Sūriyasutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 2.10

Linked Discourses 2.10

1. Paṭhamavagga

Chapter One

Sūriyasutta

The Sun

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthī.

Tena kho pana samayena sūriyo devaputto rāhunā asurindena gahito hoti.

Now at that time the Sun God had been seized by Rāhu, lord of titans.

Atha kho sūriyo devaputto bhagavantaṁ anussaramāno tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:

Then the Sun God, recollecting the Buddha, at that time spoke this verse:

“Namo te buddha vīratthu,

“Homage to you, Buddha, hero!

vippamuttosi sabbadhi;

You’re free in every way.

Sambādhapaṭipannosmi,

I’ve wandered into confinement:

tassa me saraṇaṁ bhavā”ti.

be my refuge!”

Atha kho bhagavā sūriyaṁ devaputtaṁ ārabbha rāhuṁ asurindaṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:

Then the Buddha addressed Rāhu in verse concerning the Sun God:

“Tathāgataṁ arahantaṁ,

“The Sun God has gone for refuge

sūriyo saraṇaṁ gato;

to the Realized One, the perfected one.

Rāhu sūriyaṁ pamuñcassu,

The Buddhas have compassion for the world—

buddhā lokānukampakā.

so Rāhu, release the Sun!

Yo andhakāre tamasi pabhaṅkaro,

He is a beacon in the darkness,

Verocano maṇḍalī uggatejo;

the dazzling sun, circle of awesome might.

Mā rāhu gilī caramantalikkhe,

Rāhu, do not swallow him as he traverses the sky.

Pajaṁ mamaṁ rāhu pamuñca sūriyan”ti.

Rāhu, release my offspring, the Sun!”

Atha kho rāhu asurindo sūriyaṁ devaputtaṁ muñcitvā taramānarūpo yena vepacitti asurindo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā saṁviggo lomahaṭṭhajāto ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi.

Then Rāhu, having released the Sun, rushed to see Vepacitti, lord of titans and stood to one side, shocked and awestruck.

Ekamantaṁ ṭhitaṁ kho rāhuṁ asurindaṁ vepacitti asurindo gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

Vepacitti addressed him in verse:

“Kiṁ nu santaramānova,

“Why the rush?

rāhu sūriyaṁ pamuñcasi;

Rāhu, you released the Sun

Saṁviggarūpo āgamma,

and came here looking like you’re in shock:

kiṁ nu bhītova tiṭṭhasī”ti.

why do you stand there so scared?”

“Sattadhā me phale muddhā,

“My head would have exploded in seven pieces,

jīvanto na sukhaṁ labhe;

I would have found no joy in life,

Buddhagāthābhigītomhi,

if, when enchanted by the Buddha’s verse,

no ce muñceyya sūriyan”ti.

I had not released the Sun.”

Paṭhamo vaggo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Dve kassapā ca māgho ca,

Māgadho dāmali kāmado;

Pañcālacaṇḍo tāyano,

Candimasūriyena te dasāti.