3. Nānātitthiyavagga

Saṁyutta Nikāya 2.30

Linked Discourses 2.30

3. Nānātitthiyavagga

3. Various Sectarians

Nānātitthiyasāvakasutta

The Disciples of Various Monastics of Other Religions

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.

Atha kho sambahulā nānātitthiyasāvakā devaputtā asamo ca sahali ca nīko ca ākoṭako ca vegabbhari ca māṇavagāmiyo ca abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ veḷuvanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu.

Then, late at night, several glorious godlings lit up the entire Bamboo Grove. They were Asama, Sahalī, Niṅka, Ākoṭaka, Veṭambarī, and Māṇavagāmiya, and all of them were disciples of various monastics of other religions. They went up to the Buddha, bowed, and stood to one side.

Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho asamo devaputto pūraṇaṁ kassapaṁ ārabbha bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:

Standing to one side, the godling Asama spoke this verse about Pūraṇa Kassapa in the Buddha’s presence:

“Idha chinditamārite,

“In injuring and killing here,

Hatajānīsu kassapo;

in beating and extortion,

Na pāpaṁ samanupassati,

Kassapa saw no evil,

Puññaṁ vā pana attano;

nor any merit for oneself.

Sa ve vissāsamācikkhi,

What he taught should truly be trusted,

Satthā arahati mānanan”ti.

he’s worthy of esteem as Teacher.”

Atha kho sahali devaputto makkhaliṁ gosālaṁ ārabbha bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:

Then the godling Sahalī spoke this verse about the bamboo-staffed ascetic Gosāla in the Buddha’s presence:

“Tapojigucchāya susaṁvutatto,

“Through fervent mortification in disgust of sin he became well restrained.

Vācaṁ pahāya kalahaṁ janena;

He gave up quarreling with people.

Samosavajjā virato saccavādī,

Refraining from false speech, he spoke the truth.

Na hi nūna tādisaṁ karoti pāpan”ti.

Surely such a man does no wrong!”

Atha kho nīko devaputto nigaṇṭhaṁ nāṭaputtaṁ ārabbha bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:

Then the godling Niṅka spoke this verse about the Jain ascetic of the Ñātika clan in the Buddha’s presence:

“Jegucchī nipako bhikkhu,

“Disgusted at sin, an alert mendicant,

Cātuyāmasusaṁvuto;

well restrained in the fourfold constraint;

Diṭṭhaṁ sutañca ācikkhaṁ,

explaining what is seen and heard:

Na hi nūna kibbisī siyā”ti.

surely he can be no sinner!”

Atha kho ākoṭako devaputto nānātitthiye ārabbha bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:

Then the godling Ākoṭaka spoke this verse about various sectarian teachers in the Buddha’s presence:

“Pakudhako kātiyāno nigaṇṭho,

“Pakudhaka Kātiyāna and the Jain ascetic,

Ye cāpime makkhalipūraṇāse;

as well as this bamboo-staffed ascetic and Pūraṇa:

Gaṇassa satthāro sāmaññappattā,

Teachers of communities, attained ascetics,

Na hi nūna te sappurisehi dūre”ti.

surely they weren’t far from truly good men!”

Atha kho vegabbhari devaputto ākoṭakaṁ devaputtaṁ gāthāya paccabhāsi:

Then the godling Veṭambarī replied to the godling Ākoṭaka in verse:

“Sahācaritena chavo sigālo,

“Though the wretched jackal howls along,

Na kotthuko sīhasamo kadāci;

it never equals the lion.

Naggo musāvādī gaṇassa satthā,

A nude liar with suspicious conduct,

Saṅkassarācāro na sataṁ sarikkho”ti.

though they teach a community, is not like the good.”

Atha kho māro pāpimā begabbhariṁ devaputtaṁ anvāvisitvā bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:

Then Māra the Wicked took possession of the godling Veṭambarī and spoke this verse in the Buddha’s presence:

“Tapojigucchāya āyuttā,

“Those dedicated to mortification in disgust of sin,

pālayaṁ pavivekiyaṁ;

safeguarding their seclusion,

Rūpe ca ye niviṭṭhāse,

entrenched in form,

devalokābhinandino;

they rejoice in the heavenly realm.

Te ve sammānusāsanti,

Indeed, those mortals give correct instructions

paralokāya mātiyā”ti.

regarding the next world.”

Atha kho bhagavā “māro ayaṁ pāpimā” iti viditvā, māraṁ pāpimantaṁ gāthāya paccabhāsi:

Then the Buddha, knowing that this was Māra the Wicked, replied to him in verse:

“Ye keci rūpā idha vā huraṁ vā,

“Whatever forms there are in this life or the next,

Ye cantalikkhasmiṁ pabhāsavaṇṇā;

and those of shining beauty in the sky,

Sabbeva te te namucippasatthā,

all of these you praise, Namuci,

Āmisaṁva macchānaṁ vadhāya khittā”ti.

like bait tossed out for catching fish.”

Atha kho māṇavagāmiyo devaputto bhagavantaṁ ārabbha bhagavato santike imā gāthāyo abhāsi:

Then the godling Māṇavagāmiya spoke this verse about the Buddha in his presence:

“Vipulo rājagahīyānaṁ,

“Of all the mountains of Rājagaha,

giri seṭṭho pavuccati;

Vipula’s said to be the best.

Seto himavataṁ seṭṭho,

Seta is the best of the Himalayan peaks,

ādicco aghagāminaṁ.

and the sun, of travelers in space.

Samuddo udadhinaṁ seṭṭho,

The ocean is the best of seas,

nakkhattānaṁva candimā;

and the moon, of lights that shine at night.

Sadevakassa lokassa,

But in all the world with its gods,

buddho aggo pavuccatī”ti.

the Buddha is declared foremost.”

Nānātitthiyavaggo tatiyo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Sivo khemo ca serī ca,

Ghaṭī jantu ca rohito;

Nando nandivisālo ca,

Susimo nānātitthiyena te dasāti.

Devaputtasaṁyuttaṁ samattaṁ.

The Linked Discourses on Godlings are complete.