SN 2.10

Sūriyasutta

Sāvatthinidānaṁ. Tena kho pana samayena sūriyo devaputto rāhunā asurindena gahito hoti. Atha kho sūriyo devaputto bhagavantaṁ anussaramāno tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:

The Sun

At Sāvatthī. Now at that time the Sun God had been seized by Rāhu, lord of titans. Then the Sun God, recollecting the Buddha, at that time spoke this verse:

“Namo te buddha vīratthu, vippamuttosi sabbadhi; Sambādhapaṭipannosmi, tassa me saraṇaṁ bhavā”ti.

“Homage to you, Buddha, hero! You’re free in every way. I’ve wandered into confinement: be my refuge!”

Atha kho bhagavā sūriyaṁ devaputtaṁ ārabbha rāhuṁ asurindaṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:

Then the Buddha addressed Rāhu in verse concerning the Sun God:

“Tathāgataṁ arahantaṁ, sūriyo saraṇaṁ gato; Rāhu sūriyaṁ pamuñcassu, buddhā lokānukampakā.

“The Sun God has gone for refuge to the Realized One, the perfected one. The Buddhas have compassion for the world— so Rāhu, release the Sun!

Yo andhakāre tamasi pabhaṅkaro, Verocano maṇḍalī uggatejo; Mā rāhu gilī caramantalikkhe, Pajaṁ mamaṁ rāhu pamuñca sūriyan”ti.

He is a beacon in the darkness, the dazzling sun, circle of awesome might. Rāhu, do not swallow him as he traverses the sky. Rāhu, release my offspring, the Sun!”

Atha kho rāhu asurindo sūriyaṁ devaputtaṁ muñcitvā taramānarūpo yena vepacitti asurindo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā saṁviggo lomahaṭṭhajāto ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitaṁ kho rāhuṁ asurindaṁ vepacitti asurindo gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

Then Rāhu, having released the Sun, rushed to see Vepacitti, lord of titans and stood to one side, shocked and awestruck. Vepacitti addressed him in verse:

“Kiṁ nu santaramānova, rāhu sūriyaṁ pamuñcasi; Saṁviggarūpo āgamma, kiṁ nu bhītova tiṭṭhasī”ti.

“Why the rush? Rāhu, you released the Sun and came here looking like you’re in shock: why do you stand there so scared?”

“Sattadhā me phale muddhā, jīvanto na sukhaṁ labhe; Buddhagāthābhigītomhi, no ce muñceyya sūriyan”ti.

“My head would have exploded in seven pieces, I would have found no joy in life, if, when enchanted by the Buddha’s verse, I had not released the Sun.”