1.1Evaṁ me sutaṁ—So I have heard.1.2ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā āḷaviyaṁ viharati āḷavakassa yakkhassa bhavane.At one time the Buddha was staying near Āḷavī in the haunt of the native spirit Āḷavaka.1.3Atha kho āḷavako yakkho yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:Then the native spirit Āḷavaka went up to the Buddha, and said to him:1.4“nikkhama, samaṇā”ti.“Get out, ascetic!”1.5“Sādhāvuso”ti bhagavā nikkhami.Saying, “All right, respectable sir,” the Buddha went out.1.6“Pavisa, samaṇā”ti.“Get in, ascetic!”1.7“Sādhāvuso”ti bhagavā pāvisi.Saying, “All right, respectable sir,” the Buddha went in.

2.1Dutiyampi kho …pe…For a second time …2.2tatiyampi kho āḷavako yakkho bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:And for a third time the native spirit Āḷavaka said to the Buddha,2.3“nikkhama, samaṇā”ti.“Get out, ascetic!”2.4“Sādhāvuso”ti bhagavā nikkhami.Saying, “All right, respectable sir,” the Buddha went out.2.5“Pavisa, samaṇā”ti.“Get in, ascetic!”2.6“Sādhāvuso”ti bhagavā pāvisi.Saying, “All right, respectable sir,” the Buddha went in.

3.1Catutthampi kho āḷavako yakkho bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:And for a fourth time the native spirit Āḷavaka said to the Buddha,3.2“nikkhama, samaṇā”ti.“Get out, ascetic!”3.3“Na khvāhaṁ taṁ, āvuso, nikkhamissāmi.“No, respectable sir, I won’t get out.3.4Yaṁ te karaṇīyaṁ, taṁ karohī”ti.Do what you must.”

4.1“Pañhaṁ taṁ, samaṇa, pucchissāmi.“I will ask you a question, ascetic.4.2Sace me na byākarissasi, cittaṁ vā te khipissāmi, hadayaṁ vā te phālessāmi, pādesu vā gahetvā pāragaṅgāya khipissāmī”ti.If you don’t answer me, I’ll drive you insane, or explode your heart, or grab you by the feet and throw you to the far shore of the Ganges!”

5.1“Na khvāhaṁ taṁ, āvuso, passāmi sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya yo me cittaṁ vā khipeyya hadayaṁ vā phāleyya pādesu vā gahetvā pāragaṅgāya khipeyya.“I don’t see anyone in this world with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans who could do that to me.5.2Api ca tvaṁ, āvuso, puccha yadākaṅkhasī”ti.But anyway, ask what you wish.”5.3Atha kho āḷavako yakkho bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:Then the native spirit Āḷavaka addressed the Buddha in verse:

6.1“Kiṁ sūdha vittaṁ purisassa seṭṭhaṁ,“What’s a person’s best wealth?6.2Kiṁ su suciṇṇaṁ sukhamāvahāti;What brings happiness when practiced well?6.3Kiṁ su have sādutaraṁ rasānaṁ,What’s the sweetest taste of all?6.4Kathaṁjīviṁ jīvitamāhu seṭṭhaṁ”.The one they say has the best life: how do they live?”

7.1“Saddhīdha vittaṁ purisassa seṭṭhaṁ,“Faith here is a person’s best wealth.7.2Dhammo suciṇṇo sukhamāvahāti;The teaching brings happiness when practiced well.7.3Saccaṁ have sādutaraṁ rasānaṁ,Truth is the sweetest taste of all.7.4Paññājīviṁ jīvitamāhu seṭṭhaṁ”.The one they say has the best life lives by wisdom.”

8.1“Kathaṁ su tarati oghaṁ,“How do you cross the flood?8.2kathaṁ su tarati aṇṇavaṁ;How do you cross the deluge?8.3Kathaṁ su dukkhamacceti,How do you get over suffering?8.4kathaṁ su parisujjhati”.How do you get purified?”

9.1“Saddhāya tarati oghaṁ,“By faith you cross the flood,9.2appamādena aṇṇavaṁ;and by diligence the deluge.9.3Vīriyena dukkhamacceti,By energy you get past suffering,9.4paññāya parisujjhati”.and you’re purified by wisdom.”

10.1“Kathaṁ su labhate paññaṁ,“How do you get wisdom?10.2kathaṁ su vindate dhanaṁ;How do you earn wealth?10.3Kathaṁ su kittiṁ pappoti,How do you get a good reputation?10.4kathaṁ mittāni ganthati;How do you hold on to friends?10.5Asmā lokā paraṁ lokaṁ,How do the departed not grieve10.6kathaṁ pecca na socati”.when passing from this world to the next?”

11.1“Saddahāno arahataṁ,“One who is diligent and discerning11.2dhammaṁ nibbānapattiyā;gains wisdom by wanting to learn,11.3Sussūsaṁ labhate paññaṁ,having faith in the perfected ones,11.4appamatto vicakkhaṇo.and the teaching for becoming extinguished.

12.1Patirūpakārī dhuravā,Being responsible, acting appropriately,12.2uṭṭhātā vindate dhanaṁ;and working hard you earn wealth.12.3Saccena kittiṁ pappoti,Truthfulness wins you a good reputation.12.4dadaṁ mittāni ganthati.You hold on to friends by giving.

13.1Yassete caturo dhammā,A faithful householder of discernment13.2saddhassa gharamesino;who possesses these four qualities13.3Saccaṁ dhammo dhiti cāgo,does not grieve after passing away:13.4sa ve pecca na socati.truth, principle, steadfastness, and generosity.

14.1Iṅgha aññepi pucchassu,Go ahead, ask others as well,14.2puthū samaṇabrāhmaṇe;there are many ascetics and brahmins.14.3Yadi saccā damā cāgā,See whether anything better is found14.4khantyā bhiyyodha vijjati”.than truth, principle, generosity, and patience.”

15.1“Kathaṁ nu dāni puccheyyaṁ,“Why now would I question15.2Puthū samaṇabrāhmaṇe;the many ascetics and brahmins?15.3Yohaṁ ajja pajānāmi,Today I understand15.4Yo attho samparāyiko.what’s good for lives to come.

16.1Atthāya vata me buddho,It was truly for my benefit16.2Vāsāyāḷavimāgamā;that the Buddha came to stay at Āḷavī.16.3Yohaṁ ajja pajānāmi,Today I understand16.4Yattha dinnaṁ mahapphalaṁ.where a gift is very fruitful.

17.1So ahaṁ vicarissāmi,I myself will journey17.2Gāmā gāmaṁ purā puraṁ;village to village, town to town,17.3Namassamāno sambuddhaṁ,paying homage to the Buddha,17.4Dhammassa ca sudhammatan”ti.and the clear rightness of the teaching!”

17.5Āḷavakasuttaṁ dasamaṁ.