Devadaha Sutta: Devadaha

Saɱyutta Nikāya:
III. Khandhā Vagga:
22: Khandhāsaɱyutta
Sutta 2
Devadaha Sutta
Devadaha

Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Copyright The Pali Text Society

[1] THUS have I heard:—

Once the Exalted One was staying among the Sakkas at Devadaha, a township of the Sakkas.

Now on that occasion a number of westward-faring brethren
came to the Exalted One,
saluted him and sat down at one side.

As they sat there
they addressed the Exalted One thus:

'Master, we wish to go to the western province,
and in the western province
to take up residence.'

'And have ye got leave, brethren,
from the venerable Sāriputta?'

'No, Master, we have not got leave
from the venerable Sāriputta.'

'Then, brethren, do ye get leave
from the venerable Sāriputta.

A wise man is Sāriputta.
He is the patron of those brethren
who live the righteous life along with him.'

'Even so, Master,' replied those brethren to the Exalted One.'

Now on that occasion, the venerable Sāriputta was seated
not far from the Exalted One,
under a cassia tree.'

Then those brethren, having welcomed and approved the words of the Exalted One,
saluted him and departed by the right
and came to the venerable Sāriputta.

Thereupon they greeted him with friendly words, and,
exchanging the compliments of courtesy,
sat down on one side.

So seated those brethren thus addressed the venerable Sāriputta:

'Friend Sāriputta,
we desire to go to the western province
and in the western province
to take up residence.
The Master has permitted us.'

'Friends, there are those
who will be questioners of a brother
who roams the various provinces
— Wise men of the nobles,
of the brahmins,
among householders
and wanderers
— there are wise men, friends,
of an inquiring mind (who will ask):

"What does the Teacher of your reverences declare,
what does he announce?"

Now it may be, friends,
that your doctrines are well learned,
well grasped,
well thought over
and well understood:
so that, in answering,
you might be able
to repeat the views of the Exalted One
and not misrepresent the Exalted One
by uttering an untruth,
but rightly state your doctrine
in agreement with his doctrine,
so that one who is of his way of thinking
may not give grounds for reproach in stating it.'

'We would come from far, friend,
to hear from the lips of the venerable Sāriputta
the meaning of this saying.

Well for us
if it would please the venerable Sāriputta
to state its meaning.'

'Very well, friends.
Do ye listen carefully.
Give heed and I will speak.'

'Even so, friend,'
replied those brethren to the venerable Sāriputta.

Thus spake the venerable Sāriputta:

'Friends, there are those
who will ask a question of a brother
who roams the various provinces
— Wise men of the nobles,
of the brahmins,
among householders
and wanderers
— there are wise men, friends,
of an inquiring mind (who will ask):

"What does the teacher of your reverences declare,
what does he announce?"

Thus asked, friends,
thus should ye reply:

"Friends, our teacher is one who tells
of the restraining of desire and lust."

Upon this reply, friends,
there might be those
who would put a further question
— Wise men of the nobles,
of the brahmins,
among householders
and wanderers
— there are wise men, friends,
of an inquiring mind (who will ask):

"But in what way does your reverences' teacher tell
of the restraining of desire and lust?"

Thus questioned, friends,
thus should ye reply:

"In body surely, friends,
our teacher tells
of the restraining of desire and lust;
in feeling,
in perception,
in the activities,
in consciousness
does our teacher tell
of the restraining of desire and lust."

Upon this reply, friends,
there might be those
who would put a further question
— Wise men of the nobles,
of the brahmins,
among householders
and wanderers
— there are wise men, friends,
of an inquiring mind (who might ask):

"But seeing what danger therein, friends,
does your reverences' teacher tell
of the restraining of desire and lust in the body,
likewise in feeling,
perception,
the activities
and consciousness?"

Thus questioned, friends,
thus should ye make reply:

"In body, friends,
he who is not rid of desire,
who is not rid of lust,
who is not rid of affection,
nor yet of thirst and fever and craving,
— owing to the unstable and changeful nature of body,
sorrow and grief,
woe, lamentation and despair
arise in him.

In feeling,
perception,
the activities,
he who is not rid of desire,
who is not rid of lust,
who is not rid of affection,
nor yet of thirst and fever and craving,
— owing to the unstable and changeful nature of body,
sorrow and grief,
woe, lamentation and despair
arise in him.

In consciousness, he who is not rid of desire,
who is not rid of lust,
who is not rid of affection,
nor yet of thirst and fever and craving,
— owing to the unstable and changeful nature of body,
sorrow and grief,
woe, lamentation and despair
[9] arise in him.

That, friends, is the danger,
seeing which in body,
our teacher tells
of the restraining of desire and lust in body;
so also in feeling,
perception,
the activities
that, friends, is the danger,
seeing which in consciousness
our teacher tells
of the restraining of desire and lust in consciousness."

"Upon this reply, friends,
there might be those
who would put a further question
— Wise men of the nobles,
of the brahmins,
among householders
and wanderers
— there are wise men, friends,
of an inquiring mind (who might ask):

"But seeing what profit therein
does your reverences' teacher tell
of the restraining of desire and lust in the body,
in feeling,
in perception,
in the activities,
likewise in consciousness?"

Thus questioned, friends,
thus should ye make reply:

"In body, friends,
he who is rid of desire,
who is rid of lust,
who is rid of affection,
of thirst and fever and craving,
owing to the unstable and changeful nature of body,
sorrow and grief,
woe, lamentation and despair
do not arise in him;
so also with feeling,
perception,
the activities
and consciousness.

This, friends, is the profit,
seeing which our teacher tells
of the restraining of desire and lust in body,
in feeling,
in perception,
in the activities
and in consciousness."

And, friends,
that in fostering evil states
and dwelling therein,
in this very life
he would live pleasantly,
unharassed and free
from life's fret and fever,
and, when body dissolves, after death
he may look for the abode of bliss
— this is not the putting away of evil states
that the Exalted One would approve.

But, friends, inasmuch as
having fostered evil states
and dwelling therein,
in this very life
one would live painfully,
harassed, unfreed
from life's fret and fever,
and, when body dissolves, after death
one may look for the woeful state
— therefore does the Exalted One approve
of the putting away of evil states.

And, friends,
that in fostering righteous states
and dwelling therein,
in this very life
one would live painfully,
harassed, unfreed
from life's fret and fever,
and, when body dissolves, after death
one may look for the woeful state
— this is not the way of fostering righteous states
that the Exalted One would approve.

[10] But, friends,
inasmuch as having fostered righteous states
and dwelling therein,
in this very life
one would live pleasantly,
unharassed, free
from life's fret and fever,
and, when body dissolves, after death
one may look for the abode of bliss,
— therefore does the Exalted One approve
of the accomplishing of righteous states.'

Thus spake the venerable Sāriputta,
and those brethren were delighted
and welcomed the words of the venerable Siriputta.

Source

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