SN 11.18

Gahaṭṭhavandanāsutta

Sāvatthiyaṁ. Tatra …pe… etadavoca: “bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo mātaliṁ saṅgāhakaṁ āmantesi: ‘yojehi, samma mātali, sahassayuttaṁ ājaññarathaṁ. Uyyānabhūmiṁ gacchāma subhūmiṁ dassanāyā’ti. ‘Evaṁ, bhaddantavā’ti kho, bhikkhave, mātali saṅgāhako sakkassa devānamindassa paṭissutvā sahassayuttaṁ ājaññarathaṁ yojetvā sakkassa devānamindassa paṭivedesi: ‘yutto kho te, mārisa, sahassayutto ājaññaratho. Yassadāni kālaṁ maññasī’ti. Atha kho, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo vejayantapāsādā orohanto añjaliṁ katvā sudaṁ puthuddisā namassati. Atha kho, bhikkhave, mātali saṅgāhako sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

Homage of Householders

At Sāvatthī. “Once upon a time, mendicants, Sakka, lord of gods, addressed his chariot handler Mātali, ‘My dear Mātali, harness the chariot with its team of a thousand thoroughbreds. We will go to a park and see the scenery.’ ‘Yes, lord,’ replied Mātali. He harnessed the chariot and informed Sakka, ‘Good fellow, the chariot with its team of a thousand thoroughbreds has been harnessed. Please go at your convenience.’ Then Sakka descended from the Palace of Victory, raised his cupped palms, and revered the various quarters. So Mātali the chariot handler addressed Sakka in verse:

‘Taṁ namassanti tevijjā, sabbe bhummā ca khattiyā; Cattāro ca mahārājā, tidasā ca yasassino; Atha ko nāma so yakkho, yaṁ tvaṁ sakka namassasī’ti.

‘Those proficient in the three Vedas worship you, as do all the aristocrats on earth, the four great kings, and the glorious host of Thirty. So what’s the name of the spirit that you worship, Sakka?’

‘Maṁ namassanti tevijjā, sabbe bhummā ca khattiyā; Cattāro ca mahārājā, tidasā ca yasassino.

‘Those proficient in the three Vedas worship me, as do all the aristocrats on earth, the four great kings, and the glorious host of Thirty.

Ahañca sīlasampanne, cirarattasamāhite; Sammāpabbajite vande, brahmacariyaparāyane.

But I revere those accomplished in ethics, who have long trained in immersion, who have rightly gone forth for the culmination of spiritual life.

Ye gahaṭṭhā puññakarā, sīlavanto upāsakā; Dhammena dāraṁ posenti, te namassāmi mātalī’ti.

I also worship those householders, the ethical lay followers who make merit, Mātali, providing for a partner in a principled manner.’

‘Seṭṭhā hi kira lokasmiṁ, ye tvaṁ sakka namassasi; Ahampi te namassāmi, ye namassasi vāsavā’ti.

‘Those who you worship seem to be the best in the world, Sakka. I too will worship those who you worship, Sakka.’

Idaṁ vatvāna maghavā, devarājā sujampati; Puthuddisā namassitvā, pamukho rathamāruhī”ti.

After saying this, Maghavā the chief, king of gods, Sujā’s husband, having worshiped the various quarters climbed into his chariot.”