Snp, part 10 · Pali Canon (Tipiṭaka) – English & Pāli · Verses Across
Buddhism · Sutta Pitaka · Minor Collection (Khuddaka)
Snp, part 10
With Āḷavaka · Āḷavakasutta
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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.
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.
“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!”
“Pañhaṁ taṁ, samaṇa, pucchissāmi. Sace me na byākarissasi, cittaṁ vā te khipissāmi, hadayaṁ vā te phālessāmi, pādesu vā gahetvā pāragaṅgāya khipissāmī”ti.
“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:
“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:
“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?”
“Kiṁ sūdha vittaṁ purisassa seṭṭhaṁ, Kiṁ su suciṇṇaṁ sukhamāvahāti; Kiṁ su have sādutaraṁ rasānaṁ, Kathaṁjīviṁ 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.”
“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?”
“Kathaṁ su labhate paññaṁ, kathaṁ su vindate dhanaṁ; Kathaṁ su kittiṁ pappoti, kathaṁ mittāni ganthati; Asmā lokā paraṁ lokaṁ, kathaṁ pecca na socati”.
“One who is diligent and discerning gains wisdom by wanting to learn, having faith in the perfected ones, and the teaching for becoming extinguished.
A faithful householder of discernment who possesses these four qualities does not grieve after passing away: truth, principle, steadfastness, and generosity.
Yassete caturo dhammā, saddhassa gharamesino; Saccaṁ dhammo dhiti cāgo, sa ve pecca na socati.
Go ahead, ask others as well, there are many ascetics and brahmins. See whether anything better is found than truth, principle, generosity, and patience.”
