Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. Then, when the night had advanced, the young deva Kassapa, of stunning beauty, illuminating the entire Jeta’s Grove, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One, stood to one side, and said to the Blessed One:
“The Blessed One has revealed the bhikkhu but not the instruction to the bhikkhu.”
“Well then, Kassapa, clear up this point yourself.”
255 “He should train in well-spoken counsel,
And in the exercise of an ascetic,
In a solitary seat, alone,
And in the calming of the mind.”
This is what the young deva Kassapa said. The Teacher approved. Then the young deva Kassapa, thinking, “The Teacher has approved of me,” paid homage to the Blessed One and, keeping him on the right, he disappeared right there.
At Sāvatthi. Standing to one side, the young deva Kassapa recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:
256 “A bhikkhu should be a meditator,
One who is liberated in mind,
If he desires the heart’s attainment,
Bent on that as his advantage.
Having known the world’s rise and fall,
Let him be lofty in mind and unattached.”
At Sāvatthi. Then, when the night had advanced, the young deva Māgha, of stunning beauty, illuminating the entire Jeta’s Grove, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One, stood to one side, and addressed the Blessed One in verse:
257 “Having slain what does one sleep soundly?
Having slain what does one not sorrow?
What is the one thing, O Gotama,
Whose killing you approve?”
258 “Having slain anger, one sleeps soundly;
Having slain anger, one does not sorrow;
The killing of anger, O Vatrabhū,
With its poisoned root and honeyed tip:
This is the killing the noble ones praise,
For having slain that, one does not sorrow.”
At Sāvatthi. Standing to one side, the young deva Māgadha addressed the Blessed One in verse:
259 “How many sources of light are in the world
By means of which the world is illumined?
We’ve come to ask the Blessed One this:
How are we to understand it?”
260 “There are four sources of light in the world;
A fifth one is not found here.
The sun shines by day,
The moon glows at night,
261 And fire flares up here and there
Both by day and at night.
But the Buddha is the best of those that shine:
He is the light unsurpassed.”
At Sāvatthi. Then, when the night had advanced, the young deva Dāmali, of stunning beauty, illuminating the entire Jeta’s Grove, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One, stood to one side, and recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:
262 “This should be done by the brahmin:
Striving without weariness,
That by his abandoning of sensual desires
He does not yearn for existence.”
263 “For the brahmin there is no task to be done,
[O Dāmali,” said the Blessed One],
“For the brahmin has done what should be done.
While he has not gained a footing in the river,
A man will strain with all his limbs;
But a footing gained, standing on the ground,
He need not strain for he has gone beyond.
264 “This is a simile for the brahmin, O Dāmali, For the taintless one, the discreet meditator. Having reached the end of birth and death,
He need not strain for he has gone beyond.”
At Sāvatthi. Standing to one side, the young deva Kāmada said to the Blessed One:
“Hard to do, Blessed One! Very hard to do, Blessed One!”
265 “They do even what is hard to do,
[O Kāmada,” said the Blessed One,]
“The trainees endowed with virtue, steadfast.
For one who has entered the homeless life
Contentment brings along happiness.”
“That is hard to gain, Blessed One, namely, contentment.”
266 “They gain even what is hard to gain,
[O Kāmada,” said the Blessed One,]
“Who delight in calming the mind,
Whose minds, day and night,
Take delight in development.”
“That is hard to concentrate, Blessed One, namely, the mind.”
267 “They concentrate even what is hard to concentrate,
[O Kāmada,” said the Blessed One,]
“Who delight in calming the faculties.
Having cut through the net of Death,
The noble ones, O Kāmada, go their way.”
“The path is impassable and uneven, Blessed One.”
268 “Though the path is impassable and uneven,
The noble ones walk it, Kāmada.
The ignoble ones fall down head first,
Right there on the uneven path,
But the path of the noble ones is even,
For the noble are even amidst the uneven.”
At Sāvatthi. Standing to one side, the young deva Pañcālacaṇḍa recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:
269 “The one of broad wisdom has indeed found
The opening in the midst of confinement,
The Buddha who discovered jhāna,
The withdrawn chief bull, the sage.”
270 “Even in the midst of confinement they find it,
[O Pañcālacaṇḍa,” said the Blessed One,]
“The Dhamma for the attainment of Nibbāna —
Those who have acquired mindfulness,
Those perfectly well concentrated.”
At Sāvatthi. Then, when the night had advanced, the young deva Tāyana, formerly the founder of a religious sect, of stunning beauty, illuminating the entire Jeta’s Grove, approached the Blessed One.153 Having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One, stood to one side, and recited these verses in the presence of the Blessed One:
271 “Having exerted oneself, cut the stream!
Dispel sensual desires, O brahmin!
Without having abandoned sensual desires,
A sage does not reach unity.
272 “If one would do what should be done,
One should firmly exert oneself.
For a slack wanderer’s life
Only scatters more dust.
273 “Better left undone is the misdeed,
A deed that later brings repentance.
Better done is the good deed
Which when done is not repented.
274 “As kusa-grass, wrongly grasped,
Only cuts one’s hand,
So the ascetic life, wrongly taken up,
Drags one down to hell.
275 “Any deed that is slackly done,
Any corrupted vow,
A holy life that breeds suspicion,
Does not yield great fruit.”
This is what the young deva Tāyana said. Having said this, he paid homage to the Blessed One and, keeping him on the right, he disappeared right there.
Then, when the night had passed, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus, last night, when the night had advanced, the young deva Tāyana, formerly the founder of a religious sect … … approached me … and in my presence recited these verses:
276–80 “‘Having exerted oneself, cut the stream!… … Does not yield great fruit.’
“This is what the young deva Tāyana said. Having said this, he paid homage to me and, keeping me on the right, he disappeared right there. Learn Tāyana’s verses, bhikkhus. Master Tāyana’s verses, bhikkhus. Remember Tāyana’s verses, bhikkhus. Tāyana’s verses are beneficial, bhikkhus, they pertain to the fundamentals of the holy life.”
At Sāvatthi. Now on that occasion the young deva Candimā had been seized by Rāhu, lord of the asuras.156 Then, recollecting the Blessed One, the young deva Candimā on that occasion recited this verse:
281 “Let homage be to you, the Buddha!
O hero, you are everywhere released.
I have fallen into captivity,
So please be my refuge.”
Then, referring to the young deva Candimā, the Blessed One addressed Rāhu, lord of the asuras, in verse:
282 “Candimā has gone for refuge To the Tathāgata, the Arahant. Release Candimā, O Rāhu,
Buddhas have compassion for the world.”
Then Rāhu, lord of the asuras, released the young deva Candimā and hurriedly approached Vepacitti, lord of the asuras. Having approached, shocked and terrified, he stood to one side.
Then, as he stood there, Vepacitti, lord of the asuras, addressed him in verse:
283 “Why, Rāhu, did you come in a hurry?
Why did you release Candimā?
Having come as if in shock,
Why do you stand there frightened?”
284 “My head would have split in seven parts,
While living I would have found no ease,
If, when chanted over by the Buddha’s verse,
I had not let go of Candimā.”
At Sāvatthi. Now on that occasion the young deva Suriya had been seized by Rāhu, lord of the asuras.158 Then, recollecting the Blessed One, the young deva Suriya on that occasion recited this verse:
285 “Let homage be to you, the Buddha!
O hero, you are everywhere released.
I have fallen into captivity,
So please be my refuge.”
Then, referring to the young deva Suriya, the Blessed One addressed Rāhu, lord of the asuras, in verse:
286 “Suriya has gone for refuge
To the Tathāgata, the Arahant.
Release Suriya, O Rāhu,
Buddhas have compassion for the world.
287 “While moving across the sky, O
Rāhu, Do not swallow the radiant one,
The maker of light in darkness,
The disk of fiery might in the gloom.
Rāhu, release my child Suriya.”
Then Rāhu, lord of the asuras, released the young deva Suriya and hurriedly approached Vepacitti, lord of the asuras. Having approached, shocked and terrified, he stood to one side. Then, as he stood there, Vepacitti, lord of the asuras, addressed him in verse:
288 “Why, Rāhu, did you come in a hurry?
Why did you release Suriya?
Having come as if in shock,
Why do you stand there frightened?”
289 “My head would have split in seven parts,
While living I would have found no ease,
If, when chanted over by the Buddha’s verses,
I had not let go of Suriya.”