2. Upāsakavagga

Saṁyutta Nikāya 7.13

Linked Discourses 7.13

2. Upāsakavagga

2. Lay Followers

Devahitasutta

With Devahita

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthī.

Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā vātehābādhiko hoti;

Now at that time the Buddha was afflicted by winds.

āyasmā ca upavāṇo bhagavato upaṭṭhāko hoti.

Venerable Upavāṇa was his carer.

Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ upavāṇaṁ āmantesi:

Then the Buddha said to Upavāṇa,

“iṅgha me tvaṁ, upavāṇa, uṇhodakaṁ jānāhī”ti.

“Go on then, Upavāṇa, find some hot water for me.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā upavāṇo bhagavato paṭissutvā nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena devahitassa brāhmaṇassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā tuṇhībhūto ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi.

“Yes, sir,” replied Upavāṇa. He robed up, and, taking his bowl and robe, went to the home of the brahmin Devahita, and stood silently to one side.

Addasā kho devahito brāhmaṇo āyasmantaṁ upavāṇaṁ tuṇhībhūtaṁ ekamantaṁ ṭhitaṁ.

Devahita saw him standing there

Disvāna āyasmantaṁ upavāṇaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

and addressed him in verse:

“Tuṇhībhūto bhavaṁ tiṭṭhaṁ,

“Silent stands the worthy one,

muṇḍo saṅghāṭipāruto;

shaven, wrapped in his outer robe.

Kiṁ patthayāno kiṁ esaṁ,

What do you want? What are you looking for?

kiṁ nu yācitumāgato”ti.

What have you come here to ask for?”

“Arahaṁ sugato loke,

“The perfected one, the Holy One in the world,

vātehābādhiko muni;

the sage is afflicted by winds.

Sace uṇhodakaṁ atthi,

If there’s hot water,

munino dehi brāhmaṇa.

give it to the sage, brahmin.

Pūjito pūjaneyyānaṁ,

I wish to bring it to the one

sakkareyyāna sakkato;

who is esteemed by the estimable,

Apacito apaceyyānaṁ,

honored by the honorable,

tassa icchāmi hātave”ti.

venerated by the venerable.”

Atha kho devahito brāhmaṇo uṇhodakassa kājaṁ purisena gāhāpetvā phāṇitassa ca puṭaṁ āyasmato upavāṇassa pādāsi.

Then Devahita had a man fetch a carrying-pole with hot water. He also presented Upavāṇa with a jar of molasses.

Atha kho āyasmā upavāṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ uṇhodakena nhāpetvā uṇhodakena phāṇitaṁ āloletvā bhagavato pādāsi.

Then Venerable Upavāṇa went up to the Buddha and bathed him with the hot water. Then he stirred molasses into hot water and presented it to the Buddha.

Atha kho bhagavato ābādho paṭippassambhi.

Then the Buddha’s illness died down.

Atha kho devahito brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi.

Then the brahmin Devahita went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him.

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.

When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side,

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho devahito brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

and addressed the Buddha in verse:

“Kattha dajjā deyyadhammaṁ,

“Where should you give an available gift?

kattha dinnaṁ mahapphalaṁ;

Where is a gift very fruitful?

Kathañhi yajamānassa,

How does one who is donating

kathaṁ ijjhati dakkhiṇā”ti.

ensure the success of their religious donation?”

“Pubbenivāsaṁ yo vedī,

“One who knows their past lives,

saggāpāyañca passati;

sees heaven and places of loss,

Atho jātikkhayaṁ patto,

and has attained the ending of rebirth,

abhiññāvosito muni.

is a sage of perfect insight.

Ettha dajjā deyyadhammaṁ,

Here you should give an available gift;

ettha dinnaṁ mahapphalaṁ;

what’s given here is very fruitful.

Evañhi yajamānassa,

That’s how a sponsor of sacrifices

evaṁ ijjhati dakkhiṇā”ti.

ensures the success of their religious donation.”

Evaṁ vutte, devahito brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

When he had spoken, the brahmin Devahita said to the Buddha,

“abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe…

“Excellent, worthy Gotama …

upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.

From this day forth, may the worthy Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”