Suvīrasutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 11.1

Linked Discourses 11.1

1. Paṭhamavagga

Chapter One

Suvīrasutta

With Suvīra

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

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

Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

There the Buddha addressed the mendicants,

“bhikkhavo”ti.

“Mendicants!”

“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.

“Venerable sir,” they replied.

Bhagavā etadavoca:

The Buddha said this:

“Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, asurā deve abhiyaṁsu.

“Once upon a time, mendicants, the titans marched against the gods.

Atha kho, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo suvīraṁ devaputtaṁ āmantesi:

Then Sakka, lord of gods, addressed the godling Suvīra,

‘ete, tāta suvīra, asurā deve abhiyanti.

‘Dear Suvīra, the titans march against the gods!

Gaccha, tāta suvīra, asure paccuyyāhī’ti.

Go, and march against the titans!’

‘Evaṁ, bhaddantavā’ti kho, bhikkhave, suvīro devaputto sakkassa devānamindassa paṭissutvā pamādaṁ āpādesi.

‘Yes, lord,’ replied Suvīra. But he fell into negligence.

Dutiyampi kho, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo suvīraṁ devaputtaṁ āmantesi:

For a second time Sakka addressed Suvīra,

‘ete, tāta suvīra, asurā deve abhiyanti.

‘Dear Suvīra, the titans march against the gods!

Gaccha, tāta suvīra, asure paccuyyāhī’ti.

Go, and march against the titans!’

‘Evaṁ, bhaddantavā’ti kho, bhikkhave, suvīro devaputto sakkassa devānamindassa paṭissutvā dutiyampi pamādaṁ āpādesi.

‘Yes, lord,’ replied Suvīra. But for a second time he fell into negligence.

Tatiyampi kho, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo suvīraṁ devaputtaṁ āmantesi:

For a third time Sakka addressed Suvīra,

‘ete, tāta suvīra, asurā deve abhiyanti.

‘Dear Suvīra, the titans march against the gods!

Gaccha, tāta suvīra, asure paccuyyāhī’ti.

Go, and march against the titans!’

‘Evaṁ, bhaddantavā’ti kho, bhikkhave, suvīro devaputto sakkassa devānamindassa paṭissutvā tatiyampi pamādaṁ āpādesi.

‘Yes, lord,’ replied Suvīra. But for a third time he fell into negligence.

Atha kho, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo suvīraṁ devaputtaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

Then Sakka addressed the godling Suvīra in verse:

‘Anuṭṭhahaṁ avāyāmaṁ,

‘Suvīra, go to that place

sukhaṁ yatrādhigacchati;

where you can achieve happiness

Suvīra tattha gacchāhi,

without working for it or trying hard—

mañca tattheva pāpayā’ti.

and take me with you!’

‘Alasvassa anuṭṭhātā,

‘That a lazy man who does no work,

na ca kiccāni kāraye;

and doesn’t do his duty,

Sabbakāmasamiddhassa,

can fulfill all his desires:

taṁ me sakka varaṁ disā’ti.

Sakka, render me this boon!’

‘Yatthālaso anuṭṭhātā,

‘Suvīra, go to that place

accantaṁ sukhamedhati;

where a lazy man who does no work

Suvīra tattha gacchāhi,

prospers in unending happiness—

mañca tattheva pāpayā’ti.

and take me with you!’

‘Akammunā devaseṭṭha,

‘O Sakka, first among gods,

sakka vindemu yaṁ sukhaṁ;

that we might find the happiness

Asokaṁ anupāyāsaṁ,

that’s sorrowless, unstressed:

taṁ me sakka varaṁ disā’ti.

Sakka, render me this boon!’

‘Sace atthi akammena,

‘If there exists anywhere a place

koci kvaci na jīvati;

where one can live happily without working,

Nibbānassa hi so maggo,

that surely would be extinguishment’s path!

suvīra tattha gacchāhi;

Go there, Suvīra,

Mañca tattheva pāpayā’ti.

and take me with you!’

So hi nāma, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo sakaṁ puññaphalaṁ upajīvamāno devānaṁ tāvatiṁsānaṁ issariyādhipaccaṁ rajjaṁ kārento uṭṭhānavīriyassa vaṇṇavādī bhavissati.

Since, mendicants, even that Sakka, lord of gods—while living off of the fruit of his good deeds, and ruling as sovereign lord over these gods of the thirty-three—will speak in praise of initiative and energy,

Idha kho taṁ, bhikkhave, sobhetha, yaṁ tumhe evaṁ svākkhāte dhammavinaye pabbajitā samānā uṭṭhaheyyātha ghaṭeyyātha vāyameyyātha appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya, asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāyā”ti.

you can excel at this, for you who have gone forth in such a well explained teaching and training can try hard, strive, and make an effort to attain the unattained, achieve the unachieved, and realize the unrealized.”