Sīsupacālāsutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 5.8

Linked Discourses 5.8

1. Bhikkhunīvagga

1. Nuns

Sīsupacālāsutta

With Sīsupacālā

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthī.

Atha kho sīsupacālā bhikkhunī pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā …pe…

Then the nun Sīsupacālā robed up in the morning …

aññatarasmiṁ rukkhamūle divāvihāraṁ nisīdi.

and sat at the root of a tree for the day’s meditation.

Atha kho māro pāpimā yena sīsupacālā bhikkhunī tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā sīsupacālaṁ bhikkhuniṁ etadavoca:

Then Māra the Wicked went up to Sīsupacālā and said to her,

“kassa nu tvaṁ, bhikkhuni, pāsaṇḍaṁ rocesī”ti?

“Nun, whose creed do you approve of?”

“Na khvāhaṁ, āvuso, kassaci pāsaṇḍaṁ rocemī”ti.

“I don’t approve anyone’s creed, sir.”

“Kaṁ nu uddissa muṇḍāsi,

“In whose name did you shave your head?

Samaṇī viya dissasi;

You look like an ascetic,

Na ca rocesi pāsaṇḍaṁ,

but you don’t approve any creed.

Kimiva carasi momūhā”ti.

Why do you wander as if lost?”

“Ito bahiddhā pāsaṇḍā,

“Followers of other creeds

diṭṭhīsu pasīdanti te;

are confident in their views.

Na tesaṁ dhammaṁ rocemi,

But I don’t approve their teaching,

te dhammassa akovidā.

for they’re no experts in the Dhamma.

Atthi sakyakule jāto,

But there is one born in the Sakyan clan,

buddho appaṭipuggalo;

the unrivaled Buddha,

Sabbābhibhū māranudo,

vanquisher of all, dispeller of Māra,

sabbatthamaparājito.

everywhere undefeated,

Sabbattha mutto asito,

everywhere freed, and unattached,

sabbaṁ passati cakkhumā;

the Clear-eyed One sees all.

Sabbakammakkhayaṁ patto,

He has attained the end of all deeds,

vimutto upadhisaṅkhaye;

freed with the ending of attachments.

So mayhaṁ bhagavā satthā,

That Blessed One is my Teacher,

tassa rocemi sāsanan”ti.

and I approve his instruction.”

Atha kho māro pāpimā “jānāti maṁ sīsupacālā bhikkhunī”ti dukkhī dummano tatthevantaradhāyīti.

Then Māra the Wicked, thinking, “The nun Sīsupacālā knows me!” miserable and sad, vanished right there.