About King Maghadeva · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral
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thusEvaṁ
by meme
heardsutaṁ—
oneekaṁ
timesamayaṁ
the Blessed Onebhagavā
at Mithilāmithilāyaṁ
was stayingviharati
in the Maghadeva Mango Grovemaghadevaambavane.
So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Mithilā in the Maghadeva Mango Grove.
thenAtha
indeedkho
the Blessed Onebhagavā
at a certainaññatarasmiṁ
spotpadese
a smilesitaṁ
made appearpātvākāsi.
thenAtha
indeedkho
of Venerableāyasmato
Ānandaānandassa
this occurredetadahosi:
"what“ko
nownu
indeedkho
is the cause,hetu,
whatko
is the reasonpaccayo
of the Blessed Onebhagavato
of a smilesitassa
for the appearancepātukammāya?
notNa
without a reasonakāraṇena
Realized Onestathāgatā
a smilesitaṁ
make appearpātukarontī”ti.
thenAtha
indeedkho
Venerableāyasmā
Ānandaānando
over one shoulderekaṁsaṁ
his robecīvaraṁ
having arrangedkatvā
whereyena
the Blessed Onebhagavā
cupped palms toward himtenañjaliṁ
having raisedpaṇāmetvā
to the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ
said thisetadavoca:
"what“ko
nownu
indeedkho,
sir,bhante,
is the cause,hetu,
whatko
is the reasonpaccayo
of the Blessed Onebhagavato
of a smilesitassa
for the appearancepātukammāya?
notNa
without a reasonakāraṇena
Realized Onestathāgatā
a smilesitaṁ
make appearpātukarontī”ti.
Then the Buddha smiled at a certain spot. Then Venerable Ānanda thought, “What is the cause, what is the reason why the Buddha smiled? Realized Ones do not smile for no reason.” So Ānanda arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his cupped palms toward the Buddha, and said, “What is the cause, what is the reason why the Buddha smiled? Realized Ones do not smile for no reason.”
once upon a time“Bhūtapubbaṁ,
Ānandaānanda,
right hereimissāyeva
in Mithilāmithilāyaṁ
kingrājā
wasahosi
Maghadevamaghadevo
namednāma
justdhammiko
principled kingdhammarājā
by dutydhamme
stoodṭhito
great kingmahārājā;
justlydhammaṁ
treatedcarati
toward brahmins and householdersbrāhmaṇagahapatikesu
toward townspeoplenegamesu
andceva
toward country peoplejānapadesu
andca;
and the sabbathuposathañca
observedupavasati
on the fourteenthcātuddasiṁ
on the fifteenthpañcadasiṁ
and on the eighthaṭṭhamiñca
of the fortnightpakkhassa.
“Once upon a time, Ānanda, right here in Mithilā there was a just and principled king named Maghadeva, a great king who stood by his duty. He justly treated brahmins and householders, and people of town and country. And he observed the sabbath on the fourteenth, fifteenth, and eighth of the fortnight.
thenAtha
indeedkho,
Ānandaānanda,
the kingrājā
Maghadevamaghadevo
of manybahūnaṁ
yearsvassānaṁ
of manybahūnaṁ
of hundreds of yearsvassasatānaṁ
of manybahūnaṁ
of thousands of yearsvassasahassānaṁ
after the passingaccayena
the barberkappakaṁ
he addressedāmantesi:
when‘yadā
for meme,
dearsamma
barberkappaka,
you should seepasseyyāsi
on the headsirasmiṁ
grey hairspalitāni
bornjātāni,
thenatha
to meme
you should tellāroceyyāsī’ti.
yes‘Evaṁ,
Your Majestydevā’ti
indeedkho,
Ānandaānanda,
the barberkappako
of the kingrañño
Maghadevamaghadevassa
he repliedpaccassosi.
he sawAddasā
indeedkho,
Ānandaānanda,
the barberkappako
of manybahūnaṁ
yearsvassānaṁ
of manybahūnaṁ
of hundreds of yearsvassasatānaṁ
of manybahūnaṁ
of thousands of yearsvassasahassānaṁ
after the passingaccayena
of the kingrañño
Maghadevamaghadevassa
on the headsirasmiṁ
grey hairspalitāni
bornjātāni.
having seenDisvāna
the kingrājānaṁ
Maghadevamaghadevaṁ
he said thisetadavoca:
have appeared‘pātubhūtā
indeedkho
for Your Majestydevassa
the messengers of the godsdevadūtā,
are seendissanti
on the headsirasmiṁ
grey hairspalitāni
bornjātānī’ti.
therefore‘Tena
thenhi,
dearsamma
barberkappaka,
thosetāni
grey hairspalitāni
carefullysādhukaṁ
with tweezerssaṇḍāsena
having pulled outuddharitvā
in mymama
in cupped handsañjalismiṁ
you should placepatiṭṭhāpehī’ti.
yes‘Evaṁ,
Your Majestydevā’ti
indeedkho,
Ānandaānanda,
the barberkappako
of the kingrañño
Maghadevamaghadevassa
having promisedpaṭissutvā
thosetāni
grey hairspalitāni
carefullysādhukaṁ
with tweezerssaṇḍāsena
having pulled outuddharitvā
of the kingrañño
Maghadevamaghadevassa
in cupped handsañjalismiṁ
he placedpatiṭṭhāpesi.
Then, after many years, many hundred years, many thousand years had passed, King Maghadeva addressed his barber, ‘My dear barber, when you see grey hairs growing on my head, please tell me.’ ‘Yes, Your Majesty,’ replied the barber. When many thousand years had passed, the barber saw grey hairs growing on the king’s head. He said to the king, ‘The messengers of the gods have shown themselves to you. Grey hairs can be seen growing on your head.’ ‘Well then, my dear barber, carefully pull them out with tweezers and place them in my cupped hands.’ ‘Yes, Your Majesty,’ replied the barber, and he did as the king said.
thenAtha
indeedkho,
Ānandaānanda,
kingrājā
Maghadevamaghadevo
to the barberkappakassa
a prize villagegāmavaraṁ
having givendatvā
the crown princejeṭṭhaputtaṁ
princekumāraṁ
having summonedāmantāpetvā
said thisetadavoca:
have appeared‘pātubhūtā
indeedkho
to meme,
deartāta
princekumāra,
messengers of the godsdevadūtā;
are seendissanti
on the headsirasmiṁ
grey hairspalitāni
growingjātāni;
enjoyedbhuttā
indeedkho
nowpana
by meme
humanmānusakā
pleasureskāmā;
timesamayo
heavenlydibbe
pleasureskāme
to seekpariyesituṁ.
comeEhi
youtvaṁ,
deartāta
princekumāra,
thisimaṁ
realmrajjaṁ
rulepaṭipajja.
IAhaṁ
nowpana
hair and beardkesamassuṁ
having shaved offohāretvā
ocherkāsāyāni
robesvatthāni
having dressed inacchādetvā
from homeagārasmā
homelessnessanagāriyaṁ
shall go forthpabbajissāmi.
thereforeTena
indeedhi,
deartāta
princekumāra,
whenyadā
you tootvampi
would seepasseyyāsi
on the headsirasmiṁ
grey hairspalitāni
growingjātāni,
thenatha
to the barberkappakassa
a prize villagegāmavaraṁ
having givendatvā
the crown princejeṭṭhaputtaṁ
princekumāraṁ
carefullysādhukaṁ
in kingshiprajje
having instructedsamanusāsitvā
hair and beardkesamassuṁ
having shaved offohāretvā
ocherkāsāyāni
robesvatthāni
having dressed inacchādetvā
from homeagārasmā
homelessnessanagāriyaṁ
you should go forthpabbajeyyāsi.
by whichYena
by meme
thisidaṁ
goodkalyāṇaṁ
practicevattaṁ
foundednihitaṁ
you should keep upanuppavatteyyāsi,
do notmā
indeedkho
meme
youtvaṁ
the final manantimapuriso
beahosi.
The king gave the barber a prize village, then summoned the crown prince and said, ‘Dear prince, the messengers of the gods have shown themselves to me. Grey hairs can be seen growing on my head. I have enjoyed human pleasures. Now it is time to seek heavenly pleasures. Come, dear prince, rule the realm. I shall shave off my hair and beard, dress in ocher robes, and go forth from the lay life to homelessness. For dear prince, you too will one day see grey hairs growing on your head. When this happens, after giving a prize village to the barber and carefully instructing the crown prince in kingship, you should shave off your hair and beard, dress in ocher robes, and go forth from the lay life to homelessness. Keep up this good practice that I have founded. Do not be my final man.
in whichYasmiṁ
indeedkho,
deartāta
princekumāra,
a pair of menpurisayuge
livingvattamāne
of such kindevarūpassa
goodkalyāṇassa
practicevattassa
breaking offsamucchedo
ishoti
heso
of themtesaṁ
final manantimapuriso
ishoti.
thereforeTaṁ
I to youtāhaṁ,
deartāta
princekumāra,
thusevaṁ
I sayvadāmi—
in whichyena
by meme
thisidaṁ
goodkalyāṇaṁ
practicevattaṁ
foundednihitaṁ
you should keep upanuppavatteyyāsi,
do notmā
indeedkho
myme
youtvaṁ
final manantimapuriso
you wereahosī’ti.
When a pair of men are living, the one who breaks such good practice is their final man. Therefore I say to you, “Keep up this good practice that I have founded. Do not be my final man.”’
thenAtha
indeedkho,
Ānandaānanda,
kingrājā
Maghadevamaghadevo
to the barberkappakassa
a prize villagegāmavaraṁ
having givendatvā
crown princejeṭṭhaputtaṁ
princekumāraṁ
carefullysādhukaṁ
in kingshiprajje
having instructedsamanusāsitvā
right hereimasmiṁyeva
in the Maghadeva mango grovemaghadevaambavane
hair and beardkesamassuṁ
having shaved offohāretvā
ocherkāsāyāni
robesvatthāni
having dressed inacchādetvā
from the lay lifeagārasmā
to homelessnessanagāriyaṁ
went forthpabbaji.
heSo
full of lovemettāsahagatena
with a heartcetasā
oneekaṁ
directiondisaṁ
having spreadpharitvā
he meditatedvihāsi,
sotathā
the seconddutiyaṁ,
sotathā
the thirdtatiyaṁ,
sotathā
the fourthcatutthaṁ;
thusiti
above and belowuddhamadho
acrosstiriyaṁ
everywheresabbadhi
all aroundsabbattatāya
the wholesabbāvantaṁ
worldlokaṁ
full of lovemettāsahagatena
with a heartcetasā
abundantvipulena
expansivemahaggatena
limitlessappamāṇena
free of enmityaverena
free of ill willabyābajjhena
having spreadpharitvā
he meditatedvihāsi.
full of compassionKaruṇāsahagatena
with a heartcetasā
……
full of rejoicingmuditāsahagatena
with a heartcetasā
……
full of equanimityupekkhāsahagatena
with a heartcetasā
oneekaṁ
directiondisaṁ
having spreadpharitvā
he meditatedvihāsi,
sotathā
the seconddutiyaṁ,
sotathā
the thirdtatiyaṁ,
sotathā
the fourthcatutthaṁ;
thusiti
above and belowuddhamadho
acrosstiriyaṁ
everywheresabbadhi
all aroundsabbattatāya
the wholesabbāvantaṁ
worldlokaṁ
full of equanimityupekkhāsahagatena
with a heartcetasā
abundantvipulena
expansivemahaggatena
limitlessappamāṇena
free of enmityaverena
free of ill willabyābajjhena
having spreadpharitvā
he meditatedvihāsi.
And so, after giving a prize village to the barber and carefully instructing the crown prince in kingship, King Maghadeva shaved off his hair and beard, dressed in ocher robes, and went forth from the lay life to homelessness here in this mango grove. He meditated spreading a heart full of love to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, he spread a heart full of love to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will. He meditated spreading a heart full of compassion … rejoicing … equanimity to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, he spread a heart full of equanimity to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will.
the kingRājā
indeedkho
and so, Ānanda,panānanda,
Maghadevamaghadevo
eighty-four thousand yearscaturāsītivassasahassāni
childhood gameskumārakīḷitaṁ
he playedkīḷi,
eighty-four thousand yearscaturāsītivassasahassāni
as viceroyoparajjaṁ
he actedkāresi,
eighty-four thousand yearscaturāsītivassasahassāni
the realmrajjaṁ
he ruledkāresi,
eighty-four thousand yearscaturāsītivassasahassāni
in this veryimasmiṁyeva
Maghadeva mango grovemaghadevaambavane
from homeagārasmā
homelessnessanagāriyaṁ
gone forthpabbajito
he lived the spiritual lifebrahmacariyamacari.
heSo
fourcattāro
divine abidingsbrahmavihāre
having developedbhāvetvā
of the bodykāyassa
at the break-upbhedā
afterparaṁ
deathmaraṇā
reborn in a divine realmbrahmalokūpago
he wasahosi.
For 84,000 years King Maghadeva played games as a child, for 84,000 years he acted as viceroy, for 84,000 years he ruled the realm, and for 84,000 years he led the spiritual life after going forth here in this mango grove. And having developed the four divine meditations, when his body broke up, after death, he was reborn in a good place, a realm of divinity.
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