English
And they, seeing the Buddha, the Buddha, kinsman of the sun; From afar they pay homage, to the great one, free from fear. Homage to you, noble man, homage to you, supreme man; You look upon with skill, non-humans also revere you; This we have heard repeatedly, therefore we speak thus. "Worship the Conqueror Gotama, we worship the Conqueror Gotama; Endowed with knowledge and conduct, we worship the Buddha Gotama." Where there is Uttarakuru, and the beautiful Mount Meru. Humans are born there, without 'mine', without possessions. They do not sow seeds, nor do ploughs move; Humans consume rice that ripens without cultivation. Without husk, without chaff, pure, fragrant, a fruit of rice grains; Having cooked it in a pot, then they eat their meal. A cow, one Having made a hoof, they follow in every direction. Having made a one-hoofed animal, they follow in every direction. Having made a woman a vehicle, they follow in every direction; Having made a man a vehicle, they follow in every direction. Having made a maiden a vehicle, they follow in every direction; Having made a youth a vehicle, they follow in every direction. They, having mounted vehicles, go around all directions; the scouts of that king. Elephant vehicles, horse vehicles, divine vehicles are prepared; palaces and palanquins, for the glorious great king. And his cities were, built in the sky; Āṭānāṭā, Kusināṭā, Parakusināṭā, Nāṭasuriyā, Parakusiṭanāṭā. To the north, Kasivanto, and to the west, Janogha; Ninety-nine Ambarā, Ambaravatī, Āḷakamandā by name, the royal capital. And, dear sir, the royal capital of the great king Kuvera is named Visāṇā; Therefore, the great king Kuvera is called "Vessavaṇa". They proclaim as they return, Tatolā, Tattalā, Tatotalā; Ojasī, Tejasī, Tatojasī, Sūro, Rājā, Ariṭṭho, Nemi. There is also a lake named Dharaṇī, from which clouds rain; From which the rains fall, and there is also an assembly hall named Sālavatī. Where the yakkhas gather, there are trees with perpetual fruit; Filled with various flocks of birds, resounding with peacocks and cranes; And with the sweet calls of cuckoos and others. Here are the calls of the Jīvañjīvaka birds, and also the Oṭṭhavacittaka; Cocks and crabs, and water-lotus birds in the forest. Here are the calls of parrots and mynahs, and also the Daṇḍamāṇavaka; That Kuvera's lotus pond is always beautiful, at all times. "This is the northern direction," so people call it; The direction which that glorious great king protects. The lord of the yakkhas, named "Kuvera"; He delights in dancing and singing, surrounded by yakkhas. His sons are also many, of one name, I have heard; Eighty-one, named Inda, of great strength. And they too, having seen the Buddha, the kinsman of the sun; Salute from afar, the great one. who is free from defilements. Homage to you, noble man, Homage to you, supreme man; You look with skill, Even non-humans revere you; This has been heard repeatedly, Therefore, we speak thus. Revere the Conqueror Gotama, We revere the Conqueror Gotama; Endowed with knowledge and conduct, We revere the Buddha Gotama. 292. This, indeed, O friend, is the Āṭānāṭā protection for monks, for nuns, for male lay followers, for female lay followers, for their guarding, for their protection, for their non-harming, for their comfortable dwelling. If, O friend, for any monk or nun or male lay follower or female lay follower, this Āṭānāṭā protection will be well-grasped, completed, mastered, and if a non-human—a yakkha or yakkhinī, or... a gandhabba or gandhabbī, or... a kumbhaṇḍa or kumbhaṇḍī, or... a nāga or nāgī, or a young male nāga or a young female nāga, or a great nāga minister, or a nāga assembly member, or a nāga attendant—with a malevolent mind, should follow a monk or a nun or a male lay follower or a female lay follower who is going, or should stand near one who is standing, or should sit near one who is sitting, or should lie near one who is lying down: That non-human, O friend, shall not obtain respect or reverence in villages or in towns. That non-human, O friend, shall not obtain a place or a dwelling in the royal capital named Āḷakamandā. That non-human, O friend, shall not obtain to go to the assembly of yakkhas. Moreover, O friend, other non-humans shall make him uninvited, unwelcomed. Moreover, O friend, other non-humans shall revile him with full and complete revilings. Moreover, O friend, other non-humans shall turn his empty bowl upside down on his head. Moreover, O friend, other non-humans shall split his head into seven pieces. For there are, O friend, non-humans who are fierce, violent, impetuous; they do not heed the Great Kings, nor do they heed the Great Kings' men, nor do they heed the Great Kings' men's men. Those, indeed, O friend, non-humans, the Great Kings... They are called "unrestrained." Just as, dear sir, in the realm of the Magadhan king, there are great robbers. They do not submit to the Magadhan king, nor do they submit to the Magadhan king's men, nor do they submit to the Magadhan king's men's men. Indeed, those, dear sir, great robbers are called "unrestrained" to the Magadhan king. Just so, dear sir, there are non-humans, fierce, wrathful, violent; they do not submit to the Great Kings, nor do they submit to the Great Kings' men, nor do they submit to the Great Kings' men's men. Indeed, those, dear sir, non-humans are called "unrestrained" to the Great Kings. If any, dear sir, non-human, be it a yakkha or a yakkhinī... or a gandhabba or a gandhabbī... or a kumbhaṇḍa or a kumbhaṇḍī... or a nāga or a nāgī... with a malevolent mind, should approach a monk or a nun or a male lay follower or a female lay follower who is walking, or stand near one who is standing, or sit near one who is sitting, or lie near one who is lying: Complaint should be made, a cry should be raised, a shout should be uttered to these yakkhas, great yakkhas, commanders, great commanders – 'This yakkha seizes, this yakkha possesses, this yakkha harms, this yakkha harasses, this yakkha injures, this yakkha torments, this yakkha does not let go!' To which yakkhas, great yakkhas, commanders, great commanders? Indra, Soma, and Varuna, Bharadvaja, Prajapati; Chandana, Kamasettha, Kinnughandu, Nighandu. Panada, Opamañña, Devasuta, and Matali; Cittasena, the gandhabba, Nala, King Janesabha. Satagira, Hevamata, Punṇaka, Karatiya, Guḷa; Sivaka, Mucalinda, Vessamitta, Yugandhara. Gopala, Supparodha, Hiri, Netti, and Mandiya; Pañcalacaṇḍa, Alavaka, Pajjunna, Sumana, Sumukha; Dadhimukha, Maṇi, Maṇivara, Dīgha, And Serisaka, together. These yakkhas, great yakkhas... to the generals, to the great generals, it should be complained, it should be cried out, it should be shouted – ‘This yakkha seizes, this yakkha possesses, this yakkha harms, this yakkha harasses, this yakkha injures, this yakkha torments, this yakkha does not let go.’ This, indeed, venerable sirs, is the Āṭānāṭā protection for monks, for nuns, for male lay followers, for female lay followers, for their safety, for their protection, for their non-harming, for their comfortable living. Come now, venerable sirs, let us go, we have much to do, many duties.’” “Now, great kings, you may go when you think it is time.” Then, bhikkhus, the four great kings rose from their seats, saluted me, circumambulated me clockwise, and vanished right there. And those yakkhas too, bhikkhus, rising from their seats, some saluted me, circumambulated me clockwise, and vanished right there. Some exchanged greetings with me, having exchanged courteous and memorable talk, they vanished right there. Some, having raised their joined hands towards me, vanished right there. Some, having announced their names and clans, vanished right there. Some, having remained silent, vanished right there. Learn, bhikkhus, the Āṭānāṭā protection. Master, bhikkhus, the Āṭānāṭā protection. Remember, bhikkhus, the Āṭānāṭā protection. Beneficial, bhikkhus, is the Āṭānāṭā protection for monks, for nuns, for male lay followers, for female lay followers, for their safety, for their protection, for their non-harming, for their comfortable living.” This is what the Blessed One said. Delighted, those bhikkhus rejoiced in the Blessed One's words. The Āṭānāṭiya Sutta, the ninth, is finished.