Samiddhisutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sakkesu viharati silāvatiyaṁ. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā samiddhi bhagavato avidūre appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharati. Atha kho āyasmato samiddhissa rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi: “lābhā vata me, suladdhaṁ vata me, yassa me satthā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho. Lābhā vata me, suladdhaṁ vata me, yvāhaṁ evaṁ svākkhāte dhammavinaye pabbajito. Lābhā vata me, suladdhaṁ vata me, yassa me sabrahmacārino sīlavanto kalyāṇadhammā”ti. Atha kho māro pāpimā āyasmato samiddhissa cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya yenāyasmā samiddhi tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmato samiddhissa avidūre mahantaṁ bhayabheravaṁ saddamakāsi, apissudaṁ pathavī maññe undrīyati.

At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans near Silāvatī. Now at that time Venerable Samiddhi was meditating not far from the Buddha, diligent, keen, and resolute. Then as Venerable Samiddhi was in private retreat this thought came to his mind, “I’m so fortunate, so very fortunate, to have a teacher who is a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha! I’m so fortunate, so very fortunate, to have gone forth in a teaching and training so well explained! I’m so fortunate, so very fortunate, to have spiritual companions who are ethical and of good character.” And then Māra the Wicked, knowing Samiddhi’s train of thought, went up to him and made a terrifyingly loud noise close by him. It seemed as if the earth was shattering.

Atha kho āyasmā samiddhi yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno āyasmā samiddhi bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “idhāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavato avidūre appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharāmi. Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi: ‘lābhā vata me, suladdhaṁ vata me, yassa me satthā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho. Lābhā vata me, suladdhaṁ vata me, yvāhaṁ evaṁ svākkhāte dhammavinaye pabbajito. Lābhā vata me, suladdhaṁ vata me, yassa me sabrahmacārino sīlavanto kalyāṇadhammā’ti. Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, avidūre mahābhayabheravasaddo ahosi, apissudaṁ pathavī maññe undrīyatī”ti.

Then Samiddhi went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened. The Buddha said,

“Nesā, samiddhi, pathavī undrīyati. Māro eso pāpimā tuyhaṁ vicakkhukammāya āgato. Gaccha tvaṁ, samiddhi, tattheva appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharāhī”ti. “Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā samiddhi bhagavato paṭissutvā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi. Dutiyampi kho āyasmā samiddhi tattheva appamatto ātāpī pahitatto vihāsi. Dutiyampi kho āyasmato samiddhissa rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa …pe… dutiyampi kho māro pāpimā āyasmato samiddhissa cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya …pe… apissudaṁ pathavī maññe undrīyati. Atha kho āyasmā samiddhi māraṁ pāpimantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

“Samiddhi, that’s not the earth shattering. That’s Māra the Wicked come to pull the wool over your eyes! Go back to that same place, Samiddhi, and meditate, diligent, keen, and resolute.” “Yes, sir,” replied Samiddhi. He rose from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving. And for a second time Samiddhi was meditating in that same place, diligent, ardent, and resolute. And for a second time he had the same thought … and Māra made an earth-shattering noise. Then Samiddhi addressed Māra the Wicked in verse:

“Saddhāyāhaṁ pabbajito, agārasmā anagāriyaṁ; Sati paññā ca me buddhā, cittañca susamāhitaṁ; Kāmaṁ karassu rūpāni, neva maṁ byādhayissasī”ti.

“I went forth out of faith from the lay life to homelessness. My mindfulness and wisdom are mature, my mind is serene in immersion. Make whatever illusions you want, it won’t bother me.”

Atha kho māro pāpimā “jānāti maṁ samiddhi bhikkhū”ti dukkhī dummano tatthevantaradhāyīti.

Then Māra the Wicked, thinking, “The mendicant Samiddhi knows me!” miserable and sad, vanished right there.