Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).
“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 towards 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 enmity and fear,
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 dawn, 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.
Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).
“Today is the fifteenth day sabbath,”
said Sātāgira, the native spirit of mount Sātā,
“a holy night is at hand.
Come now, let us see Gotama,
the Teacher of peerless name.”
“Isn’t his mind well-disposed,”
said Hemavata, the native spirit of the Himalayas,
“impartial toward all creatures?
And aren’t his thoughts under control
when it comes to likes and dislikes?”
“His mind is well-disposed,”
said Sātāgira,
“impartial towards all creatures.
His thoughts are under control
when it comes to his likes and dislikes.”
“Doesn’t he not steal?”
said Hemavata,
“And doesn’t he harm not a creature?
Isn’t he far from negligence?
And doesn’t he not neglect absorption?”
“He does not take what is not given,”
said Sātāgira,
“and he harms not a creature.
He is far from negligence—
the Buddha does not neglect absorption.”
“Doesn’t he avoid lying?”
said Hemavata,
“And doesn’t he not speak sharply?
Doesn’t he avoid backbiting,
as well as speaking nonsense?”
“He does not lie,”
said Sātāgira,
“nor does he speak sharply.
He avoids backbiting,
and thoughtfully speaks wise counsel.”
“Doesn’t he find sensual pleasures unattractive?”
said Hemavata,
“And isn’t his mind unclouded?
Hasn’t he escaped delusion?
Does his eye see clearly in all things?”
“He does not find sensual pleasures attractive,”
said Sātāgira,
“and his mind is unclouded.
He has escaped all delusion—
the Buddha, whose eye sees clearly in all things.”
“Isn’t he accomplished in knowledge?”
said Hemavata,
“And doesn’t he live a pure life?
Aren’t his defilements all ended?
Doesn’t he have no future lives?”
“He is accomplished in knowledge,”
said Sātāgira,
“and he does live a pure life.
His defilements are all ended,
there’ll be no more future lives for him.”
“Accomplished is the sage’s mind
in action and in speech,
and he’s accomplished in knowledge and conduct
as per the teaching you praise.”
“Accomplished is the sage’s mind
in action and in speech,
and he’s accomplished in knowledge and conduct
as per the teaching you rejoice in.
Accomplished is the sage’s mind
in action and in speech,
and he’s accomplished in knowledge and conduct:
come now, let us see Gotama.”
“The hero so lean, with antelope calves,
not greedy, eating little,
the sage meditating alone in the forest,
come now, let us see Gotama.
A giant, wandering alone like a lion,
unconcerned for sensual pleasures,
let’s approach him and ask about
release from the snare of death.”
“The communicator, the instructor,
who has gone beyond all things,
Awakened, beyond enmity and fear,
let us ask Gotama.”
“What has the world arisen in?”
said Hemavata,
“What does it get close to?
By grasping what
is the world troubled in what?”
“The world’s arisen in six,”
said the Buddha to Hemavata.
“It gets close to six.
Derived from the six,
the world’s troubled in six.”
“What is that grasping
by which the world is troubled?
Tell us the exit when asked:
how is one released from all suffering?”
“The world has five kinds of sensual stimulation,
and the mind is said to be the sixth.
When you’ve discarded desire for these,
you’re released from all suffering.
This is the exit from the world,
explained in accord with the truth.
The way I’ve explained it is how
you’re released from all suffering.”
“Who here crosses the flood,
Who crosses the deluge?
Who, not standing and unsupported,
does not sink in the deep?”
“Someone who is always endowed with ethics,
wise and serene,
inwardly reflective, mindful,
crosses the flood so hard to cross.
Someone who desists from sensual perception,
who has escaped all fetters,
and has ended relish for rebirth,
does not sink in the deep.”
“Behold him of wisdom deep who sees the subtle meaning,
who has nothing, unattached to sensual life,
everywhere free,
the great seer treading the holy road.
Behold him of peerless name who sees the subtle meaning,
giver of wisdom, unattached to the realm of sensuality:
the all-knower, so very intelligent,
the great seer treading the noble road.
It was a fine sight for us today,
a good dawn, a good rising,
to see the Awakened One,
the undefiled one who has crossed the flood.
These thousand native spirits
powerful and glorious,
all go to you for refuge,
you are our supreme Teacher.
We shall journey
village to village, peak to peak,
paying homage to the Buddha,
and the clear rightness of the teaching!”
“Ajja pannaraso uposatho,
(iti sātāgiro yakkho)
Dibbā ratti upaṭṭhitā;
Anomanāmaṁ satthāraṁ,
Handa passāma gotamaṁ”.
“Kacci mano supaṇihito,
(iti hemavato yakkho)
Sabbabhūtesu tādino;
Kacci iṭṭhe aniṭṭhe ca,
Saṅkappassa vasīkatā”.
“Mano cassa supaṇihito,
(iti sātāgiro yakkho)
Sabbabhūtesu tādino;
Atho iṭṭhe aniṭṭhe ca,
Saṅkappassa vasīkatā”.
“Kacci adinnaṁ nādiyati,
(iti hemavato yakkho)
Kacci pāṇesu saññato;
Kacci ārā pamādamhā,
Kacci jhānaṁ na riñcati”.
“Na so adinnaṁ ādiyati,
(iti sātāgiro yakkho)
Atho pāṇesu saññato;
Atho ārā pamādamhā,
Buddho jhānaṁ na riñcati”.
“Kacci musā na bhaṇati,
(iti hemavato yakkho)
Kacci na khīṇabyappatho;
Kacci vebhūtiyaṁ nāha,
Kacci samphaṁ na bhāsati”.
“Musā ca so na bhaṇati,
(iti sātāgiro yakkho)
Atho na khīṇabyappatho;
Atho vebhūtiyaṁ nāha,
Mantā atthañca bhāsati”.
“Kacci na rajjati kāmesu,
(iti hemavato yakkho)
Kacci cittaṁ anāvilaṁ;
Kacci mohaṁ atikkanto,
Kacci dhammesu cakkhumā”.
“Na so rajjati kāmesu,
(iti sātāgiro yakkho)
Atho cittaṁ anāvilaṁ;
Sabbamohaṁ atikkanto,
Buddho dhammesu cakkhumā”.
“Kacci vijjāya sampanno,
(iti hemavato yakkho)
Kacci saṁsuddhacāraṇo;
Kaccissa āsavā khīṇā,
Kacci natthi punabbhavo”.
“Vijjāya ceva sampanno,
(iti sātāgiro yakkho)
Atho saṁsuddhacāraṇo;
Sabbassa āsavā khīṇā,
Natthi tassa punabbhavo”.
“Sampannaṁ munino cittaṁ,
Kammunā byappathena ca;
Vijjācaraṇasampannaṁ,
Dhammato naṁ pasaṁsati”.
“Sampannaṁ munino cittaṁ,
Kammunā byappathena ca;
Vijjācaraṇasampannaṁ,
Dhammato anumodasi.
Sampannaṁ munino cittaṁ,
Kammunā byappathena ca;
Vijjācaraṇasampannaṁ,
Handa passāma gotamaṁ”.
“Eṇijaṅghaṁ kisaṁ vīraṁ,
Appāhāraṁ alolupaṁ;
Muniṁ vanasmiṁ jhāyantaṁ,
Ehi passāma gotamaṁ.
Sīhaṁvekacaraṁ nāgaṁ,
Kāmesu anapekkhinaṁ;
Upasaṅkamma pucchāma,
Maccupāsappamocanaṁ.
Akkhātāraṁ pavattāraṁ,
Sabbadhammāna pāraguṁ;
Buddhaṁ verabhayātītaṁ,
Mayaṁ pucchāma gotamaṁ”.
“Kismiṁ loko samuppanno,
(iti hemavato yakkho)
Kismiṁ kubbati santhavaṁ;
Kissa loko upādāya,
Kismiṁ loko vihaññati”.
“Chasu loko samuppanno,
(hemavatāti bhagavā)
Chasu kubbati santhavaṁ;
Channameva upādāya,
Chasu loko vihaññati”.
“Katamaṁ taṁ upādānaṁ,
Yattha loko vihaññati;
Niyyānaṁ pucchito brūhi,
Kathaṁ dukkhā pamuccati”.
“Pañca kāmaguṇā loke,
Manochaṭṭhā paveditā;
Ettha chandaṁ virājetvā,
Evaṁ dukkhā pamuccati.
Etaṁ lokassa niyyānaṁ,
Akkhātaṁ vo yathātathaṁ;
Etaṁ vo ahamakkhāmi,
Evaṁ dukkhā pamuccati”.
“Ko sūdha tarati oghaṁ,
Kodha tarati aṇṇavaṁ;
Appatiṭṭhe anālambe,
Ko gambhīre na sīdati”.
“Sabbadā sīlasampanno,
Paññavā susamāhito;
Ajjhattacintī satimā,
Oghaṁ tarati duttaraṁ.
Virato kāmasaññāya,
Sabbasaṁyojanātigo;
Nandībhavaparikkhīṇo,
So gambhīre na sīdati”.
“Gambhīrapaññaṁ nipuṇatthadassiṁ,
Akiñcanaṁ kāmabhave asattaṁ;
Taṁ passatha sabbadhi vippamuttaṁ,
Dibbe pathe kamamānaṁ mahesiṁ.
Anomanāmaṁ nipuṇatthadassiṁ,
Paññādadaṁ kāmālaye asattaṁ;
Taṁ passatha sabbaviduṁ sumedhaṁ,
Ariye pathe kamamānaṁ mahesiṁ.
Sudiṭṭhaṁ vata no ajja,
Suppabhātaṁ suhuṭṭhitaṁ;
Yaṁ addasāma sambuddhaṁ,
Oghatiṇṇamanāsavaṁ.
Ime dasasatā yakkhā,
Iddhimanto yasassino;
Sabbe taṁ saraṇaṁ yanti,
Tvaṁ no satthā anuttaro.
Te mayaṁ vicarissāma,
Gāmā gāmaṁ nagā nagaṁ;
Namassamānā sambuddhaṁ,
Dhammassa ca sudhammatan”ti.
Hemavatasuttaṁ navamaṁ.