THE GREAT CHRONICLE OF BUDDHAS
980
The Six Benefits for Sakka on attaining Stream-Entry Knowledge
Then the Buddha asked: ‚Sakka, King of Devas, what benefits do you see (in your
present status) so that you speak of its great delight?‛
‚Venerable Sir, I see six great benefits (in my present ariyahood) and that is why I extol
it so much. The six are:
(1) Idheva tithamÈnassa devabh|tassu me sato
PunarÈyu ca me laddho evaÓ jÈnÈhi mÈrisa.
O Venerable One, who is free from
dukkha
, even while I have been listening
to your discourse in this IndasÈla Cave, I have been reborn as Sakka (by the
name of Maghava) and will live thirty-six million years, by human
reckoning, in the TÈvatiÑsa Deva realm. May the Venerable One, who is
free from
dukkha
, take note of it. Venerable Sir, this is the first benefit that is
behind extolling of my ariyahood.
(2) CutÈhaÑ diviyÈ kÈyÈ ÈyuiÓ hitvÈ amÈnusaÑ
Am|Äo gabbhamessÈmi yattha me ramatÊ mano.
O Venerable One, who is free from
dukkha
, when I die from deva existence
and have relinquished the thirty-six million years' life, by human reckoning,
of TÈvatiÑsa Deva existence, I shall, without any bewilderment (at death), be
reborn in the human world in a high class or clan of my own preference
Venerable Sir, this is the second benefit that is behind my extolling of my
ariyahood.
(When an
ariya
passes away and takes another rebirth, he is never in a bewildered
state. Mindful and with clear comprehension, he passes away from one existence to
another, which is always in a fortunate destination. If reborn in the human world,
he always belongs to the royal (warrior) caste or brahmin caste. Sakka has a desire
for such noble birth when he reappears as a human being.)
(3) SvÈhaÑ am|ÄhapaÒÒassa vihariaÓ sÈsane rato
©Èyena viharissÈmi sampajÈno paÔissato.
O Venerable One, who is free from
dukkha
, taking delight in the Teaching of
the Perfectly Enlightened One, I (known by the name of Maghava) shall
(enjoying, physical health) dwell in mindfulness and clear comprehension
befitting an
ariya
. Venerable Sir, this is the third benefit that is behind my
extolling of my ariyahood.
(4) ©Èyena me carato ca sambodhi ce bhavissati
AÒÒÈtÈ viharissÈmi sveva anto bhavissati.
O Venerable One, who is free from
dukkha
, in me (known by the name of
Maghava) who thus dwell in the noble practice of an
ariya
, if
sakadÈgÈmÊ-
magga
arises, then, to gain still higher Path-Knowledge of
anÈgÈmÊ-magga
and
arahatta-magga
, I shall dwell in still further practice of the Path. When
sakadÈgÈmÊ-magga
is attained that will be my last human existence.
Venerable Sir, this is the fourth benefit that lies behind my extolling of my
Ariyahood.
(5) CutÈham mÈnusÈ kÈyÈ ÈyuÑ hitvÈtna mÈnusaÑ
Puna deva bhavissÈmi devalokamhi uttamo.
O Venerable One, who is free from
dukkha
, when I (known by the name of
Maghava) pass away from the human existence and leave behind the human
body, relinquishing the human life, I shall be reborn in the TÈvatiÑsa Deva