SN 2.9

Candimasutta

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

The Moon

At Sāvatthī. Now at that time the Moon God had been seized by Rāhu, lord of titans. Then the Moon 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 candimaṁ devaputtaṁ ārabbha rāhuṁ asurindaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

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

“Tathāgataṁ arahantaṁ, candimā saraṇaṁ gato; Rāhu candaṁ pamuñcassu, buddhā lokānukampakā”ti.

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

Atha kho rāhu asurindo candimaṁ 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 Moon, rushed to see Vepacitti, lord of titans and stood to one side, shocked and awestruck. Vepacitti addressed him in verse:

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

“Why the rush? Rāhu, you released the Moon 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 candiman”ti.

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