SN 11.9

Araññāyatanaisisutta

Sāvatthiyaṁ. “Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, sambahulā isayo sīlavanto kalyāṇadhammā araññāyatane paṇṇakuṭīsu sammanti. Atha kho, bhikkhave, sakko ca devānamindo vepacitti ca asurindo yena te isayo sīlavanto kalyāṇadhammā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu. Atha kho, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo paṭaliyo upāhanā ārohitvā khaggaṁ olaggetvā chattena dhāriyamānena aggadvārena assamaṁ pavisitvā te isayo sīlavante kalyāṇadhamme apabyāmato karitvā atikkami. Atha kho, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo paṭaliyo upāhanā orohitvā khaggaṁ aññesaṁ datvā chattaṁ apanāmetvā dvāreneva assamaṁ pavisitvā te isayo sīlavante kalyāṇadhamme anuvātaṁ pañjaliko namassamāno aṭṭhāsi. Atha kho, bhikkhave, te isayo sīlavanto kalyāṇadhammā sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsiṁsu:

Seers in the Wilderness

At Sāvatthī. “Once upon a time, mendicants, several seers who were ethical, of good character, settled in leaf huts in a wilderness region. Then Sakka, lord of gods, and Vepacitti, lord of titans, went to those seers. Vepacitti put on his lined sandals, strapped on his sword, and, carrying a sunshade, entered the hermitage through the main gate. He walked right past those seers, keeping them at arm’s length. Sakka took off his lined sandals, gave his sword to others, and, putting down his sunshade, entered the hermitage through the same gate. He stood downwind of those seers, revering them with cupped palms. Then those seers addressed Sakka in verse:

‘Gandho isīnaṁ ciradikkhitānaṁ, Kāyā cuto gacchati mālutena; Ito paṭikkamma sahassanetta, Gandho isīnaṁ asuci devarājā’ti.

‘When seers have been long initiated, the odor of their bodies goes with the gale. You’d better leave, O thousand-eyed! The odor of the seers is unclean, king of gods.’

‘Gandho isīnaṁ ciradikkhitānaṁ, Kāyā cuto gacchatu mālutena; Sucitrapupphaṁ sirasmiṁva mālaṁ, Gandhaṁ etaṁ paṭikaṅkhāma bhante; Na hettha devā paṭikūlasaññino’”ti.

‘When seers have been long initiated, let the odor of their bodies go with the gale. We yearn for this odor, sirs, like a colorful crown of flowers. The gods don’t see it as repulsive.’”