Buddhism · Sutta Pitaka · Linked Discourses (Saṁyutta)

SN 2.10

The Sun · Sūriyasutta

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At Sāvatthī. Now at that time the Sun God had been seized by Rāhu, lord of titans. Then the Sun God, recollecting the Buddha, at that time spoke this verse:

Sāvatthinidānaṁ. Tena kho pana samayena sūriyo devaputto rāhunā asurindena gahito hoti. Atha kho sūriyo devaputto bhagavantaṁ anussaramāno tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:

“Homage to you, Buddha, hero! You’re free in every way. I’ve wandered into confinement: be my refuge!”

“Namo te buddha vīratthu, vippamuttosi sabbadhi; Sambādhapaṭipannosmi, tassa me saraṇaṁ bhavā”ti.

Then the Buddha addressed Rāhu in verse concerning the Sun God:

Atha kho bhagavā sūriyaṁ devaputtaṁ ārabbha rāhuṁ asurindaṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:

“The Sun God has gone for refuge to the Realized One, the perfected one. The Buddhas have compassion for the world— so Rāhu, release the Sun!

“Tathāgataṁ arahantaṁ, sūriyo saraṇaṁ gato; Rāhu sūriyaṁ pamuñcassu, buddhā lokānukampakā.

He is a beacon in the darkness, the dazzling sun, circle of awesome might. Rāhu, do not swallow him as he traverses the sky. Rāhu, release my offspring, the Sun!”

Yo andhakāre tamasi pabhaṅkaro, Verocano maṇḍalī uggatejo; Mā rāhu gilī caramantalikkhe, Pajaṁ mamaṁ rāhu pamuñca sūriyan”ti.

Then Rāhu, having released the Sun, rushed to see Vepacitti, lord of titans and stood to one side, shocked and awestruck. Vepacitti addressed him in verse:

Atha kho rāhu asurindo sūriyaṁ devaputtaṁ muñcitvā taramānarūpo yena vepacitti asurindo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā saṁviggo lomahaṭṭhajāto ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitaṁ kho rāhuṁ asurindaṁ vepacitti asurindo gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

“Why the rush? Rāhu, you released the Sun and came here looking like you’re in shock: why do you stand there so scared?”

“Kiṁ nu santaramānova, rāhu sūriyaṁ pamuñcasi; Saṁviggarūpo āgamma, kiṁ nu bhītova tiṭṭhasī”ti.

“My head would have exploded in seven pieces, I would have found no joy in life, if, when enchanted by the Buddha’s verse, I had not released the Sun.”

“Sattadhā me phale muddhā, jīvanto na sukhaṁ labhe; Buddhagāthābhigītomhi, no ce muñceyya sūriyan”ti. Paṭhamo vaggo.

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Tassuddānaṁ

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Dve kassapā ca māgho ca, Māgadho dāmali kāmado; Pañcālacaṇḍo tāyano, Candimasūriyena te dasāti.