Āḷavakasutta

Sutta Nipāta 1.10

Āḷavaka the Native Spirit · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā āḷaviyaṁ viharati āḷavakassa yakkhassa bhavane.
Atha kho āḷavako yakkho yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
“nikkhama, samaṇā”ti.
“Sādhāvuso”ti bhagavā nikkhami.
“Pavisa, samaṇā”ti.
“Sādhāvuso”ti bhagavā pāvisi.

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Āḷavī in the haunt of the native spirit Āḷavaka. Then the native spirit Āḷavaka went up to the Buddha, and said to him: “Get out, ascetic!” Saying, “All right, respectable sir,” the Buddha went out. “Get in, ascetic!” Saying, “All right, respectable sir,” the Buddha went in.

Dutiyampi kho …pe…
tatiyampi kho āḷavako yakkho bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
“nikkhama, samaṇā”ti.
“Sādhāvuso”ti bhagavā nikkhami.
“Pavisa, samaṇā”ti.
“Sādhāvuso”ti bhagavā pāvisi.

For a second time … And for a third time the native spirit Āḷavaka said to the Buddha, “Get out, ascetic!” Saying, “All right, respectable sir,” the Buddha went out. “Get in, ascetic!” Saying, “All right, respectable sir,” the Buddha went in.

Catutthampi kho āḷavako yakkho bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
“nikkhama, samaṇā”ti.
“Na khvāhaṁ taṁ, āvuso, nikkhamissāmi.
Yaṁ te karaṇīyaṁ, taṁ karohī”ti.

And for a fourth time the native spirit Āḷavaka said to the Buddha, “Get out, ascetic!” “No, respectable sir, I won’t get out. Do what you must.”

“Pañhaṁ taṁ, samaṇa, pucchissāmi.
Sace me na byākarissasi, cittaṁ vā te khipissāmi, hadayaṁ vā te phālessāmi, pādesu vā gahetvā pāragaṅgāya khipissāmī”ti.

“I will ask you a question, ascetic. If you don’t answer me, I’ll drive you insane, or explode your heart, or grab you by the feet and throw you to the far shore of the Ganges!”

“Na khvāhaṁ taṁ, āvuso, passāmi sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya yo me cittaṁ vā khipeyya hadayaṁ vā phāleyya pādesu vā gahetvā pāragaṅgāya khipeyya.
Api ca tvaṁ, āvuso, puccha yadākaṅkhasī”ti.
Atha kho āḷavako yakkho bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

“I don’t see anyone in this world with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans who could do that to me. But anyway, ask what you wish.” Then the native spirit Āḷavaka addressed the Buddha in verse:

“Kiṁ sūdha vittaṁ purisassa seṭṭhaṁ,
Kiṁ su suciṇṇaṁ sukhamāvahāti;
Kiṁ su have sādutaraṁ rasānaṁ,
Kathaṁjīviṁ jīvitamāhu seṭṭhaṁ”.

“What’s a person’s best wealth? What brings happiness when practiced well? What’s the sweetest taste of all? The one they say has the best life: how do they live?”

“Saddhīdha vittaṁ purisassa seṭṭhaṁ,
Dhammo suciṇṇo sukhamāvahāti;
Saccaṁ have sādutaraṁ rasānaṁ,
Paññājīviṁ jīvitamāhu seṭṭhaṁ”.

“Faith here is a person’s best wealth. The teaching brings happiness when practiced well. Truth is the sweetest taste of all. The one they say has the best life lives by wisdom.”

“Kathaṁ su tarati oghaṁ,
kathaṁ su tarati aṇṇavaṁ;
Kathaṁ su dukkhamacceti,
kathaṁ su parisujjhati”.

“How do you cross the flood? How do you cross the deluge? How do you get over suffering? How do you get purified?”

“Saddhāya tarati oghaṁ,
appamādena aṇṇavaṁ;
Vīriyena dukkhamacceti,
paññāya parisujjhati”.

“By faith you cross the flood, and by diligence the deluge. By energy you get past suffering, and you’re purified by wisdom.”

“Kathaṁ su labhate paññaṁ,
kathaṁ su vindate dhanaṁ;
Kathaṁ su kittiṁ pappoti,
kathaṁ mittāni ganthati;
Asmā lokā paraṁ lokaṁ,
kathaṁ pecca na socati”.

“How do you get wisdom? How do you earn wealth? How do you get a good reputation? How do you hold on to friends? How do the departed not grieve when passing from this world to the next?”

“Saddahāno arahataṁ,
dhammaṁ nibbānapattiyā;
Sussūsaṁ labhate paññaṁ,
appamatto vicakkhaṇo.

“One who is diligent and discerning gains wisdom by wanting to learn, having faith in the perfected ones, and the teaching for becoming extinguished.

Patirūpakārī dhuravā,
uṭṭhātā vindate dhanaṁ;
Saccena kittiṁ pappoti,
dadaṁ mittāni ganthati.

Being responsible, acting appropriately, and working hard you earn wealth. Truthfulness wins you a good reputation. You hold on to friends by giving.

Yassete caturo dhammā,
saddhassa gharamesino;
Saccaṁ dhammo dhiti cāgo,
sa ve pecca na socati.

A faithful householder of discernment who possesses these four qualities does not grieve after passing away: truth, principle, steadfastness, and generosity.

Iṅgha aññepi pucchassu,
puthū samaṇabrāhmaṇe;
Yadi saccā damā cāgā,
khantyā bhiyyodha vijjati”.

Go ahead, ask others as well, there are many ascetics and brahmins. See whether anything better is found than truth, principle, generosity, and patience.”

“Kathaṁ nu dāni puccheyyaṁ,
Puthū samaṇabrāhmaṇe;
Yohaṁ ajja pajānāmi,
Yo attho samparāyiko.

“Why now would I question the many ascetics and brahmins? Today I understand what’s good for lives to come.

Atthāya vata me buddho,
Vāsāyāḷavimāgamā;
Yohaṁ ajja pajānāmi,
Yattha dinnaṁ mahapphalaṁ.

It was truly for my benefit that the Buddha came to stay at Āḷavī. Today I understand where a gift is very fruitful.

So ahaṁ vicarissāmi,
Gāmā gāmaṁ purā puraṁ;
Namassamāno sambuddhaṁ,
Dhammassa ca sudhammatan”ti.
Āḷavakasuttaṁ dasamaṁ.

I myself will journey village to village, town to town, paying homage to the Buddha, and the clear rightness of the teaching!”

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