THE GREAT CHRONICLE OF BUDDHAS
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palms.
Yam karomasi brahmauno samaÑ devehi mÈrisa
Tadajja tuyhaÑ dassÈma handa sÈmaÓ karoma te
O Venerable One, who is free from
dukkha
, formerly we had paid our tribute
to the BrahmÈ, as with other devas; but from today onwards, we shall give
our offerings to You. Now, we pay our obeisance to You!
Tvameva asi Sambuddho tuvaÑ satthÈ anuttaro
SadevakasmiÑ lokasmiÑ natthi te paÔipuggalo
O Venerable One, who is free from
dukkha
, You alone are the Perfectly-
Enlightened One, Teacher of devas and humans. There is none to equal You,
in personal glory or in the embodiment of the Dhamma in all the worlds of
sentient beings including the world of devas.
Sakka's Reward to PaÒcasikha Deva
After singing in praise of the Buddha in those three stanzas, Sakka said to PaÒcasikha:
‚O PaÒcasikha, through your good offices, we have the privilege of seeing the
Homage-Worthy, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened Buddha. I am greatly indebted to
you for this. I appoint you to your father's office (as Chief of Gandhabba devas).
You will be the (next) chief of
gandhabbas
. I also betroth you to S|riyavaschasÈ,
the maiden of exquisite features whom you deeply yearn for.‛
Sakka's Joyous Utterance
After that, Sakka was so glad that he slapped the good earth (as though a person were to
slap his friend's arm in intimate affection) and uttered these words of joyous expression
thrice:
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammÈ sambuddhassa
Veneration to the Exalted One, the Homage-Worthy, the Perfectly Self-
Enlightened.
(In this connection, Sakka slapped the good earth because (he attained the
Supramundane,) while he remained on the earth and also because this great earth
has produced such a marvellous personage as the Buddha, so that he had a
profound regard for the good earth.)
After listening to the Buddha's answers, Sakka acquired the Eye of the Dhamma, being
able to dispel certain defilements and thereby understand that ‚whatever is in the nature of
arising, has the nature of perishing‛. He thus attained Stream-Entry, as also did the eighty
thousand devas who were in his company then.
This discourse, being a series of answers to Sakka's questions, is known (in the PiÔaka) as
the Discourse Concerning Sakka's Questions, Sakka PaÒha.