Hemavatasutta

Sutta Nipāta 1.9

Anthology of Discourses 1.9

Hemavatasutta

With Hemavata

“Ajja pannaraso uposatho,

“Today is the fifteenth day sabbath,”

(iti sātāgiro yakkho)

said Sātāgira, the native spirit of mount Sātā,

Dibbā ratti upaṭṭhitā;

“a holy night is at hand.

Anomanāmaṁ satthāraṁ,

Come now, let us see Gotama,

Handa passāma gotamaṁ”.

the Teacher of peerless name.”

“Kacci mano supaṇihito,

“Isn’t his mind well-disposed,”

(iti hemavato yakkho)

said Hemavata, the native spirit of the Himalayas,

Sabbabhūtesu tādino;

“impartial toward all creatures?

Kacci iṭṭhe aniṭṭhe ca,

And aren’t his thoughts under control

Saṅkappassa vasīkatā”.

when it comes to likes and dislikes?”

“Mano cassa supaṇihito,

“His mind is well-disposed,”

(iti sātāgiro yakkho)

said Sātāgira,

Sabbabhūtesu tādino;

“impartial toward all creatures.

Atho iṭṭhe aniṭṭhe ca,

His thoughts are under control

Saṅkappassa vasīkatā”.

when it comes to his likes and dislikes.”

“Kacci adinnaṁ nādiyati,

“Doesn’t he not steal?”

(iti hemavato yakkho)

said Hemavata,

Kacci pāṇesu saññato;

“And doesn’t he harm not a creature?

Kacci ārā pamādamhā,

Isn’t he far from negligence?

Kacci jhānaṁ na riñcati”.

And doesn’t he not neglect absorption?”

“Na so adinnaṁ ādiyati,

“He does not take what is not given,”

(iti sātāgiro yakkho)

said Sātāgira,

Atho pāṇesu saññato;

“and he harms not a creature.

Atho ārā pamādamhā,

He is far from negligence—

Buddho jhānaṁ na riñcati”.

the Buddha does not neglect absorption.”

“Kacci musā na bhaṇati,

“Doesn’t he avoid lying?”

(iti hemavato yakkho)

said Hemavata,

Kacci na khīṇabyappatho;

“And doesn’t he not speak sharply?

Kacci vebhūtiyaṁ nāha,

Doesn’t he avoid backbiting,

Kacci samphaṁ na bhāsati”.

as well as speaking nonsense?”

“Musā ca so na bhaṇati,

“He does not lie,”

(iti sātāgiro yakkho)

said Sātāgira,

Atho na khīṇabyappatho;

“nor does he speak sharply.

Atho vebhūtiyaṁ nāha,

He avoids backbiting,

Mantā atthañca bhāsati”.

and thoughtfully speaks wise counsel.”

“Kacci na rajjati kāmesu,

“Doesn’t he find sensual pleasures unattractive?”

(iti hemavato yakkho)

said Hemavata,

Kacci cittaṁ anāvilaṁ;

“And isn’t his mind unclouded?

Kacci mohaṁ atikkanto,

Hasn’t he escaped delusion?

Kacci dhammesu cakkhumā”.

Does his eye see clearly in all things?”

“Na so rajjati kāmesu,

“He does not find sensual pleasures attractive,”

(iti sātāgiro yakkho)

said Sātāgira,

Atho cittaṁ anāvilaṁ;

“and his mind is unclouded.

Sabbamohaṁ atikkanto,

He has escaped all delusion—

Buddho dhammesu cakkhumā”.

the Buddha, whose eye sees clearly in all things.”

“Kacci vijjāya sampanno,

“Isn’t he accomplished in knowledge?”

(iti hemavato yakkho)

said Hemavata,

Kacci saṁsuddhacāraṇo;

“And doesn’t he live a pure life?

Kaccissa āsavā khīṇā,

Aren’t his defilements all ended?

Kacci natthi punabbhavo”.

Doesn’t he have no future lives?”

“Vijjāya ceva sampanno,

“He is accomplished in knowledge,”

(iti sātāgiro yakkho)

said Sātāgira,

Atho saṁsuddhacāraṇo;

“and he does live a pure life.

Sabbassa āsavā khīṇā,

His defilements are all ended,

Natthi tassa punabbhavo”.

there’ll be no more future lives for him.”

“Sampannaṁ munino cittaṁ,

“Accomplished is the sage’s mind

Kammunā byappathena ca;

in action and in speech,

Vijjācaraṇasampannaṁ,

and he’s accomplished in knowledge and conduct

Dhammato naṁ pasaṁsati”.

as per the teaching you praise.”

“Sampannaṁ munino cittaṁ,

“Accomplished is the sage’s mind

Kammunā byappathena ca;

in action and in speech,

Vijjācaraṇasampannaṁ,

and he’s accomplished in knowledge and conduct

Dhammato anumodasi.

as per the teaching you rejoice in.

Sampannaṁ munino cittaṁ,

Accomplished is the sage’s mind

Kammunā byappathena ca;

in action and in speech,

Vijjācaraṇasampannaṁ,

and he’s accomplished in knowledge and conduct:

Handa passāma gotamaṁ”.

come now, let us see Gotama.”

“Eṇijaṅghaṁ kisaṁ vīraṁ,

“The hero so lean, with antelope calves,

Appāhāraṁ alolupaṁ;

not greedy, eating little,

Muniṁ vanasmiṁ jhāyantaṁ,

the sage meditating alone in the forest,

Ehi passāma gotamaṁ.

come now, let us see Gotama.

Sīhaṁvekacaraṁ nāgaṁ,

A giant, wandering alone like a lion,

Kāmesu anapekkhinaṁ;

unconcerned for sensual pleasures,

Upasaṅkamma pucchāma,

let’s approach him and ask about

Maccupāsappamocanaṁ.

release from the snare of death.”

Akkhātāraṁ pavattāraṁ,

“The communicator, the instructor,

Sabbadhammāna pāraguṁ;

who has gone beyond all things,

Buddhaṁ verabhayātītaṁ,

Awakened, beyond enmities and fears,

Mayaṁ pucchāma gotamaṁ”.

let us ask Gotama.”

“Kismiṁ loko samuppanno,

“What has the world arisen in?”

(iti hemavato yakkho)

said Hemavata,

Kismiṁ kubbati santhavaṁ;

“What does it get close to?

Kissa loko upādāya,

By grasping what

Kismiṁ loko vihaññati”.

is the world troubled in what?”

“Chasu loko samuppanno,

“The world’s arisen in six,”

(hemavatāti bhagavā)

said the Buddha to Hemavata.

Chasu kubbati santhavaṁ;

“It gets close to six.

Channameva upādāya,

Derived from the six,

Chasu loko vihaññati”.

the world’s troubled in six.”

“Katamaṁ taṁ upādānaṁ,

“What is that grasping

Yattha loko vihaññati;

by which the world is troubled?

Niyyānaṁ pucchito brūhi,

Tell us the exit when asked:

Kathaṁ dukkhā pamuccati”.

how is one released from all suffering?”

“Pañca kāmaguṇā loke,

“The world has five kinds of sensual stimulation,

Manochaṭṭhā paveditā;

and the mind is said to be the sixth.

Ettha chandaṁ virājetvā,

When you’ve discarded desire for these,

Evaṁ dukkhā pamuccati.

you’re released from all suffering.

Etaṁ lokassa niyyānaṁ,

This is the exit from the world,

Akkhātaṁ vo yathātathaṁ;

explained in accord with the truth.

Etaṁ vo ahamakkhāmi,

The way I’ve explained it is how

Evaṁ dukkhā pamuccati”.

you’re released from all suffering.”

“Ko sūdha tarati oghaṁ,

“Who here crosses the flood,

Kodha tarati aṇṇavaṁ;

Who crosses the deluge?

Appatiṭṭhe anālambe,

Who, not standing and unsupported,

Ko gambhīre na sīdati”.

does not sink in the deep?”

“Sabbadā sīlasampanno,

“Someone who is always endowed with ethics,

Paññavā susamāhito;

wise and serene,

Ajjhattacintī satimā,

inwardly reflective, mindful,

Oghaṁ tarati duttaraṁ.

crosses the flood so hard to cross.

Virato kāmasaññāya,

Someone who desists from sensual perception,

Sabbasaṁyojanātigo;

who has escaped all fetters,

Nandībhavaparikkhīṇo,

and has ended relish for rebirth,

So gambhīre na sīdati”.

does not sink in the deep.”

“Gambhīrapaññaṁ nipuṇatthadassiṁ,

“Behold him of wisdom deep
who sees the subtle meaning,

Akiñcanaṁ kāmabhave asattaṁ;

who has nothing, unattached to sensual life,

Taṁ passatha sabbadhi vippamuttaṁ,

everywhere free,

Dibbe pathe kamamānaṁ mahesiṁ.

the great seer treading the holy road.

Anomanāmaṁ nipuṇatthadassiṁ,

Behold him of peerless name
who sees the subtle meaning,

Paññādadaṁ kāmālaye asattaṁ;

giver of wisdom,
unattached to the realm of sensuality:

Taṁ passatha sabbaviduṁ sumedhaṁ,

the all-knower, so very intelligent,

Ariye pathe kamamānaṁ mahesiṁ.

the great seer treading the noble road.

Sudiṭṭhaṁ vata no ajja,

It was a fine sight for us today,

Suppabhātaṁ suhuṭṭhitaṁ;

a good sunup, a good rising,

Yaṁ addasāma sambuddhaṁ,

to see the Awakened One,

Oghatiṇṇamanāsavaṁ.

the undefiled one who has crossed the flood.

Ime dasasatā yakkhā,

These thousand native spirits

Iddhimanto yasassino;

powerful and glorious,

Sabbe taṁ saraṇaṁ yanti,

all go to you for refuge,

Tvaṁ no satthā anuttaro.

you are our supreme Teacher.

Te mayaṁ vicarissāma,

We shall journey

Gāmā gāmaṁ nagā nagaṁ;

village to village, peak to peak,

Namassamānā sambuddhaṁ,

paying homage to the Buddha,

Dhammassa ca sudhammatan”ti.

and the clear rightness of the teaching!”

Hemavatasuttaṁ navamaṁ.