SN 2.11PTS (1st ed) SN 1.511 min read

With Candimasa

Candimasasutta

The deity Candimasa says that those who practice absorption will surely find escape. The Buddha adds that they must also be diligent and discard flaws.

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

0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 2.11Linked Discourses 2.11
0.22. Anāthapiṇḍikavagga2. With Anāthapiṇḍika

0.3CandimasasuttaWith Candimasa

1.1Sāvatthinidānaṁ.At Sāvatthī.

1.2Atha kho candimaso devaputto abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇo kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi.Then, late at night, the glorious godling Candimasa, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side,¹1.3Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho candimaso devaputto bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:and spoke this verse in the Buddha’s presence:

2.1“Te hi sotthiṁ gamissanti,“Like deer in a mosquito-free marsh,2.2kacchevāmakase magā;they will reach a safe place2.3Jhānāni upasampajja,having entered the absorptions,2.4ekodi nipakā satā”ti.unified, alert, and mindful.”
3.1“Te hi pāraṁ gamissanti,“Like fish when the net is cut,3.2chetvā jālaṁva ambujo;they will reach the far shore3.3Jhānāni upasampajja,having entered the absorptions,3.4appamattā raṇañjahā”ti.diligent, with strife discarded.”²

Translator’s notes

Candimasa is another form of the shining “moon”, echoing Vedic candramasa (eg. Rig Veda 1.84.15, 10.64.3, Chāndogya Upaniṣad4.15.5, etc.). As often, there is no obvious link between the deity and the content of their verses.
↩ sn2.11:1.2
Rig Vedic raṇa usually means “joy, delight” (eg. 8.96.16, 10.104.7) or occasionally “battle, strife, conflict” (see MN 139). The commentary explains it here as “vice, defilement”. But compare Rig Veda 10.112.10, where Indra the “bounteous” (maghavan) is urged to “battle” and bestow a share of winnings on devotees. Likewise at 10.113.4 Indra’s successful “battle” is a prelude to releasing the waters. Then there is the oft-quoted line dhanañjayaṁ raṇe-raṇe (“winner of the stakes in every battle”, 1.74.3, 6.16.15). These suggest emendation to raṇañjaya (“victor in battle”), but this is not attested in Pali. On the other hand, the Chinese translation at SA 1303 seems to take raṇa in the sense of “delight” (喜樂). Also see the uddāna to Thag 1.50, vimalo ca raṇañjaho, which supports the commentarial sense “free of defilement”. On the whole, since the sense “strife” is clearly attested, and the development of Vedic “joy” to commentarial “defilement” is not well-attested, I am inclined to accept the sense “strife” in all cases, while suspecting that the original of raṇañjaha was raṇañjaya.
↩ sn2.11:3.4