SN 1.34

Nasantisutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Atha kho sambahulā satullapakāyikā devatāyo abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho ekā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:

There Are None

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then, late at night, several glorious deities of the host of a hundred felicities, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Buddha, bowed, and stood to one side. Standing to one side, one deity spoke this verse in the Buddha’s presence:

“Na santi kāmā manujesu niccā, Santīdha kamanīyāni yesu baddho; Yesu pamatto apunāgamanaṁ, Anāgantā puriso maccudheyyā”ti.

“Among mankind there are no sensual pleasures that are permanent. Here there are sensuous things, bound to which, drunk on which, there’s no coming back. That person doesn’t return from Death’s dominion.”

“Chandajaṁ aghaṁ chandajaṁ dukkhaṁ, Chandavinayā aghavinayo; Aghavinayā dukkhavinayo”ti.

“Gloom is born of desire; suffering is born of desire; when desire is removed, gloom is removed; when gloom is removed, suffering is removed.”

“Na te kāmā yāni citrāni loke, Saṅkapparāgo purisassa kāmo; Tiṭṭhanti citrāni tatheva loke, Athettha dhīrā vinayanti chandaṁ.

“The world’s pretty things aren’t sensual pleasures. Greedy intention is a person’s sensual pleasure. The world’s pretty things stay just as they are, but the attentive remove desire for them.

Kodhaṁ jahe vippajaheyya mānaṁ, Saṁyojanaṁ sabbamatikkameyya; Taṁ nāmarūpasmimasajjamānaṁ, Akiñcanaṁ nānupatanti dukkhā.

Give up anger, get rid of conceit, and get past all the fetters. Sufferings don’t torment the one who has nothing, not clinging to name and form.

Pahāsi saṅkhaṁ na vimānamajjhagā, Acchecchi taṇhaṁ idha nāmarūpe; Taṁ chinnaganthaṁ anighaṁ nirāsaṁ, Pariyesamānā nājjhagamuṁ; Devā manussā idha vā huraṁ vā, Saggesu vā sabbanivesanesū”ti.

They gave up judgment without falling into conceit; craving for name and form was cut off right here. They cut the ties, untroubled, with no need for hope. Though gods and humans search for them in this life or the next, they never find them, not in heaven nor in any abode.”

“Tañce hi nāddakkhuṁ tathāvimuttaṁ, (iccāyasmā mogharājā) Devā manussā idha vā huraṁ vā; Naruttamaṁ atthacaraṁ narānaṁ, Ye taṁ namassanti pasaṁsiyā te”ti.

“If neither gods nor humans see one freed in this way,” said Venerable Mogharāja, “in this life or the next, are those who revere that supreme man, who lives for the good of mankind, also worthy of praise?”

“Pasaṁsiyā tepi bhavanti bhikkhū, (mogharājāti bhagavā) Ye taṁ namassanti tathāvimuttaṁ; Aññāya dhammaṁ vicikicchaṁ pahāya, Saṅgātigā tepi bhavanti bhikkhū”ti.

“The mendicants who revere one freed in this way,” said the Buddha, “are also worthy of praise, Mogharāja. Having understood the teaching and given up doubt, those mendicants slip their chains.”