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Therefore, not all ascetics and brahmins are utterly complete, utterly secure from bondage, utterly pure in conduct, utterly concluded." Thus the Blessed One, questioned by Sakka, the lord of devas, explained the question. Delighted in mind, Sakka, the lord of devas, approved and rejoiced in the Blessed One's words: "So it is, Blessed One! So it is, Well-gone One! My doubt here is crossed, my perplexity is gone, having heard the Blessed One's explanation of the question." 367. Thus Sakka, the lord of devas, having approved and rejoiced in the Blessed One's words, said this to the Blessed One: "Craving, Venerable Sir, is a disease, craving is a boil, craving is a dart. Craving drags this person around for the arising of this and that existence. Therefore, this person experiences various states. The questions, Venerable Sir, for which I did not even get an opportunity among other ascetics and brahmins outside of this, those have been explained to me by the Blessed One. And indeed, the dart of doubt and perplexity that has long lain dormant in me, that too has been extracted by the Blessed One." "Do you recall, Lord of Devas, having asked these questions of other ascetics and brahmins?" "I do recall, Venerable Sir, having asked these questions of other ascetics and brahmins." "How then, Lord of Devas, did they explain them to you? If it is not troublesome for you, please speak." "Indeed, Venerable Sir, it is not troublesome for me where the Blessed One is seated, or in the presence of the Blessed One." "In that case, Lord of Devas, please speak." "Those ascetics and brahmins, Venerable Sir, whom I consider to be forest-dwellers, living in remote abodes, I approach them and ask these questions. When questioned by me, they do not manage (to answer), not managing me..." They ask me in return – 'What is your name, venerable sir?' When asked, I reply to them – 'Indeed, good sirs, I am Sakka, lord of devas.' They then ask me further – 'What deed, venerable sir, lord of devas, did you do to attain this position?' To them, I teach the Dhamma as I have heard it, as I have learned it. They are pleased with just that – 'Sakka, lord of devas, has been seen by us, and what we asked him, he has explained to us.' They become my disciples, not I theirs. But I, venerable sir, am a disciple of the Blessed One, a stream-enterer, not subject to falling into lower states, assured, bound for full enlightenment. Story of the Attainment of Joy 368. "Do you recall, lord of devas, having attained such a feeling of joy before this?" "I do recall, venerable sir, having attained such a feeling of joy before this." "How then, lord of devas, do you recall having attained such a feeling of joy before this?" "Formerly, venerable sir, a battle between devas and asuras was arrayed. In that battle, venerable sir, the devas won, and the asuras were defeated. When I, venerable sir, had completely won that battle, having conquered the battle, this thought occurred to me: 'Now, both the divine power and the asura power, both of these, the devas will enjoy!'" "That attainment of feeling, that attainment of joy, venerable sir, was associated with rods and associated with weapons; it did not lead to disenchantment, nor to dispassion, nor to cessation, nor to peace, nor to direct knowledge, nor to full enlightenment, nor to Nibbana. But this attainment of feeling, this attainment of joy, venerable sir, which I have from hearing the Dhamma of the Blessed One, is not associated with rods, not associated with weapons; it leads exclusively to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to direct knowledge, to full enlightenment, to Nibbana." that it comes to be.” 369. “But what advantage, O Lord of Devas, did you foresee, that you declared such an experience of joy, an experience of happiness?” “I, venerable sir, foreseeing six advantages, declared such an experience of joy, an experience of happiness. “While remaining right here, as a deva, my life has been renewed, know this, good sir. “This, venerable sir, is the first advantage I foresaw, that I declared such an experience of joy, an experience of happiness. “Having passed away from the divine body, having given up the non-human life, unconfused, I will enter a womb, where my mind delights. “This, venerable sir, is the second advantage I foresaw, that I declared such an experience of joy, an experience of happiness. “Then I, with unconfused wisdom, dwelling, delighting in the teaching, will live according to the method, fully aware and mindful. “This, venerable sir, is the third advantage I foresaw, that I declared such an experience of joy, an experience of happiness. “And if, as I live according to the method, enlightenment should come to be, I will dwell having known, that will be the end. “This, venerable sir, is the fourth advantage I foresaw, that I declared such an experience of joy, an experience of happiness. “Having passed away from the human body, having given up human life, again I will be a deva, supreme in the deva-world. “This, venerable sir, is the fifth advantage I foresaw, that I declared such an experience of joy, an experience of happiness. “Those devas who are more excellent, the Akanittha, glorious ones, when the last (life) is occurring, that will be my dwelling. “This, venerable sir, is the sixth advantage I foresaw, that I declared such an experience of joy, an experience of happiness. “These, venerable sir, are the six advantages I foresaw, that I declared such an experience of joy, an experience of happiness. 370. “Ap My resolve was impure, doubtful, full of questions. I wandered for a long time, seeking the Tathāgata. "Whomever I consider a recluse, living in seclusion; Thinking them enlightened, I go to attend upon them. "'How does one succeed? How does one fail?' When asked this, they cannot explain the path and the practices. "When they recognize me, that Sakka, lord of devas, has come; They ask me, 'What did you do to attain this?' "To them, I teach the Dhamma as I heard it, what is known among people; Then they are delighted, 'We have seen Vāsava!' "But when I saw the Buddha, the dispeller of doubt; I am now free from fear, having attended upon the Fully Enlightened One. "The slayer of the dart of craving, the Buddha, unequalled; I bow to the Great Hero, the Buddha, kinsman of the sun. "What we do for Brahmā, equal to the devas, good sir; That we shall do for you today, come, we shall do it ourselves for you. "You are indeed the Fully Enlightened One, you are the Teacher, unsurpassed; In the world with its devas, there is no one equal to you." Then Sakka, lord of devas, addressed Pañcasikha the Gandhabba's son: "You have been of great help to me, dear Pañcasikha, in that you first pleased the Blessed One. Because you, dear one, first pleased him, we later approached that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One, for an audience. I shall place you in your father's position, you shall be king of the gandhabbas, and I give you Bhaddā Sūriyavacchasā, for she is desired by you." Then Sakka, lord of devas, touched the earth with his hand and uttered an exclamation three times: "Homage to that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One!" And as this exposition was being spoken, the dust-free, stain-free Dhamma-eye arose in Sakka, lord of devas. It was given: "Whatever is of the nature to arise, all that is of the nature to cease." And for eighty thousand other deities, the questions asked by Sakka, the lord of devas, were answered by the Blessed One. Therefore, the designation for this explanation is 'Sakka's Questions'. The Sakkapañha Sutta, the eighth, is concluded.