Punabbasusutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 10.7

Linked Discourses 10.7

1. Indakavagga

1. With Indaka

Punabbasusutta

With Punabbasu

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 bhagavā bhikkhū nibbānapaṭisaṁyuttāya dhammiyā kathāya sandasseti samādapeti samuttejeti sampahaṁseti.

Now at that time the Buddha was educating, encouraging, firing up, and inspiring the mendicants with a Dhamma talk about extinguishment.

Te ca bhikkhū aṭṭhiṁ katvā manasi katvā sabbacetasā samannāharitvā ohitasotā dhammaṁ suṇanti.

And those mendicants were paying attention, applying the mind, concentrating wholeheartedly, and actively listening.

Atha kho punabbasumātā yakkhinī puttake evaṁ tosesi:

Then the native spirit Punabbasu’s Mother soothed her little children, saying:

“Tuṇhī uttarike hohi,

“Hush, little Uttarā!

tuṇhī hohi punabbasu;

Hush, Punabbasu!

Yāvāhaṁ buddhaseṭṭhassa,

For I want to listen to the teaching

dhammaṁ sossāmi satthuno.

of the Teacher, the supreme Buddha.

Nibbānaṁ bhagavā āha,

Extinguishment, the Blessed One said,

sabbaganthappamocanaṁ;

is the release from all ties.

Ativelā ca me hoti,

I have a lasting love

asmiṁ dhamme piyāyanā.

for this teaching.

Piyo loke sako putto,

In this world, your own child is dear;

piyo loke sako pati;

in this world, your own husband is dear;

Tato piyatarā mayhaṁ,

but even greater than that is my love

assa dhammassa magganā.

for this teaching’s quest.

Na hi putto pati vāpi,

For neither son nor husband,

piyo dukkhā pamocaye;

dear as they are, can free you from suffering;

Yathā saddhammassavanaṁ,

as listening to the true teaching

dukkhā moceti pāṇinaṁ.

frees living creatures from suffering.

Loke dukkhaparetasmiṁ,

In this world mired in suffering,

Jarāmaraṇasaṁyute;

fettered by old age and death,

Jarāmaraṇamokkhāya,

I want to listen to the teaching

Yaṁ dhammaṁ abhisambudhaṁ;

through which the Buddha awakened,

Taṁ dhammaṁ sotumicchāmi,

which frees you from old age and death.

Tuṇhī hohi punabbasū”ti.

So hush, Punabbasu!”

“Ammā na byāharissāmi,

“Mom, I’m not speaking,

tuṇhībhūtāyamuttarā;

and Uttarā is silent, too.

Dhammameva nisāmehi,

Focus just on the teaching,

saddhammassavanaṁ sukhaṁ;

for it’s nice to listen to the true teaching.

Saddhammassa anaññāya,

And it’s because we haven’t understood the teaching

ammā dukkhaṁ carāmase.

that we live in suffering, Mom.

Esa devamanussānaṁ,

He is a beacon for those who are lost

sammūḷhānaṁ pabhaṅkaro;

among gods and humans.

Buddho antimasārīro,

The Buddha, bearing his final body,

dhammaṁ deseti cakkhumā”ti.

the Clear-eyed One teaches Dhamma.”

“Sādhu kho paṇḍito nāma,

“It’s good that my child’s so astute,

putto jāto uresayo;

this child I bore and suckled!

Putto me buddhaseṭṭhassa,

My child loves the pure teaching

dhammaṁ suddhaṁ piyāyati.

of the supreme Buddha.

Punabbasu sukhī hohi,

Punabbasu, may you be happy!

ajjāhamhi samuggatā;

Today, I rise.

Diṭṭhāni ariyasaccāni,

Hear me too, Uttarā:

uttarāpi suṇātu me”ti.

I have seen the noble truths!”