Catumahārājasutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.37

Numbered Discourses 3.37

4. Devadūtavagga

4. Messengers of the Gods

Catumahārājasutta

The Four Great Kings (1st)

“Aṭṭhamiyaṁ, bhikkhave, pakkhassa catunnaṁ mahārājānaṁ amaccā pārisajjā imaṁ lokaṁ anuvicaranti:

“On the eighth day of the fortnight, mendicants, the ministers and councillors of the four great kings wander about the world, thinking:

‘kacci bahū manussā manussesu matteyyā petteyyā sāmaññā brahmaññā kule jeṭṭhāpacāyino uposathaṁ upavasanti paṭijāgaronti puññāni karontī’ti.

‘Hopefully most humans are paying due respect to their parents, ascetics and brahmins, honoring the elders in their families, observing and keeping vigil on the sabbath, and making merit.’

Cātuddasiṁ, bhikkhave, pakkhassa catunnaṁ mahārājānaṁ puttā imaṁ lokaṁ anuvicaranti:

And on the fourteenth day of the fortnight, the sons of the four great kings wander about the world, thinking:

‘kacci bahū manussā manussesu matteyyā petteyyā sāmaññā brahmaññā kule jeṭṭhāpacāyino uposathaṁ upavasanti paṭijāgaronti puññāni karontī’ti.

‘Hopefully most humans are paying due respect to their parents … and making merit.’

Tadahu, bhikkhave, uposathe pannarase cattāro mahārājāno sāmaññeva imaṁ lokaṁ anuvicaranti:

And on the fifteenth day sabbath, the four great kings themselves wander about the world, thinking:

‘kacci bahū manussā manussesu matteyyā petteyyā sāmaññā brahmaññā kule jeṭṭhāpacāyino uposathaṁ upavasanti paṭijāgaronti puññāni karontī’ti.

‘Hopefully most humans are paying due respect to their parents … and making merit.’

Sace, bhikkhave, appakā honti manussā manussesu matteyyā petteyyā sāmaññā brahmaññā kule jeṭṭhāpacāyino uposathaṁ upavasanti paṭijāgaronti puññāni karonti.

If only a few humans are paying due respect to their parents … and making merit,

Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, cattāro mahārājāno devānaṁ tāvatiṁsānaṁ sudhammāya sabhāya sannisinnānaṁ sannipatitānaṁ ārocenti:

the four great kings address the gods of the thirty-three, seated together in the Hall of Clear Right:

‘appakā kho, mārisā, manussā manussesu matteyyā petteyyā sāmaññā brahmaññā kule jeṭṭhāpacāyino uposathaṁ upavasanti paṭijāgaronti puññāni karontī’ti.

‘Only a few humans are paying due respect to their parents … and making merit.’

Tena kho, bhikkhave, devā tāvatiṁsā anattamanā honti:

Then the gods of the thirty-three are disappointed, thinking,

‘dibbā vata, bho, kāyā parihāyissanti, paripūrissanti asurakāyā’ti.

‘The heavenly hosts will dwindle, while the titan hosts will swell!’

Sace pana, bhikkhave, bahū honti manussā manussesu matteyyā petteyyā sāmaññā brahmaññā kule jeṭṭhāpacāyino uposathaṁ upavasanti paṭijāgaronti puññāni karonti.

But if many humans are paying due respect to their parents … and making merit,

Tamenaṁ, bhikkhave, cattāro mahārājāno devānaṁ tāvatiṁsānaṁ sudhammāya sabhāya sannisinnānaṁ sannipatitānaṁ ārocenti:

the four great kings address the gods of the thirty-three, seated together in the Hall of Clear Right:

‘bahū kho, mārisā, manussā manussesu matteyyā petteyyā sāmaññā brahmaññā kule jeṭṭhāpacāyino uposathaṁ upavasanti paṭijāgaronti puññāni karontī’ti.

‘Many humans are paying due respect to their parents … and making merit.’

Tena, bhikkhave, devā tāvatiṁsā attamanā honti:

Then the gods of the thirty-three are pleased, thinking,

‘dibbā vata bho kāyā paripūrissanti, parihāyissanti asurakāyā’ti.

‘The heavenly hosts will swell, while the titan hosts will dwindle!’

Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo deve tāvatiṁse anunayamāno tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:

Once upon a time, Sakka, lord of gods, guiding the gods of the thirty-three, spoke this verse:

‘Cātuddasiṁ pañcadasiṁ,

‘Whoever wants to be like me

yā ca pakkhassa aṭṭhamī;

would observe the sabbath

Pāṭihāriyapakkhañca,

complete in all eight factors,

aṭṭhaṅgasusamāgataṁ;

on the fourteenth and the fifteenth days,

Uposathaṁ upavaseyya,

and the eighth day of the fortnight,

yopissa mādiso naro’ti.

as well as on the fortnightly special displays.’

Sā kho panesā, bhikkhave, sakkena devānamindena gāthā duggītā na sugītā dubbhāsitā na subhāsitā.

But that verse was poorly sung by Sakka, lord of gods, not well sung; poorly spoken, not well spoken.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

Sakko hi, bhikkhave, devānamindo avītarāgo avītadoso avītamoho.

Because Sakka, lord of gods, is not free of greed, hate, and delusion.

Yo ca kho so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu arahaṁ khīṇāsavo vusitavā brahmacariyo katakaraṇīyo ohitabhāro anuppattasadattho parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojano sammadaññāvimutto, tassa kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno kallaṁ vacanāya:

But for a mendicant who is perfected—with defilements ended, who has completed the spiritual journey, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, achieved their heart’s goal, utterly ended the fetter of continued existence, and is rightly freed through enlightenment—it is appropriate to say:

‘Cātuddasiṁ pañcadasiṁ,

‘Whoever wants to be like me

yā ca pakkhassa aṭṭhamī;

would observe the sabbath,

Pāṭihāriyapakkhañca,

complete in all eight factors,

aṭṭhaṅgasusamāgataṁ;

on the fourteenth and the fifteenth days,

Uposathaṁ upavaseyya,

and the eighth day of the fortnight,

yopissa mādiso naro’ti.

as well as on the fortnightly special displays.’

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

So hi, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vītarāgo vītadoso vītamoho”ti.

Because that mendicant is free of greed, hate, and delusion.”

Sattamaṁ.