15.8 The Story about Sakka’s Attendance

Dhp 206-208

CST4: Sakkavatthu

Burlingame: Sakka Ministers to the Buddha

When the Buddha lay ill Sakka, Lord of the Gods, came to attend to him; the bhikkhus wondered why, and the Buddha explained how he had previously answered Sakka’s questions who thereby became a Stream-enterer; the Buddha summarised Sakka’s affection with some verses.

Keywords: Sickness, Good Companions

“Meeting the noble ones is good,” {3.269} this Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Beḷuva village with reference to Sakka.

For when the Realised One’s lifespan was at an end and he was suffering from an attack of dysentery, Sakka, the Lord of the Devas, became aware of it and thought to himself: “It is my duty to go to the Teacher and to attend to him in his sickness.” Accordingly he laid aside his own body, three-quarters of a league in height, approached the Teacher, saluted him, and with his own hands rubbed the Teacher’s feet.

The Teacher said to him: “Who is that?” – “It is I, venerable Sir, Sakka.” – “Why did you come here?” – “To attend to you in your sickness, venerable Sir.” – “Sakka, to the gods the smell of men, even at a distance of a hundred leagues, is like that of carrion tied to the throat; {3.270} depart hence, for I have bhikkhus who will attend upon me in my sickness.” – “Venerable Sir, at a distance of 84,000 leagues I smelt the fragrance of your goodness, and therefore I came here; I alone will attend to you in your sickness.”

Sakka permitted no other so much as to touch with his hand the vessel which contained the excrement of the Teacher’s body, but himself carried the vessel out on his own head. Moreover he carried it out without the slightest contraction of the muscles of his mouth, acting as though he were bearing about a vessel filled with perfumes. Thus did Sakka attend to the Teacher and departed only when the Teacher felt more comfortable.

The bhikkhus began a discussion, saying: “Oh, how great must be the affection of Sakka for the Teacher! To think that Sakka should lay aside such heavenly glory as is his, to wait upon the Teacher in his sickness! To think that he should carry out on his head the vessel containing the excrement of the Teacher’s body, as though he were removing a vessel filled with perfumes, without the slightest contraction of the muscles of his mouth!”

Hearing their talk, the Teacher said: “What say you, bhikkhus? It is not at all strange that Sakka, [30.80] Lord of the Devas, should cherish warm affection for me. For because of me this Sakka, the Lord of the Devas, laid aside the form of Old Sakka, became a Stream-enterer, and took upon himself the form of Young Sakka. For once, when he came to me terrified with the fear of death, preceded by the celestial musician Devaputta Pañcasikha, BG: See DN 21. and sat down in Indasāla Cave in the midst of the company of the gods, I dispelled his suffering by saying to him:

Ask me, Vāsavā a question
whatever you wish in your mind
to that question of yours
I make an end for you.

Having dispelled his suffering, I taught the Dhamma to him. At the conclusion of the discourse 140 million of living beings had comprehension of the Dhamma, and Sakka himself, even as he sat there, obtained the fruition of Stream-entry and became Young Sakka. Thus I have been a mighty helper to him, and it is not at all strange that he should cherish warm affection for me. For, bhikkhus, {3.271} it is a pleasant thing to look upon the noble, and it is likewise a pleasant thing to live with them in the same place; but to have aught to do with fools brings suffering.” So saying, he pronounced the following verses:

206. Sāhu dassanam-ariyānaṁ, sannivāso sadā sukho,
adassanena bālānaṁ niccam-eva sukhī siyā.

Meeting with the noble ones is good,
living together is pleasant,
through not meeting foolish people
one will constantly be happy.

207. Bālasaṅgatacārī hi dīgham-addhāna’ socati,
dukkho bālehi saṁvāso amitteneva sabbadā,
dhīro ca sukhasaṁvāso ñātīnaṁ va samāgamo.

For he who consorts with fools grieves
for a long time, dwelling with fools
is always suffering, as it
is with enemies, the wise one
dwells happily as with his kin.

208. dhīrañ-ca paññañ-ca bahussutañ-ca,
dhorayhasīlaṁ vatavantam-ariyaṁ –
taṁ tādisaṁ sappurisaṁ sumedhaṁ
bhajetha nakkhattapathaṁ va candimā.

Therefore, the firm, the wise and the learned,
the virtuous, dutiful and noble –
keep company with such a true person
as the moon accompanies the stars.