SN 1.35 Fault-Finding Deities -

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

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

Atha kho sambahulā ujjhānasaññikā devatāyo abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā vehāsaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu.

Then, late at night, several glorious deities of the host of the fault-finders, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Buddha, and stood in the air.

Vehāsaṁ ṭhitā kho ekā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:

Standing in the air, one deity spoke this verse in the Buddha’s presence:

“Aññathā santamattānaṁ,

“Someone who pretends

aññathā yo pavedaye;

to be other than they really are,

Nikacca kitavasseva,

is like a cheating gambler

bhuttaṁ theyyena tassa taṁ.

who enjoys what was gained by theft.

Yañhi kayirā tañhi vade,

You should only say what you would do;

yaṁ na kayirā na taṁ vade;

you shouldn’t say what you wouldn’t do.

Akarontaṁ bhāsamānaṁ,

The wise will recognize

parijānanti paṇḍitā”ti.

one who talks without doing.”

“Na yidaṁ bhāsitamattena,

“Not just by speaking,

ekantasavanena vā;

nor solely by listening,

Anukkamitave sakkā,

are you able to progress

yāyaṁ paṭipadā daḷhā;

on this hard path,

Yāya dhīrā pamuccanti,

by which the attentive practicing absorption

jhāyino mārabandhanā.

are released from Māra’s bonds.

Na ve dhīrā pakubbanti,

The attentive certainly don’t act like that,

viditvā lokapariyāyaṁ;

for they understand the way of the world.

Aññāya nibbutā dhīrā,

The attentive are quenched by understanding,

tiṇṇā loke visattikan”ti.

they’ve crossed over clinging to the world.”

Atha kho tā devatāyo pathaviyaṁ patiṭṭhahitvā bhagavato pādesu sirasā nipatitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:

Then those deities landed on the ground, bowed with their heads at the Buddha’s feet and said,

“accayo no, bhante, accagamā yathābālaṁ yathāmūḷhaṁ yathāakusalaṁ, yā mayaṁ bhagavantaṁ āsādetabbaṁ amaññimhā.

“We made a mistake, sir. It was foolish, stupid, and unskillful of us to presume to attack the Buddha!

Tāsaṁ no, bhante, bhagavā accayaṁ accayato paṭiggaṇhātu āyatiṁ saṁvarāyā”ti.

Please, sir, accept our mistake for what it is, so we will restrain ourselves in future.”

Atha kho bhagavā sitaṁ pātvākāsi.

At that, the Buddha smiled.

Atha kho tā devatāyo bhiyyoso mattāya ujjhāyantiyo vehāsaṁ abbhuggañchuṁ.

Then those deities, becoming even more fault-finding, flew up in the air.

Ekā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:

One deity spoke this verse in the Buddha’s presence:

“Accayaṁ desayantīnaṁ,

“If you don’t give your pardon

yo ce na paṭigaṇhati;

when a mistake is confessed,

Kopantaro dosagaru,

with hidden anger and heavy hate,

sa veraṁ paṭimuñcatī”ti.

you’re stuck in your enmity.”

“Accayo ce na vijjetha,

“Suppose no mistake were found,

nocidhāpagataṁ siyā;

and no-one here had gone astray:

Verāni na ca sammeyyuṁ,

if enmities were not settled,

kenīdha kusalo siyā”ti.

how could that be skillful?”

“Kassaccayā na vijjanti,

“Who makes no mistakes?

kassa natthi apāgataṁ;

Who doesn’t go astray?

Ko na sammohamāpādi,

Who doesn’t fall into confusion?

ko ca dhīro sadā sato”ti.

Who is attentive, ever mindful?”

“Tathāgatassa buddhassa,

“The Realized One, the Buddha,

sabbabhūtānukampino;

sympathetic for all beings:

Tassaccayā na vijjanti,

that’s who makes no mistakes,

tassa natthi apāgataṁ;

and that’s who doesn’t go astray.

So na sammohamāpādi,

He doesn’t fall into confusion,

sova dhīro sadā satoti.

for he’s attentive, ever mindful.

Accayaṁ desayantīnaṁ,

If you don’t give your pardon

yo ce na paṭigaṇhati;

when a mistake is confessed,

Kopantaro dosagaru,

with hidden anger and heavy hate,

sa veraṁ paṭimuñcati;

you’re stuck in your enmity.

Taṁ veraṁ nābhinandāmi,

I don’t approve of such enmity,

paṭiggaṇhāmi voccayan”ti.

and so I pardon your mistake.”