Sutta Piṭaka
Dhammadevaputtacariya
Dhammadevaputtacariya
“Punāparaṁ yadā homi, mahāpakkho mahiddhiko; Dhammo nāma mahāyakkho, sabbalokānukampako.
The Deity Dhamma’s Conduct
“Then again when I was of great retinue and psychic power, a great spirit named Dhamma, I had sympathy for the whole world.
Dasakusalakammapathe, samādapento mahājanaṁ; Carāmi gāmanigamaṁ, samitto saparijjano.
Establishing the populace in the ten ways of skillful deeds, I wandered from village to town, with friends and associates.
Pāpo kadariyo yakkho, dīpento dasa pāpake; Sopettha mahiyā carati, samitto saparijjano.
A wicked, miserly spirit promoting the ten wicked ways was also wandering the earth with friends and associates.
Dhammavādī adhammo ca, ubho paccanikā mayaṁ; Dhure dhuraṁ ghaṭṭayantā, samimhā paṭipathe ubho.
The righteous and unrighteous, we were each other’s foe. Slamming chariot poles, we collided together.
Kalaho vattatī bhesmā, kalyāṇapāpakassa ca; Maggā okkamanatthāya, mahāyuddho upaṭṭhito.
A dreadful quarrel ensued between the good and the ill, a great war loomed aiming to push the other off the road.
Yadihaṁ tassa kuppeyyaṁ, yadi bhinde tapoguṇaṁ; Sahaparijanaṁ tassa, rajabhūtaṁ kareyyahaṁ.
If I had been upset with him, if I had broken my asceticism, I could have reduced him to dust, together with his companions.
Api cāhaṁ sīlarakkhāya, nibbāpetvāna mānasaṁ; Saha janenokkamitvā, pathaṁ pāpassa dāsahaṁ.
Nevertheless, for the sake of guarding my ethics, I quelled my heart. I left the road with my folk, giving it to the wicked one.
Saha pathato okkante, katvā cittassa nibbutiṁ; Vivaraṁ adāsi pathavī, pāpayakkhassa tāvade”ti.
As soon as I stepped down off the path, and I had quelled my mind, the earth opened up for that wicked spirit.”