Hatthakasutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.127

Numbered Discourses 3.127

13. Kusināravagga

13. Kusinārā

Hatthakasutta

With Hatthaka

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Atha kho hatthako devaputto abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇo kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā:

Then, late at night, the glorious godling Hatthaka, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Buddha. Thinking,

“bhagavato purato ṭhassāmī”ti osīdatimeva saṁsīdatimeva, na sakkoti saṇṭhātuṁ.

“I will stand before the Buddha,” he sank and melted down, and wasn’t able to stay still.

Seyyathāpi nāma sappi vā telaṁ vā vālukāya āsittaṁ osīdatimeva saṁsīdatimeva, na saṇṭhāti;

It’s like when ghee or oil is poured on sand, it sinks and melts down, and can’t remain stable.

evamevaṁ hatthako devaputto:

“bhagavato purato ṭhassāmī”ti osīdatimeva saṁsīdatimeva, na sakkoti saṇṭhātuṁ.

Atha kho bhagavā hatthakaṁ devaputtaṁ etadavoca:

Then the Buddha said to Hatthaka,

“oḷārikaṁ, hatthaka, attabhāvaṁ abhinimmināhī”ti.

“Hatthaka, manifest a solid incarnation.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti, kho hatthako devaputto bhagavato paṭissutvā oḷārikaṁ attabhāvaṁ abhinimminitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi.

“Yes, sir,” replied Hatthaka. He manifested a solid incarnation, bowed to the Buddha, and stood to one side.

Ekamantaṁ ṭhitaṁ kho hatthakaṁ devaputtaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

The Buddha said to him,

“Ye te, hatthaka, dhammā pubbe manussabhūtassa pavattino ahesuṁ, api nu te te dhammā etarahi pavattino”ti?

“Hatthaka, I wonder whether you still promulgate now the teachings that you promulgated when you were a human being?”

“Ye ca me, bhante, dhammā pubbe manussabhūtassa pavattino ahesuṁ, te ca me dhammā etarahi pavattino;

“I still promulgate the teachings that I promulgated as a human being.

ye ca me, bhante, dhammā pubbe manussabhūtassa nappavattino ahesuṁ, te ca me dhammā etarahi pavattino.

And I also promulgate teachings that I didn’t promulgate as a human being.

Seyyathāpi, bhante, bhagavā etarahi ākiṇṇo viharati bhikkhūhi bhikkhunīhi upāsakehi upāsikāhi rājūhi rājamahāmattehi titthiyehi titthiyasāvakehi;

Just as the Buddha these days lives crowded by monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen; by rulers and their chief ministers, and monastics of other religions and their disciples,

evamevaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, ākiṇṇo viharāmi devaputtehi.

so I live crowded by the godlings.

Dūratopi, bhante, devaputtā āgacchanti hatthakassa devaputtassa santike ‘dhammaṁ sossāmā’ti.

The godlings come from far away, thinking, ‘We’ll hear the teaching in the presence of Hatthaka.’

Tiṇṇāhaṁ, bhante, dhammānaṁ atitto appaṭivāno kālaṅkato.

Sir, I passed away without getting enough of three things.

Katamesaṁ tiṇṇaṁ?

What three?

Bhagavato ahaṁ, bhante, dassanassa atitto appaṭivāno kālaṅkato;

Seeing the Buddha;

saddhammasavanassāhaṁ, bhante, atitto appaṭivāno kālaṅkato;

hearing the true teaching;

saṅghassāhaṁ, bhante, upaṭṭhānassa atitto appaṭivāno kālaṅkato.

and serving the Saṅgha.

Imesaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, tiṇṇaṁ dhammānaṁ atitto appaṭivāno kālaṅkatoti.

I passed away without getting enough of these three things.

Nāhaṁ bhagavato dassanassa,

I could never get enough

Tittimajjhagā kudācanaṁ;

of seeing the Buddha,

Saṅghassa upaṭṭhānassa,

serving the Saṅgha,

Saddhammasavanassa ca.

or hearing the teaching.

Adhisīlaṁ sikkhamāno,

Training in the higher ethics,

saddhammasavane rato;

loving to hear the true teaching,

Tiṇṇaṁ dhammānaṁ atitto,

Hatthaka has gone to the Aviha realm

hatthako avihaṁ gato”ti.

without getting enough of these three things.”

Pañcamaṁ.