Devahita Sutta

Translation by Bhikkhuni Uppalavanna

1. The origin is Sàvatthi.

2. At that time the Blessed One was suffering from airiness and venerable Upavana was attending on the Blessed One.

3. The Blessed One addressed venerable Upavana saying: "Upavana provide me some warm water."

4. Venerable Upavana saying, "Yes, venerable sir." Put on his robes and taking bowl and robes approached the house of the Brahmin Devahita and stood on a side silently.

5. The Brahmin Devahita seeing venerable Upavana standing silently on a side said this stanza:


 * "The good one is standing silently, head shaven and fully robed,
 * What do you desire, in need of what did you come?"

(Upavana:)

6. "The Worthy, Well Gone Sage, is suffering from airiness,
 * Brahmin, if there is warm water, give it to the sage.
 * If there is an offering to the worthy to be offered
 * Respect to the worthy of respect
 * And esteem to the worthy to be esteemed
 * I desire to carry it."

7. The Brahmin Devahita gave venerable Upavana some warm water with a pingo and a man to carry it and some molasses in a bag.

8. Then venerable Upavana approached the Blessed One, bathed the Blessed One in the warm water and gave the molasses mixed in warm water to the Blessed One.

9. The Blessed One overcame that illness.

10. The Brahmin Devahita, then approached the Blessed One, exchanged friendly greetings and sat on a side.

11. Seated, the Brahmin Devahita said this stanza to the Blessed One:


 * "Given where does it become a gift, given to whom is it of great fruit?
 * How does the gift bring fruits to the one making the offering?"

(The Blessed One:)

12. "He knows previous births and sees heaven and hell
 * The sage has destroyed birth and is versed in knowledge.
 * Given here, it is a gift, given to him it is of great fruit."

13. Then the Brahmin Devahita said to the Blessed One: "Good Gotama, now I understand. It's like something overturned is put upright. Something covered is made manifest. It's like one who was lost was shown the path. It's like a lamp lighted for the darkness, for those who have sight to see forms. In this and other ways the Teaching is well explained. Now I take refuge in good Gotama, in the Teaching and the Community of bhikkhus. I am a lay disciple who has taken refuge from today until I die."