Ahirājasutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.67

Numbered Discourses 4.67

7. Pattakammavagga

7. Fitting Deeds

Ahirājasutta

The Snake King

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

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

Tena kho pana samayena sāvatthiyaṁ aññataro bhikkhu ahinā daṭṭho kālaṅkato hoti.

Now, at that time a monk in Sāvatthī passed away due to a snake bite.

Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:

Then several mendicants went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,

“idha, bhante, sāvatthiyaṁ aññataro bhikkhu ahinā daṭṭho kālaṅkato”ti.

“Sir, a monk in Sāvatthī has passed away due to a snake bite.”

“Na hi nūna so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cattāri ahirājakulāni mettena cittena phari.

“Mendicants, that monk mustn’t have spread a mind of love to the four royal snake families.

Sace hi so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cattāri ahirājakulāni mettena cittena phareyya, na hi so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ahinā daṭṭho kālaṁ kareyya.

If he had, he wouldn’t have died due to a snake bite.

Katamāni cattāri?

What four?

Virūpakkhaṁ ahirājakulaṁ, erāpathaṁ ahirājakulaṁ, chabyāputtaṁ ahirājakulaṁ, kaṇhāgotamakaṁ ahirājakulaṁ.

The royal snake families of Virūpakkha, Erāpatha, Chabyāputta, and Kaṇhāgotamaka. …

Na hi nūna so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu imāni cattāri ahirājakulāni mettena cittena phari.

Sace hi so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu imāni cattāri ahirājakulāni mettena cittena phareyya, na hi so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ahinā daṭṭho kālaṁ kareyya.

Anujānāmi, bhikkhave, imāni cattāri ahirājakulāni mettena cittena pharituṁ attaguttiyā attarakkhāya attaparittāyāti.

Mendicants, I urge you to spread a mind of love to the four royal snake families, for your own safety, security, and protection.

Virūpakkhehi me mettaṁ,

I love the Virūpakkhas,

Mettaṁ erāpathehi me;

the Erāpathas I love,

Chabyāputtehi me mettaṁ,

I love the Chabyāputtas,

Mettaṁ kaṇhāgotamakehi ca.

the Kaṇhāgotamakas I love.

Apādakehi me mettaṁ,

I love the footless creatures,

mettaṁ dvipādakehi me;

the two-footed I love,

Catuppadehi me mettaṁ,

I love the four-footed,

mettaṁ bahuppadehi me.

the many-footed I love.

Mā maṁ apādako hiṁsi,

May the footless not harm me!

mā maṁ hiṁsi dvipādako;

May I not be harmed by the two-footed!

Mā maṁ catuppado hiṁsi,

May the four-footed not harm me!

mā maṁ hiṁsi bahuppado.

May I not be harmed by the many-footed!

Sabbe sattā sabbe pāṇā,

All sentient beings, all living things,

sabbe bhūtā ca kevalā;

all creatures, every one:

Sabbe bhadrāni passantu,

may they see only nice things,

mā kañci pāpamāgamā.

may bad not come to anyone.

Appamāṇo buddho,

The Buddha is immeasurable,

Appamāṇo dhammo;

the teaching is immeasurable,

Appamāṇo saṅgho,

the Saṅgha is immeasurable.

Pamāṇavantāni sarīsapāni.

But limited are reptiles,

Ahivicchikā satapadī,

snakes and scorpions, centipedes,

Uṇṇanābhī sarabū mūsikā;

spiders and lizards and mice.

Katā me rakkhā katā me parittā,

I’ve made this safeguard, I’ve made this protection:

Paṭikkamantu bhūtāni;

go away, creatures!

Sohaṁ namo bhagavato,

And so I revere the Blessed One,

Namo sattannaṁ sammāsambuddhānan”ti.

I revere the seven perfectly awakened Buddhas.”

Sattamaṁ.