Saɱyutta Nikāya
II. Nidāna Vagga
21. Bhikkhu Saɱyutta
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
II. The Book Called the Nidāna-Vagga
Containing Kindred sayings on Cause
and Other Subjects
21. Kindred Sayings about Brethren
Sutta 12
Sahāya Suttaɱ
The Comrade
Translated by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Assisted by F. L. Woodward
Originally Published by
The Pali Text Society
Public Domain
The Exalted One was once staying near Savatthī
at the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
[2] Now two brethren who were comrades,
dwelling together with the venerable Mahā-Kappina,
came into the presence of the Exalted One.
[3] The Exalted One saw them coming yet afar,
and seeing them he called to the brethren: —
[4] "Do you see coming to us, brethren, those two comrade-brethren who are dwelling together with Kappina?"
"Even so, lord."
[5] "Those two, brrethren, are highly gifted,
of wondrous power.
No easy matter is it to win
that which they formerly had not won,
even that for the sake of which
clansmen rightly leave the home
for the homeless,
even that uttermost goal of the divine living
which they have attained,
wherein they abide,
having come just here and now
to know it thoroughly for themselves
and to realize it.'
[6] The Exalted One spake this.
The Wellfarer so saying, the Master spake this yet further: —
Comrades these brethren are for sure.
Long time have they together fared.[1]
The holy Norm fares on in them,
The Norm that Buddhas tell to men,
The Norm that Ariyans tell to men,
By Kappina therein well trained,
They bear their final body now,
For they are devil-conquerors.[2]
HERE ENDS THE BOOK ON CAUSE[3]
[1] Sameti = saṅsandati, the word rendered 'flow together,' above, p. 108. The legend is that they had been somehow with each other in five hundred previous lives.
[3] There is a poetically framed envoi added, by scribe or editor, in the three Singhalese MSS. used by Feer: — Long may the river of the Word of the Conqueror, springing from the rock of him of the ten powers, having the ocean of Nibbāna as its goal, [flowing with] the wters of the passing away, bear [us] on!
