AN 3.38

Dutiyacatumahārājasutta

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

The Four Great Kings (2nd)

“Once upon a time, mendicants, 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 aparimutto jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, ‘aparimutto dukkhasmā’ti vadāmi.

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 exempt from rebirth, old age, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. He is not exempt from suffering, I say.

Yo ca kho so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu arahaṁ khīṇāsavo vusitavā 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 parimutto jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, ‘parimutto dukkhasmā’ti vadāmī”ti.

Why is that? Because that mendicant is exempt from rebirth, old age, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. He is exempt from suffering, I say.”