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Saį¹yutta NikÄya 11.23 Linked Discourses 11.23
3. Tatiyavagga Chapter Three
SambarimÄyÄsutta The Sambari Sorcery Magic
SÄvatthiyaį¹ ā¦peā¦ At SÄvatthÄ«. At SaĢvatthıĢ.
bhagavÄ etadavoca: The Buddha said this: The Blessed One said this:
ābhÅ«tapubbaį¹, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo ÄbÄdhiko ahosi dukkhito bÄįø·hagilÄno. āOnce upon a time, mendicants, Vepacitti, lord of titans, was sick, suffering, gravely ill. āBhikkhus, once in the past Vepacitti, lord of the asuras, was sick, afflicted, gravely ill.
Atha kho, bhikkhave, sakko devÄnamindo yena vepacitti asurindo tenupasaį¹
kami gilÄnapucchako. So Sakka went to see him to ask after his illness. Then Sakka, lord of the devas, approached Vepacitti to inquire about his illness.
AddasÄ kho, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo sakkaį¹ devÄnamindaį¹ dÅ«ratova Ägacchantaį¹. Vepacitti saw Sakka coming off in the distance, Vepacitti saw Sakka coming in the distance
DisvÄna sakkaį¹ devÄnamindaį¹ etadavoca: and said to him, and said to him:
ātikiccha maį¹, devÄnamindÄāti. āHeal me, lord of gods!ā Such a tender and caring relationship between these erstwhile enemies.āCure me, lord of the devas.ā
āVÄcehi maį¹, vepacitti, sambarimÄyanāti. āTeach me, Vepacitti, the Sambari sorcery.ā Sambaraās magic was legendary: shape-shifting (Åiva PurÄį¹a 59.19), battle-illusions (Viį¹£į¹u PurÄį¹a 27, Harivaį¹Åa 99.27), rains of deadly weapons (BhÄgavata PurÄį¹a 10.21). None of these, however, suit Sakkaās behaviorāhe was not the sort to blackmail a mate in time of need. And indeed, there was a benevolent side to Sambaraās power as well. It was said to induce sleep (ArthaÅÄstra 14.3.19, 14.3.43), which could be a way to ease Vepacittiās pain. There is also a hint of its medicinal use, since several medicinal herbs are named after it.āTeach me, Vepacitti, the Sambari magic.ā
āNa tÄvÄhaį¹ vÄcemi, yÄvÄhaį¹, mÄrisa, asure paį¹ipucchÄmÄ«āti. āI canāt do that, good fellow, until I have consulted with the titans.ā Apparently demon society is quite democratic.āI won't teach it, dear sir, until I have asked the asuras for permission.ā
Atha kho, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo asure paį¹ipucchi: Then Vepacitti, lord of titans, asked the titans, Then, bhikkhus, Vepacitti, lord of the asuras, asked the asuras:
āvÄcemahaį¹, mÄrisÄ, sakkaį¹ devÄnamindaį¹ sambarimÄyanāti? āGood fellows, may I teach the Sambari sorcery to Sakka, lord of gods?ā āMay I teach the Sambari magic to Sakka, lord of the devas?ā
āMÄ kho tvaį¹, mÄrisa, vÄcesi sakkaį¹ devÄnamindaį¹ sambarimÄyanāti. āDo not, good fellow, teach the Sambari sorcery to Sakka!ā Understandable, given that it has military applications as well. Magic, like any other power, may be used for good or ill.āDo not teach him the Sambari magic, dear sir.ā
Atha kho, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo sakkaį¹ devÄnamindaį¹ gÄthÄya ajjhabhÄsi: So Vepacitti addressed Sakka in verse: Then, bhikkhus, Vepacitti, lord of the asuras, addressed Sakka, lord of the devas, in verse:
āMÄyÄvÄ« maghavÄ sakka, āO MaghavÄ, O Sakka, āA magicianā O MaghavaĢ, Sakka,
devarÄja sujampati; king of gods, SujÄās husband: King of devas, SujaĢ's husbandā
Upeti nirayaį¹ ghoraį¹, a sorceror like Sambara falls Goes to the terrible hell,
sambarova sataį¹ samanāāti. into the terrible hell for a full century.āā Powerful magics come at a cost, and are unworthy of the lord of gods.Like Sambara, for a hundred years.āā