Saɱyutta Nikāya
I. Sagātha Vagga
10. Yakkha-Saɱyutta

The Book of the Kindred Sayings
I. Kindred Sayings with Verses
10. The Yakkha Suttas

Sutta 6

Piyaṅkara Suttaɱ

Piyankara

Translated by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Assisted by Sūriyagoḍa Sumangala Thera
Copyright The Pali Text Society. Public Domain.

 

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[269]

[6.1] THUS HAVE I HEARD: —

The venerable Anuruddha was once staying near Sāvatthī,
at the Jeta Grove,
in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.

Now on that occasion the venerable Anuruddha,
rising as the night lifted,
recited sentences of the doctrine.^[1]

And the yakkha,
known as Piyaṅkara's mother,
hushed her little boy,^[2] saying: —

"Hush! make no noise, Piyaṅkara,
The friar is speaking holy words.
If we can hear and learn those holy words
And practise them, it may be good for us.
If we can keep our hands off^[3] living things,
If we can knowingly utter no lies,
And train ourselves to do the things we ought,
We may from goblin-sphere obtain release."

 

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^[1] Dhammapadāni. Very naturally B. specifies these as verses of the Dhammapada, namely, Nos. 21-32: — the Appamāda-vagga. He had formed a committee of 21 to consider interpretations of the text (tanti); probably after the Buddha's passing away. Cf. above, VI, 2, § 5.

^[2] 'Starting from the western portion of the Grove, she ... with her boy on her hip came unexpectedly on the settlement, and heard the sweet voice in the vihāra. Cut to the heart, and smitten to the marrow, she stood like a post, while the child whimpered for food.

^[3] Sayyamāmase.