Nanatitthiyasavakasu Sutta

Translation by Bhikkhuni Uppalavanna

1. I heard thus. At one time the Blessed One was living in the squirrels' sanctuary in the bamboo grove in Rajagaha.

2. Then a large number of sons of gods, disciples of adherents of other sects such as Asama, Sahali, Nimko, âkoñako, Veñambari and Manava-Gamiyo, when the night was waning, illuminating the whole of the bamboo grove with an effulgent light approached the Blessed One, worshipped and stood on a side.

3. Asama the son of the gods standing on a side said this stanza in the presence of the Blessed One alluding to Purana Kassapa:


 * "Here, death was cut,
 * Kassapa knew the destruction,
 * Evil will not rise again,
 * Not even merit for the self
 * If it was told with confidence,
 * The teacher should be respected as perfect."

4. Sahali the son of the gods standing on a side said this stanza in the presence of the Blessed One alluding to Makkhali Gosàla:


 * "To train the self, doing austerities to bear hunger,
 * Giving up words that arouse quarrels,
 * Ignoring faults and avoiding the truth,
 * Are they not evil actions?"

5. Nimko the son of the gods standing on a side said this stanza in the presence of the Blessed One alluding to Nigantha Nataputta:


 * "The bhikkhu clever at avoiding,
 * Observes the fourfold restraints,
 * Tells what he saw and heard,
 * Isn't it doing demerit?"

6. âkoñaka the son of the gods standing on a side said this stanza in the presence of the Blessed One alluding to the sects with various beliefs:


 * "Pakudha Katiyana, Nigantha,
 * This, Makkhali and Purana,
 * Known as the teachers of gatherings,
 * Aren't they far away from Great Beings?"

7. Then Vetambari the son of the gods as a reply to âkotaka the son of the gods said this stanza:


 * "Given all respects, he is a corpse, a jackal,
 * A sham ascetic could never be a lion.
 * The teacher of the gathering goes naked, tells lies
 * Suspects everything, does not seem to have mindfulness."

8. Then Màra the evil one seized the consciousness of Vetambari, the son of the gods and said this stanza in the presence of the Blessed One:


 * "Conquering hunger, with austerities
 * And succeeding in seclusions
 * Those fixed to matter enjoy heavenly bliss,
 * They give the correct advice for the next world."

9. The Blessed One knowing, that it was Màra the evil one, said this stanza to Màra the evil one


 * "Whatever matter, in this or the other world,
 * Even a resplendent light in the sky,
 * All that is praised by Namuci
 * That's material thrown for the ill being,
 * Of human beings."

10. Manava Gamini the son of the gods standing on a side said this stanza in the presence of the Blessed One alluding to the Blessed One:


 * "For the people of Rajagaha, there is a huge prominent rock
 * For the Himalayas, the foremost is Seta,
 * For going in space, the foremost is the Sun
 * Of waters the foremost is the ocean,
 * Of constellations the moon,
 * To the world with its gods, the enlightened one is the foremost."