‹ Library

Sutta Nipāta 1.10

Āḷavakasutta

Āḷavaka the Native Spirit · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

Parallels & more translations on SuttaCentral

Glosses: Fluent · Literal · Off
Translation: Hide · Show

Tap any word for its dictionary entry.

thusEvaṁ by meme heardsutaṁ—
oneekaṁ timesamayaṁ the Buddhabhagavā near Āḷavīāḷaviyaṁ was stayingviharati of Āḷavakaāḷavakassa of the native spirityakkhassa in the hauntbhavane.
thenAtha indeedkho Āḷavakaāḷavako the native spirityakkho whereyena the Buddhabhagavā approached himtenupasaṅkami; having approachedupasaṅkamitvā to the Buddhabhagavantaṁ said thisetadavoca:
get out“nikkhama, asceticsamaṇā”ti.
all right, respectable sir“Sādhāvuso”ti the Buddhabhagavā went outnikkhami.
get in“Pavisa, asceticsamaṇā”ti.
all right, respectable sir“Sādhāvuso”ti the Buddhabhagavā went inpāvisi.

for a second timeDutiyampi indeedkho …pe……pe…
for a third timetatiyampi indeedkho Āḷavakaāḷavako native spirityakkho to the Buddhabhagavantaṁ said thisetadavoca:
get out“nikkhama, asceticsamaṇā”ti.
all right, respectable sir“Sādhāvuso”ti the Buddhabhagavā went outnikkhami.
get in“Pavisa, asceticsamaṇā”ti.
all right, respectable sir“Sādhāvuso”ti the Buddhabhagavā went inpāvisi.

for a fourth time alsoCatutthampi indeedkho Āḷavakaāḷavako native spirityakkho to the Buddhabhagavantaṁ said thisetadavoca:
go out“nikkhama, asceticsamaṇā”ti.
no“Na I indeedkhvāhaṁ ittaṁ, respectable sirāvuso, I will go outnikkhamissāmi.
whateverYaṁ for youte is to be donekaraṇīyaṁ, thattaṁ dokarohī”ti.

a question“Pañhaṁ thattaṁ, asceticsamaṇa, I will askpucchissāmi.
ifSace meme notna you will answerbyākarissasi, mindcittaṁ orvā yourte I will drivekhipissāmi, hearthadayaṁ orvā yourte I will explodephālessāmi, by the feetpādesu orvā having grabbedgahetvā to the far shore of the Gangespāragaṅgāya I will throwkhipissāmī”ti.

not“Na indeed Ikhvāhaṁ thattaṁ, friendāvuso, I seepassāmi with its godssadevake in the worldloke with its Mārassamārake with its divinitiessabrahmake with its ascetics and brahminssassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā populationpajāya with its gods and humanssadevamanussāya whoyo myme mindcittaṁ orvā might disturbkhipeyya hearthadayaṁ orvā might splitphāleyya by the feetpādesu orvā having seizedgahetvā across the Gangespāragaṅgāya might throwkhipeyya.
butApi anywayca youtvaṁ, friendāvuso, askpuccha whatever you wishyadākaṅkhasī”ti.
thenAtha indeedkho Āḷavakaāḷavako native spirityakkho the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ in versegāthāya addressedajjhabhāsi:

what“Kiṁ then indeedsūdha wealthvittaṁ of a personpurisassa bestseṭṭhaṁ,
whatKiṁ indeedsu well practicedsuciṇṇaṁ brings happinesssukhamāvahāti;
whatKiṁ indeedsu trulyhave sweetersādutaraṁ of tastesrasānaṁ,
living howKathaṁjīviṁ they say lifejīvitamāhu bestseṭṭhaṁ”.

faith here“Saddhīdha wealthvittaṁ of a personpurisassa bestseṭṭhaṁ,
the teachingDhammo practiced wellsuciṇṇo brings happinesssukhamāvahāti;
truthSaccaṁ indeedhave sweetersādutaraṁ of tastesrasānaṁ,
living by wisdomPaññājīviṁ they say the lifejīvitamāhu bestseṭṭhaṁ”.

how?“Kathaṁ indeedsu does one crosstarati the floodoghaṁ,
how?kathaṁ indeedsu does one crosstarati the delugeaṇṇavaṁ;
how?Kathaṁ indeedsu does one get over sufferingdukkhamacceti,
how?kathaṁ indeedsu does one get purifiedparisujjhati”.

by faith“Saddhāya you crosstarati the floodoghaṁ,
by diligenceappamādena the delugeaṇṇavaṁ;
by energyVīriyena you get past sufferingdukkhamacceti,
by wisdompaññāya you are purifiedparisujjhati”.

how“Kathaṁ indeedsu obtainslabhate wisdompaññaṁ,
howkathaṁ indeedsu earnsvindate wealthdhanaṁ;
howKathaṁ indeedsu reputationkittiṁ getspappoti,
howkathaṁ friendsmittāni holds on toganthati;
from thisAsmā worldlokā nextparaṁ worldlokaṁ,
howkathaṁ having passed onpecca notna grievessocati”.

having faith“Saddahāno in the perfected onesarahataṁ,
the teachingdhammaṁ for becoming extinguishednibbānapattiyā;
wanting to learnSussūsaṁ gainslabhate wisdompaññaṁ,
diligentappamatto discerningvicakkhaṇo.

acting appropriatelyPatirūpakārī responsibledhuravā,
working harduṭṭhātā you earnvindate wealthdhanaṁ;
by truthfulnessSaccena good reputationkittiṁ you winpappoti,
by givingdadaṁ friendsmittāni you hold on toganthati.

who has theseYassete fourcaturo qualitiesdhammā,
of the faithfulsaddhassa of the householdergharamesino;
truthSaccaṁ principledhammo steadfastnessdhiti generositycāgo,
hesa indeedve having passed awaypecca notna grievessocati.

go aheadIṅgha others as wellaññepi askpucchassu,
manyputhū ascetics and brahminssamaṇabrāhmaṇe;
whetherYadi than truthsaccā than principledamā than generositycāgā,
than patiencekhantyā anything betterbhiyyodha is foundvijjati”.

how“Kathaṁ nownu nowdāni I would askpuccheyyaṁ,
manyPuthū ascetics and brahminssamaṇabrāhmaṇe;
what IYohaṁ todayajja I understandpajānāmi,
whatYo goodattho for lives to comesamparāyiko.

for the benefitAtthāya trulyvata myme the Buddhabuddho,
to stay at Āḷavī cameVāsāyāḷavimāgamā;
I whoYohaṁ todayajja I understandpajānāmi,
whereYattha a giftdinnaṁ very fruitfulmahapphalaṁ.

heSo Iahaṁ will wandervicarissāmi,
from villageGāmā to villagegāmaṁ from townpurā to townpuraṁ;
paying homageNamassamāno to the fully awakened onesambuddhaṁ,
of the teachingDhammassa andca the clear rightnesssudhammatan”ti.
the Āḷavaka SuttaĀḷavakasuttaṁ tenthdasamaṁ.

Lite mode — plain HTML for e-readers and old browsers. Full version