!’1

1.8‘Vācehi maṁ, vepacitti, sambarimāyan’ti.‘Teach me, Vepacitti, the Sambari sorcery.’2

1.9‘Na tāvāhaṁ vācemi, yāvāhaṁ, mārisa, asure paṭipucchāmī’ti.‘I can’t do that, good fellow, until I have consulted with the titans.’3

1.10Atha kho, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo asure paṭipucchi:Then Vepacitti, lord of titans, asked the titans,1.11‘vācemahaṁ, mārisā, sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ sambarimāyan’ti?‘Good fellows, may I teach the Sambari sorcery to Sakka, lord of gods?’

1.12‘Mā kho tvaṁ, mārisa, vācesi sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ sambarimāyan’ti.‘Do not, good fellow, teach the Sambari sorcery to Sakka!’4

1.13Atha kho, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:So Vepacitti addressed Sakka in verse:

2.1‘Māyāvī maghavā sakka,‘O Maghavā, O Sakka,2.2devarāja sujampati;king of gods, Sujā’s husband:2.3Upeti nirayaṁ ghoraṁ,a sorceror like Sambara falls2.4sambarova sataṁ saman’”ti.into the terrible hell for a full century.’”5

Translator’s notes

  1. Such a tender and caring relationship between these erstwhile enemies.

    ↩ sn11.23:1.7

  2. Sambara’s magic was legendary: shape-shifting (Śiva Purāṇa 59.19), battle-illusions (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 27, Harivaṁśa 99.27), rains of deadly weapons (Bhāgavata Purāṇa 10.21). None of these, however, suit Sakka’s behavior—he was not the sort to blackmail a mate in time of need. And indeed, there was a benevolent side to Sambara’s power as well. It was said to induce sleep (Arthaśāstra 14.3.19, 14.3.43), which could be a way to ease Vepacitti’s pain. There is also a hint of its medicinal use, since several medicinal herbs are named after it.

    ↩ sn11.23:1.8

  3. Apparently demon society is quite democratic.

    ↩ sn11.23:1.9

  4. Understandable, given that it has military applications as well. Magic, like any other power, may be used for good or ill.

    ↩ sn11.23:1.12

  5. Powerful magics come at a cost, and are unworthy of the lord of gods.

    ↩ sn11.23:2.4