Saɱyutta Nikāya
3. Khandha Vagga
29. Nāga Saɱyutta
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
3. The Book Called the Khandhā-Vagga
Containing Kindred Sayings on the Elements of Sensory Existence and other Subjects
29. Kindred Sayings on Nāgas
Sutta 1
Suddhika Suttaɱ
According to Scheme[1]
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Copyright The Pali Text Society
Commercial Rights Reserved
For details see Terms of Use.
[1] Thus have I heard:
The Exalted One was once staying near Sāvatthī
at the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
And there the Exalted One addressed the brethren, saying:
"Brethren!"
"Master!" responded those brethren.
The Exalted One said:
"There are these four sorts of birth, brethren,
as nāgas.
What four?
The egg-born,
the womb-born[2]
the sweat-born,[3]
those born without parents.
These, brethren, are the four sorts of birth as nāgas.
"among the gnomes and elves": Nāgas are not restricted to this group alone; the term also applies to any 'great' or 'monstrous' animal or human or deity. It is doubtful that elves or gnomes attain spontaneous (opapātikā,) rebirth
— p.p.
[1] Suddhikaṅ. On this term see B Psy Eth., 2nd ed. only, § 505, n. 1. In the next section the text reads suddhakaṅ. Asking why the Master chose such a subject as nāga-births (i.e., among the gnomes and elves) for his discourse, Comy. says it was to explain the desire (ukkcaṇṭhat'atthaṅ) for such births.
[2] Jalabujā, 'water-born.' Comy. says vatthikose jātā.
[3] Sanseda-jā. They are exuded from the pores; the last class, opapātikā, 'just come to be.' Cf. Comy. on D. iii, 107, in Dialogues, iii, 103, n. 2; and Comy. on Puggala-Paññatti, J.P.T.S. 1913, p. 197.
