SN 10.5

Sānusutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena aññatarissā upāsikāya sānu nāma putto yakkhena gahito hoti. Atha kho sā upāsikā paridevamānā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imā gāthāyo abhāsi:

With Sānu

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time a certain lay woman had a son named Sānu who had been seized by a native spirit. And as that lay woman wept, on that occasion she recited these verses:

“Cātuddasiṁ pañcadasiṁ, yā ca pakkhassa aṭṭhamī; Pāṭihāriyapakkhañca, aṭṭhaṅgasusamāgataṁ.

“I have heard this from the perfected ones. The native spirits will not mess with anyone who leads the spiritual life by observing the sabbath

Uposathaṁ upavasanti, brahmacariyaṁ caranti ye; Na tehi yakkhā kīḷanti, iti me arahataṁ sutaṁ; Sā dāni ajja passāmi, yakkhā kīḷanti sānunā”ti.

complete in all eight factors on the fourteenth and the fifteenth days, and the eighth day of the fortnight, as well as on the fortnight of special displays. But now today I see native spirits messing with Sānu.”

“Cātuddasiṁ pañcadasiṁ, yā ca pakkhassa aṭṭhamī; Pāṭihāriyapakkhañca, aṭṭhaṅgasusamāgataṁ;

“What you heard from the perfected ones is right. The native spirits will not mess with anyone who leads the spiritual life by observing the sabbath

Uposathaṁ upavasanti, brahmacariyaṁ caranti ye. Na tehi yakkhā kīḷanti, sāhu te arahataṁ sutaṁ;

complete in all eight factors on the fourteenth and the fifteenth days, and the eighth day of the fortnight, as well as on the fortnight of special displays.

Sānuṁ pabuddhaṁ vajjāsi, yakkhānaṁ vacanaṁ idaṁ; Mākāsi pāpakaṁ kammaṁ, āvi vā yadi vā raho.

When Sānu regains consciousness tell him this saying of the native spirits: Don’t do bad deeds either openly or in secret.

Sace ca pāpakaṁ kammaṁ, karissasi karosi vā; Na te dukkhā pamutyatthi, uppaccāpi palāyato”ti.

If you should do a bad deed, or you’re doing one now, you won’t be freed from suffering, though you fly away and flee.”

“Mataṁ vā amma rodanti, yo vā jīvaṁ na dissati; Jīvantaṁ amma passantī, kasmā maṁ amma rodasī”ti.

“Mum, they cry for the dead, or for one who’s alive but missing. I’m alive and you can see me, so mum, why do you weep for me?”

“Mataṁ vā putta rodanti, yo vā jīvaṁ na dissati; Yo ca kāme cajitvāna, punarāgacchate idha; Taṁ vāpi putta rodanti, puna jīvaṁ mato hi so.

“Son, they cry for the dead, or for one who’s alive but missing. But someone who has given up sensual pleasures only to come back here again: they cry for them as well, for though still alive they’re really dead.

Kukkuḷā ubbhato tāta, kukkuḷaṁ patitumicchasi; Narakā ubbhato tāta, narakaṁ patitumicchasi.

My dear, you’ve been rescued from hot coals, and you want to plunge right back in them! My dear, you’ve been rescued from the abyss, and you want to plunge right back there!

Abhidhāvatha bhaddante, kassa ujjhāpayāmase; Ādittā nīhataṁ bhaṇḍaṁ, puna ḍayhitumicchasī”ti.

Hurry up, good luck to you! To whom should we complain? A valuable saved from a fire, you want to burn again!”