AN 3.37

Catumahārājasutta

“Aṭṭhamiyaṁ, bhikkhave, pakkhassa catunnaṁ mahārājānaṁ amaccā pārisajjā imaṁ lokaṁ anuvicaranti: ‘kacci bahū manussā manussesu matteyyā petteyyā sāmaññā brahmaññā kule jeṭṭhāpacāyino uposathaṁ upavasanti paṭijāgaronti puññāni karontī’ti. Cātuddasiṁ, bhikkhave, pakkhassa catunnaṁ mahārājānaṁ puttā imaṁ lokaṁ anuvicaranti: ‘kacci bahū manussā manussesu matteyyā petteyyā sāmaññā brahmaññā kule jeṭṭhāpacāyino uposathaṁ upavasanti paṭijāgaronti puññāni karontī’ti. Tadahu, bhikkhave, uposathe pannarase cattāro mahārājāno sāmaññeva imaṁ lokaṁ anuvicaranti: ‘kacci bahū manussā manussesu matteyyā petteyyā sāmaññā brahmaññā kule jeṭṭhāpacāyino uposathaṁ upavasanti paṭijāgaronti puññāni karontī’ti.

The Four Great Kings (1st)

“On the eighth day of the fortnight, mendicants, the ministers and councillors of the four great kings wander about the world, thinking: ‘Hopefully most humans are paying due respect to their parents, ascetics and brahmins, honoring the elders in their families, observing and keeping vigil on the sabbath, and making merit.’ And on the fourteenth day of the fortnight, the sons of the four great kings wander about the world, thinking: ‘Hopefully most humans are paying due respect to their parents … and making merit.’ And on the fifteenth day sabbath, the four great kings themselves wander about the world, thinking: ‘Hopefully most humans are paying due respect to their parents … and making merit.’

Sace, bhikkhave, appakā honti manussā manussesu matteyyā petteyyā sāmaññā brahmaññā kule jeṭṭhāpacāyino uposathaṁ upavasanti paṭijāgaronti puññāni karonti. Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, cattāro mahārājāno devānaṁ tāvatiṁsānaṁ sudhammāya sabhāya sannisinnānaṁ sannipatitānaṁ ārocenti: ‘appakā kho, mārisā, manussā manussesu matteyyā petteyyā sāmaññā brahmaññā kule jeṭṭhāpacāyino uposathaṁ upavasanti paṭijāgaronti puññāni karontī’ti. Tena kho, bhikkhave, devā tāvatiṁsā anattamanā honti: ‘dibbā vata, bho, kāyā parihāyissanti, paripūrissanti asurakāyā’ti.

If only a few humans are paying due respect to their parents … and making merit, the four great kings address the gods of the thirty-three, seated together in the Hall of Clear Right: ‘Only a few humans are paying due respect to their parents … and making merit.’ Then the gods of the thirty-three are disappointed, thinking, ‘The heavenly hosts will dwindle, while the titan hosts will swell!’

Sace pana, bhikkhave, bahū honti manussā manussesu matteyyā petteyyā sāmaññā brahmaññā kule jeṭṭhāpacāyino uposathaṁ upavasanti paṭijāgaronti puññāni karonti. Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, cattāro mahārājāno devānaṁ tāvatiṁsānaṁ sudhammāya sabhāya sannisinnānaṁ sannipatitānaṁ ārocenti: ‘bahū kho, mārisā, manussā manussesu matteyyā petteyyā sāmaññā brahmaññā kule jeṭṭhāpacāyino uposathaṁ upavasanti paṭijāgaronti puññāni karontī’ti. Tena, bhikkhave, devā tāvatiṁsā attamanā honti: ‘dibbā vata bho kāyā paripūrissanti, parihāyissanti asurakāyā’ti.

But if many humans are paying due respect to their parents … and making merit, the four great kings address the gods of the thirty-three, seated together in the Hall of Clear Right: ‘Many humans are paying due respect to their parents … and making merit.’ Then the gods of the thirty-three are pleased, thinking, ‘The heavenly hosts will swell, while the titan hosts will dwindle!’

Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo deve tāvatiṁse anunayamāno tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:

Once upon a time, Sakka, lord of gods, guiding the gods of the thirty-three, spoke this verse:

‘Cātuddasiṁ pañcadasiṁ, yā ca pakkhassa aṭṭhamī; Pāṭihāriyapakkhañca, aṭṭhaṅgasusamāgataṁ; Uposathaṁ upavaseyya, yopissa mādiso naro’ti.

‘Whoever wants to be like me would observe the sabbath complete in all eight factors, on the fourteenth and the fifteenth days, and the eighth day of the fortnight, as well as on the fortnightly special displays.’

Sā kho panesā, bhikkhave, sakkena devānamindena gāthā duggītā na sugītā dubbhāsitā na subhāsitā. Taṁ kissa hetu? Sakko hi, bhikkhave, devānamindo avītarāgo avītadoso avītamoho.

But that verse was poorly sung by Sakka, lord of gods, not well sung; poorly spoken, not well spoken. Why is that? Because Sakka, lord of gods, is not free of greed, hate, and delusion.

Yo ca kho so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu arahaṁ khīṇāsavo vusitavā brahmacariyo katakaraṇīyo ohitabhāro anuppattasadattho parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojano sammadaññāvimutto, tassa kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno kallaṁ vacanāya:

But for a mendicant who is perfected—with defilements ended, who has completed the spiritual journey, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, achieved their heart’s goal, utterly ended the fetter of continued existence, and is rightly freed through enlightenment—it is appropriate to say:

‘Cātuddasiṁ pañcadasiṁ, yā ca pakkhassa aṭṭhamī; Pāṭihāriyapakkhañca, aṭṭhaṅgasusamāgataṁ; Uposathaṁ upavaseyya, yopissa mādiso naro’ti.

‘Whoever wants to be like me would observe the sabbath, complete in all eight factors, on the fourteenth and the fifteenth days, and the eighth day of the fortnight, as well as on the fortnightly special displays.’

Taṁ kissa hetu? So hi, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vītarāgo vītadoso vītamoho”ti.

Why is that? Because that mendicant is free of greed, hate, and delusion.”