SN 2.5 With Dāmali

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthī.

Atha kho dāmali devaputto abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇo kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi.

Then, late at night, the glorious godling Dāmali, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side,

Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho dāmali devaputto bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:

and spoke this verse in the Buddha’s presence:

“Karaṇīyametaṁ brāhmaṇena,

“This is what should be done by a brahmin:

Padhānaṁ akilāsunā;

unrelenting striving.

Kāmānaṁ vippahānena,

Then, with the giving up of sensual pleasures,

Na tenāsīsate bhavan”ti.

they won’t hope to be reborn.”

“Natthi kiccaṁ brāhmaṇassa,

“The brahmin has nothing left to do,”

(dāmalīti bhagavā)

said the Buddha to Dāmali,

Katakicco hi brāhmaṇo;

“for they’ve completed their task.

Yāva na gādhaṁ labhati nadīsu,

So long as a personage fails to gain a footing in the river,

Āyūhati sabbagattebhi jantu;

they swim with every limb.

Gādhañca laddhāna thale ṭhito yo,

But someone who has gained a footing and stands on dry land

Nāyūhatī pāragato hi sova.

need not swim, for they have reached the far shore.

Esūpamā dāmali brāhmaṇassa,

Dāmali, this is a simile for the brahmin,

Khīṇāsavassa nipakassa jhāyino;

alert, a meditator who has ended defilements.

Pappuyya jātimaraṇassa antaṁ,

Since they’ve reached the end of rebirth and death,

Nāyūhatī pāragato hi so”ti.

they need not swim, for they have reached the far shore.”