SN 1.1 · Crossing the Flood
SN 1.1 · Oghataraṇasutta
So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.
Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
Then, late at night, a glorious deity, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and said to him, “Good fellow, how did you cross the flood?”
Atha kho aññatarā devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho sā devatā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “kathaṁ nu tvaṁ, mārisa, oghamatarī”ti?
“Neither standing nor swimming, respectable sir, I crossed the flood.”
“Appatiṭṭhaṁ khvāhaṁ, āvuso, anāyūhaṁ oghamatarin”ti.
“But in what way did you cross the flood neither standing nor swimming?”
“Yathākathaṁ pana tvaṁ, mārisa, appatiṭṭhaṁ anāyūhaṁ oghamatarī”ti?
“When I stood, I sank under. When I swam, I was swept away. That’s how I crossed the flood neither standing nor swimming.”
“Yadāsvāhaṁ, āvuso, santiṭṭhāmi tadāssu saṁsīdāmi; yadāsvāhaṁ, āvuso, āyūhāmi tadāssu nibbuyhāmi. Evaṁ khvāhaṁ, āvuso, appatiṭṭhaṁ anāyūhaṁ oghamatarin”ti.
“After a long time I seea brahmin fully quenched.Neither standing nor swimming,he’s crossed over clinging to the world.”
“Cirassaṁ vata passāmi,brāhmaṇaṁ parinibbutaṁ;Appatiṭṭhaṁ anāyūhaṁ,tiṇṇaṁ loke visattikan”ti.
That is what that deity said, and the Teacher concurred. Then that deity, knowing that the Teacher concurred, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before vanishing right there.
Idamavoca sā devatā. Samanuñño satthā ahosi. Atha kho sā devatā: “samanuñño me satthā”ti bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyīti.
SN 1.2 · Liberation
SN 1.2 · Nimokkhasutta
At Sāvatthī.
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
Then, late at night, a glorious deity, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and said to him, “Good fellow, do you know the liberation, emancipation, and seclusion of sentient beings?”
Atha kho aññatarā devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho sā devatā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “Jānāsi no tvaṁ, mārisa, sattānaṁ nimokkhaṁ pamokkhaṁ vivekan”ti?
“I do, good sir.”
“Jānāmi khvāhaṁ, āvuso, sattānaṁ nimokkhaṁ pamokkhaṁ vivekan”ti.
“But how is it that you know the liberation, emancipation, and seclusion of sentient beings?”
“Yathākathaṁ pana tvaṁ, mārisa, jānāsi sattānaṁ nimokkhaṁ pamokkhaṁ vivekan”ti?
“Due to the ending of relish for rebirth; due to the finishing of perception and consciousness; due to the cessation and stilling of feelings— that, respectable sir, is how I know the liberation, emancipation, and seclusion of sentient beings.”
“Nandībhavaparikkhayā, Saññāviññāṇasaṅkhayā; Vedanānaṁ nirodhā upasamā, Evaṁ khvāhaṁ āvuso jānāmi; Sattānaṁ nimokkhaṁ pamokkhaṁ vivekan”ti.
SN 1.3 · Led On
SN 1.3 · Upanīyasutta
At Sāvatthī.
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
Standing to one side, that deity spoke this verse in the Buddha’s presence:
Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho sā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:
“This life, so very short, is led onward.One led on to old age has no shelter.Seeing this peril in death,do good deeds that bring you joy.”
“Upanīyati jīvitamappamāyu,Jarūpanītassa na santi tāṇā;Etaṁ bhayaṁ maraṇe pekkhamāno,Puññāni kayirātha sukhāvahānī”ti.
“This life, so very short, is led onward.One led on to old age has no shelter.Seeing this peril in death,a seeker of peace would drop the world’s bait.”
“Upanīyati jīvitamappamāyu,Jarūpanītassa na santi tāṇā;Etaṁ bhayaṁ maraṇe pekkhamāno,Lokāmisaṁ pajahe santipekkho”ti.
SN 1.4 · Time Flies
SN 1.4 · Accentisutta
At Sāvatthī.
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
Standing to one side, that deity spoke this verse in the Buddha’s presence:
Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho sā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:
“Time flies, nights pass by,the stages of life leave us one by one.Seeing this peril in death,do good deeds that bring you joy.”
“Accenti kālā tarayanti rattiyo,Vayoguṇā anupubbaṁ jahanti;Etaṁ bhayaṁ maraṇe pekkhamāno,Puññāni kayirātha sukhāvahānī”ti.
“Time flies, nights pass by,the stages of life leave us one by one.Seeing this peril in death,a seeker of peace would drop the world’s bait.”
“Accenti kālā tarayanti rattiyo,Vayoguṇā anupubbaṁ jahanti;Etaṁ bhayaṁ maraṇe pekkhamāno,Lokāmisaṁ pajahe santipekkho”ti.
SN 1.5 · Cut How Many?
SN 1.5 · Katichindasutta
At Sāvatthī.
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
Standing to one side, that deity spoke this verse in the Buddha’s presence:
Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho sā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:
“Cut how many? Drop how many?Develop how many more?When a mendicant slips how many chainsare they said to have crossed the flood?”
“Kati chinde kati jahe,kati cuttari bhāvaye;Kati saṅgātigo bhikkhu,oghatiṇṇoti vuccatī”ti.
“Five to cut, five to drop,and five more to develop.When a mendicant slips five chainsthey’re said to have crossed the flood.”
“Pañca chinde pañca jahe,pañca cuttari bhāvaye;Pañca saṅgātigo bhikkhu,oghatiṇṇoti vuccatī”ti.
SN 1.6 · Awake
SN 1.6 · Jāgarasutta
At Sāvatthī.
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
Standing to one side, that deity spoke this verse in the Buddha’s presence:
Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho sā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:
“How many sleep among the waking?How many wake among the sleeping?By how many do you gather dust?By how many are you cleansed?”
“Kati jāgarataṁ suttā,kati suttesu jāgarā;Katibhi rajamādeti,katibhi parisujjhatī”ti.
“Five sleep among the waking.Five wake among the sleeping.By five you gather dust.By five you’re cleansed.”
“Pañca jāgarataṁ suttā,pañca suttesu jāgarā;Pañcabhi rajamādeti,pañcabhi parisujjhatī”ti.
SN 1.7 · Undeciphered
SN 1.7 · Appaṭividitasutta
At Sāvatthī.
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
Standing to one side, that deity spoke this verse in the Buddha’s presence:
Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho sā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:
“Those have not deciphered the teachingsmay be led astray by the doctrines of others.Asleep, they have not woken up:it is time for them to wake!”
“Yesaṁ dhammā appaṭividitā,Paravādesu nīyare;Suttā te nappabujjhanti,Kālo tesaṁ pabujjhitun”ti.
“Those who have well deciphered the teachingswon’t be led astray by the doctrines of others.They have woken up, they rightly know,smoothly they walk in the rough.”
“Yesaṁ dhammā suppaṭividitā,Paravādesu na nīyare;Te sambuddhā sammadaññā,Caranti visame saman”ti.
SN 1.8 · Very Confused
SN 1.8 · Susammuṭṭhasutta
At Sāvatthī.
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
Standing to one side, that deity spoke this verse in the Buddha’s presence:
Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho sā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:
“Those who are very confused about the teachingsmay be led astray by the doctrines of others.Asleep, they have not woken up:it is time for them to wake!”
“Yesaṁ dhammā susammuṭṭhā,paravādesu nīyare;Suttā te nappabujjhanti,kālo tesaṁ pabujjhitun”ti.
“Those who are unconfused about the teachings,won’t be led astray by the doctrines of others.They have woken up, they rightly know,smoothly they walk in the rough.”
“Yesaṁ dhammā asammuṭṭhā,paravādesu na nīyare;Te sambuddhā sammadaññā,caranti visame saman”ti.
SN 1.9 · Fond of Conceit
SN 1.9 · Mānakāmasutta
At Sāvatthī.
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
Standing to one side, that deity spoke this verse in the Buddha’s presence:
Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho sā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:
“One fond of conceit can’t be tamed,no sage is lacking immersion.Living negligent alone in the wilderness,they can’t cross beyond Death’s dominion.”
“Na mānakāmassa damo idhatthi,Na monamatthi asamāhitassa;Eko araññe viharaṁ pamatto,Na maccudheyyassa tareyya pāran”ti.
“Having given up conceit, serene within oneself,with a good heart, everywhere free;living diligent alone in the wilderness,they cross beyond Death’s dominion.”
“Mānaṁ pahāya susamāhitatto,Sucetaso sabbadhi vippamutto;Eko araññe viharaṁ appamatto,Sa maccudheyyassa tareyya pāran”ti.
SN 1.10 · Wilderness
SN 1.10 · Araññasutta
At Sāvatthī.
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
Standing to one side, that deity addressed the Buddha in verse:
Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho sā devatā bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:
“Living in the wilderness,peaceful spiritual practitionerseat just one meal a day:so why is their complexion so clear?”
“Araññe viharantānaṁ,santānaṁ brahmacārinaṁ;Ekabhattaṁ bhuñjamānānaṁ,kena vaṇṇo pasīdatī”ti.
“They don’t grieve for the past,nor do they pray for the future;they feed on whatever comes that day,that’s why their complexion’s so clear.
“Atītaṁ nānusocanti,nappajappanti nāgataṁ;Paccuppannena yāpenti,tena vaṇṇo pasīdati.
Because they pray for the future,and grieve for the past,fools wither away,like a green reed mowed down.”
Anāgatappajappāya,atītassānusocanā;Etena bālā sussanti,naḷova harito luto”ti.
Naḷavaggo paṭhamo.
Tassuddānaṁ
Oghaṁ nimokkhaṁ upaneyyaṁ,Accenti katichindi ca;Jāgaraṁ appaṭividitā,Susammuṭṭhā mānakāminā;Araññe dasamo vutto,Vaggo tena pavuccati.