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Saį¹yutta NikÄya 11.12 Linked Discourses 11.12
2. Dutiyavagga Chapter Two
SakkanÄmasutta Sakkaās Names Sakka's Names
SÄvatthiyaį¹ jetavane. Near SÄvatthÄ« in Jetaās Grove. At SÄvatthÄ« in Jeta's Grove.
Tatra kho bhagavÄ bhikkhÅ« etadavoca: There the Buddha said to the mendicants: There the Blessed One said to the bhikkhus:
āsakko, bhikkhave, devÄnamindo pubbe manussabhÅ«to samÄno magho nÄma mÄį¹avo ahosi, tasmÄ maghavÄti vuccati. āMendicants, in a former life, when Sakka was a human being, he was a student named Magha. Thatās why heās called MaghavÄ, the Bounteous. MaghavÄ (ābounteous oneā) is a common epithet of Indra (eg. Rig Veda 3.39.09a, Atharva Veda 8.4.19a, Kauį¹£Ä«taki BrÄhmaį¹a 24.5.22). It is from the Vedic magha, āgift, bountyā. The name MÄgha, with the same meaning, is a name of Sakka at SN 2.3, while at Snp 3.5:1.3 a brahmin student MÄgha asks about generosity. Finally, the good king of MN 83 is named Maghadeva, āgod of bountyā. The passage here attributes the name to his ancestry, but it goes on to praise his generosity.āBhikkhus, in the past, when Sakka, lord of the devas, was a human being, he was a brahmin youth named Magha; therefore he is called MaghavÄ.
Sakko, bhikkhave, devÄnamindo pubbe manussabhÅ«to samÄno pure dÄnaį¹ adÄsi, tasmÄ purindadoti vuccati. In a former life, when Sakka was a human being, he was first to give gifts. Thatās why heās called Purindada, the Firstgiver. Purandara (āFortbreakerā) is another epithet (eg. Rig Veda 1.102.7). The Buddha reforms it to Purindada (āFirstgiverā) at SN 11.12:2.1. But Indraās generosity is long renowned: āHe is the able one, and he will be able for usāIndra who distributes the goodsā (Rig Veda 1.10.6).Bhikkhus, in the past, when Sakka, lord of the devas, was a human being, he gave gifts in city after city; therefore he is called Purindada, the Urban Giver.
Sakko, bhikkhave, devÄnamindo pubbe manussabhÅ«to samÄno sakkaccaį¹ dÄnaį¹ adÄsi, tasmÄ sakkoti vuccati. In a former life, when Sakka was a human being, he gave gifts ably. Thatās why heās called Sakka, the Able. Sakka (Åakra, the āable oneā) was originally an epithet of Indra (as per previous note).Bhikkhus, in the past, when Sakka, lord of the devas, was a human being, he gave gifts considerately; therefore he is called Sakka.
Sakko, bhikkhave, devÄnamindo pubbe manussabhÅ«to samÄno Ävasathaį¹ adÄsi, tasmÄ vÄsavoti vuccati. In a former life, when Sakka was a human being, he gave the gift of a guest house. Thatās why heās called VÄsava, the Houser. VÄsava means āendowed with wealthā (vasu; see for example Rig Veda 1.9.9a indraį¹ vasupatiį¹ āIndra, lord of wealthā). This passage, rather, plays on the word Ävasatha and calls him the āgiver of a guesthouseā. Later Brahmanical texts enumerated eight Vasus, with Indra as their lord, who are reckoned among the thirty-three.Bhikkhus, in the past, when Sakka, lord of the devas, was a human being, he gave a rest house; therefore he is called VÄsava.
Sakko, bhikkhave, devÄnamindo sahassampi atthÄnaį¹ muhuttena cinteti, tasmÄ sahassakkhoti vuccati. Sakka thinks of a thousand needs in an hour. Thatās why heās called Sahassakkha, the Thousand-Eyed. āThousand eyesā is sahassakkha, more commonly sahassanetta SN 11.9:2.3, Snp 2.12:5.4, Thag 21.1:58.4). In the Rig Veda it describes the sparkle of the Soma, perhaps alluding to its visionary effects (9.60, 9.65.7). It is in this context that Indra, along with VÄyu, is first called āthousand-eyedā (1.23.3). It is also used for Agni, the fire with eyes all around (1.79.12, 10.79.5). | āNeedsā (atthÄ) here recalls SN 11.8:5.1.Bhikkhus, Sakka, lord of the devas, thinks of a thousand matters in a moment; therefore he is called Sahassakkha, Thousand-eyed.
Sakkassa, bhikkhave, devÄnamindassa sujÄ nÄma asurakaĆ±Ć±Ä pajÄpati, tasmÄ sujampatÄ«ti vuccati. Sakkaās wife is the titan maiden named SujÄ. Thatās why heās called Sujampati, SujÄās Husband. Sanskrit sources know his wife as ÅacÄ« (āthe powerfulā), daughter of the titan maiden PulomÄ, who came to be known as IndrÄį¹Ä«. The Pali sujampati (āSujÄās husbandā) evidently draws from Indraās epithet ÅacÄ«pati (ālord of powerā; Rig Veda 1.106.06, 4.30.17, 8.15.13). But as ÅacÄ« PaulomÄ« she is also author of a Vedic hymn in her own right (10.159). There she gains power through the same oblation by which Indra gained his power. She does this in order to gain victory over her co-wives and husband (āonly my will should my husband followā; āI will rule widely over this hero and over his peopleā). Indra was evidently not threatened by such a powerful woman and took her to wife. SujÄ should be considered the Pali spelling of ÅacÄ«. These indomitable characters forged a harmonious relationship, as seen when they share domestic duties by working together at the loom (Ud 3.7:3.2).Bhikkhus, Sakka's wife is the asura maiden named SujÄ; therefore he is called Sujampati, SujÄ's husband.
Sakko, bhikkhave, devÄnamindo devÄnaį¹ tÄvatiį¹sÄnaį¹ issariyÄdhipaccaį¹ rajjaį¹ kÄreti, tasmÄ devÄnamindoti vuccati. Sakka rules as sovereign lord over the gods of the thirty-three. Thatās why heās called DevÄnaminda, the Lord of Gods. The concept of 33 gods goes back as far as Rig Veda 8.28.1. The number is a reduplication of the trinity. In Buddhist texts they are not enumerated, but YÄjƱavalkya reckons them as eight Vasus, eleven Rudras, twelve Ädityas, plus Indra and PrajÄpati (Bį¹hadÄraį¹yaka Upaniį¹£ad 3.9.2). The final pair are elsewhere said to be Dyaus (āHeavenā = Zeus) and Pį¹thivÄ« (āEarthā), or the twin AÅvins.Bhikkhus, Sakka, lord of the devas, exercises supreme sovereignty and rulership over the Tavatimsa devas; therefore he is called lord of the devas.
Sakkassa, bhikkhave, devÄnamindassa pubbe manussabhÅ«tassa satta vatapadÄni samattÄni samÄdinnÄni ahesuį¹, yesaį¹ samÄdinnattÄ sakko sakkattaį¹ ajjhagÄ. In a former life, when Sakka was a human being, he undertook seven vows. And it was because of undertaking these that he achieved the status of Sakka. Bhikkhus, in the past, when Sakka, lord of the devas, was a human being, he adopted and undertook seven vows by the undertaking of which he achieved the status of Sakka.
KatamÄni satta vatapadÄni? What seven? What were the seven vows?
YÄvajÄ«vaį¹ mÄtÄpettibharo assaį¹, As long as I live, may I support my parents. āAs long as I live may I support my parents.ā
yÄvajÄ«vaį¹ kule jeį¹į¹hÄpacÄyÄ« assaį¹, As long as I live, may I honor the elders in the family. āAs long as I live may I respect the family elders.ā
yÄvajÄ«vaį¹ saį¹havÄco assaį¹, As long as I live, may I speak gently. āAs long as I live may I speak gently.ā
yÄvajÄ«vaį¹ apisuį¹avÄco assaį¹, As long as I live, may I not backbite. āAs long as I live may I not speak divisively.ā
yÄvajÄ«vaį¹ vigatamalamaccherena cetasÄ agÄraį¹ ajjhÄvaseyyaį¹ muttacÄgo payatapÄį¹i vossaggarato yÄcayogo dÄnasaį¹vibhÄgarato, As long as I live, may I live at home with heart rid of the stain of stinginess, freely generous, open-handed, loving to let go, committed to charity, loving to give and to share. āAs long as I live may I dwell at home with a mind devoid of the stain of stinginess, freely generous, open-handed, delighting in relinquishment, devoted to charity, delighting in giving and sharing.ā
yÄvajÄ«vaį¹ saccavÄco assaį¹, As long as I live, may I speak the truth. āAs long as I live may I speak the truth.ā
yÄvajÄ«vaį¹ akkodhano assaį¹āsacepi me kodho uppajjeyya, khippameva naį¹ paį¹ivineyyanti. As long as I live, may I be free of anger, or should anger arise, may I quickly get rid of it. āAs long as I live may I be free from anger, and if anger should arise in me may I dispel it quickly.ā
Sakkassa, bhikkhave, devÄnamindassa pubbe manussabhÅ«tassa imÄni satta vatapadÄni samattÄni samÄdinnÄni ahesuį¹, yesaį¹ samÄdinnattÄ sakko sakkattaį¹ ajjhagÄti. In a former life, when Sakka was a human being, he undertook seven vows. And it was because of undertaking these that he achieved the status of Sakka. In the past, bhikkhus, when Sakka, lord of the devas, was a human being, he adopted and undertook these seven vows by the undertaking of which he achieved the status of Sakka.
MÄtÄpettibharaį¹ jantuį¹, A child who respects their parents, When a person supports his parents,
kule jeį¹į¹hÄpacÄyinaį¹; and honors the elders in the family, And respects the family elders;
Saį¹haį¹ sakhilasambhÄsaį¹, whose speech is gentle and courteous, When his speech is gentle and courteous,
pesuį¹eyyappahÄyinaį¹. and has given up backbiting; And he refrains from divisive words;
Maccheravinaye yuttaį¹, whoās committed to getting rid of stinginess, When he strives to remove meanness,
saccaį¹ kodhÄbhibhuį¹ naraį¹; is truthful, and has mastered anger: Is truthful, and vanquishes anger,
Taį¹ ve devÄ tÄvatiį¹sÄ, the gods of the thirty-three declare The Tavatimsa devas call him
Ähu sappuriso itÄ«āti. them to be a true person.ā Truly a superior person.ā