At Sāvatthi. Then, when the night had advanced, the young deva Candimasa, 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:
290 “They will surely reach to safety
Like deer in a mosquito-free marsh,
Who, having attained the jhānas,
Are unified, discreet, mindful.”
[The Blessed One:]
291 “They will surely reach the far shore
Like a fish when the net is cut,
Who, having attained the jhānas,
Are diligent, with flaws discarded.”
At Sāvatthi. Standing to one side, the young deva Veṇhu recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:
292 “Happy indeed are those human beings
Attending on the Fortunate One,
Applying themselves to Gotama’s Teaching,
Who train in it with diligence.”
293 “When the course of teaching is proclaimed by me,
[O Veṇhu,” said the Blessed One,]
“Those meditators who train therein,
Being diligent at the proper time,
Will not come under Death’s control.”
Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrel Sanctuary. Then, when the night had advanced, the young deva Dīghalaṭṭhi, of stunning beauty, illuminating the entire Bamboo 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:
294 “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.”
Standing to one side, the young deva Nandana addressed the Blessed One in verse:
295 “I ask you, Gotama, broad of wisdom —
Unobstructed is the Blessed One’s knowledge and vision:
What is he like whom they call virtuous?
What is he like whom they call wise?
What is he like who has passed beyond suffering?
What is he like whom the devatās worship?”
296 “One virtuous, wise, of developed mind,
Concentrated, mindful, enjoying jhāna,
For whom all sorrows are gone, abandoned,
A taint-destroyer bearing his final body:
297 It is such a one that they call virtuous,
Such a one that they call wise,
Such a one has passed beyond suffering,
Such a one the devatās worship.”
Standing to one side, the young deva Candana addressed the Blessed One in verse:
298 “Who here crosses over the flood,
Unwearying by day and night?
Who does not sink in the deep,
Without support, without a hold?”
299 “One always perfect in virtue,
Endowed with wisdom, well concentrated,
One energetic and resolute
Crosses the flood so hard to cross.
300 “One who desists from sensual perception,
Who has overcome the fetter of form,
Who has destroyed delight in existence —
He does not sink in the deep.”
Standing to one side, the young deva Vasudatta recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:
301 “As if smitten by a sword,
As if his head were on fire,
A bhikkhu should wander mindfully
To abandon sensual lust.”
302 “As if smitten by a sword,
As if his head were on fire,
A bhikkhu should wander mindfully
To abandon identity view.”
Standing to one side, the young deva Subrahmā addressed the Blessed One in verse:
303 “Always frightened is this mind,
The mind is always agitated
About unarisen problems
And about arisen ones.
If there exists release from fear,
Being asked, please declare it to me.”
304 “Not apart from enlightenment and austerity,
Not apart from restraint of the sense faculties,
Not apart from relinquishing all,
Do I see any safety for living beings.”
This is what the Blessed One said... He [the young deva] disappeared right there.
Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāketa in the Añjana Grove, the Deer Park. Then, when the night had advanced, the young deva Kakudha, of stunning beauty, illuminating the entire Añjana Grove, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One, stood to one side, and said to him:
“Do you delight, ascetic?” “Having gained what, friend?” “Then, ascetic, do you sorrow?” “What has been lost, friend?”
“Then, ascetic, do you neither delight nor sorrow?” “Yes, friend.”
305 “I hope that you’re untroubled, bhikkhu.
I hope no delight is found in you.
I hope that when you sit all alone
Discontent doesn’t spread over you.”
306 “Truly, I’m untroubled, spirit,
Yet no delight is found in me.
And when I’m sitting all alone
Discontent doesn’t spread over me.”
307 “How are you untroubled, bhikkhu?
How is no delight found in you?
How come, when you sit all alone,
Discontent doesn’t spread over you?”
308 “Delight comes to one who is miserable,
Misery to one filled with delight.
As a bhikkhu undelighted, untroubled:
That’s how you should know me, friend.”
309 “After a long time at last I see
A brahmin who is fully quenched,
A bhikkhu undelighted, untroubled,
Who has crossed over attachment to the world.”
19 (9) Uttara
Setting at Rājagaha. Standing to one side, the young deva Uttara recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:
310 “Life is swept along, short is the life span;
No shelters exist for one who has reached old age.
Seeing clearly this danger in death,
One should do deeds of merit that bring happiness.”
311 “Life is swept along, short is the life span;
No shelters exist for one who has reached old age.
Seeing clearly this danger in death,
A seeker of peace should drop the world’s bait.”
Standing to one side, the young deva Anāthapiṇḍika recited these verses in the presence of the Blessed One:
312 “This indeed is that Jeta’s Grove,
The resort of the Order of seers,
Dwelt in by the Dhamma King,
A place that gives me joy.
313 “Action, knowledge, righteousness,
Virtue, an excellent life:
By this are mortals purified,
Not by clan or wealth.
314 “Therefore a person who is wise,
Out of regard for his own good,
Should carefully examine the Dhamma:
Thus he is purified in it.
315 “Sāriputta truly is endowed with wisdom,
With virtue and with inner peace.
Even a bhikkhu who has gone beyond
At best can only equal him.”
This is what the young deva Anāthapiṇḍika 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, a certain young deva … approached me … and in my presence recited these verses:
316–19 “‘This indeed is that Jeta’s Grove, … At best can only equal him.’
“This is what that young deva said. Having said this, he paid homage to me and, keeping me on the right, he disappeared right there.”
When this was said, the Venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, that young deva must surely have been Anāthapiṇḍika. For Anāthapiṇḍika the householder had full confidence in the Venerable Sāriputta.”
“Good, good, Ānanda! You have drawn the right inference by reasoning. For that young deva, Ānanda, was Anāthapiṇḍika.”