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| Sakka (Indra in the Vedas) atop a white elephant battle a titan (asura) in a minor heaven (VF). |
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Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One (the Buddha) was dwelling at Savatthī in Jeta’s Grove, in Anathapiṇḍika’s Park. There he addressed the meditators: “Meditators!”
“Venerable sir!” those meditators replied. The Blessed One then said:
“Meditators, once in the past the titans (
asuras) marched against the shining ones (
devas). Then Sakka, lord of the shining ones, addressed [General]
Suvīra, a young shining one:
“‘Dear Suvīra, these titans are marching against the shining ones. Go, dear Suvīra, launch a counter-march against the titans.’ — ‘Yes, your lordship,’ Suvīra replied, but he became negligent.
“A second time Sakka addressed Suvīra…but a second time Suvīra became negligent. A third time Sakka addressed Suvīra…but a third time Suvīra became negligent (sn.i.217).
“Then, meditators, Sakka addressed Suvīra in verse:
“‘Where one need not exert and strive
Yet still may attain to bliss:
Go there, Suvīra,
And take me along with you.’
Suvīra:
“‘That a lazy person who does not exert
Nor attend to duties
Might still have all desires fulfilled:
Grant me that, Sakka, as a boon.’
Sakka:
“‘Where a lazy person who does not exert
Might achieve unending bliss:
Go there, Suvīra,
And take me along with you.’
Suvīra:
“‘The bliss, supreme shining one, we might find
Without doing work, O Sakka,
The sorrowless state without despair:
Grant me that, Sakka, as a boon.’
Sakka:
“‘If there exists any place anywhere
Where without work one will not decline,
That is indeed nirvana’s path:
Go there, Suvīra,
And take me along with you.’
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| Right effort is the path to bliss. |
“So, meditators, if Sakka, lord of the shining ones, subsisting on the fruit of his own merit, exercising supreme sovereignty and ruler over the Heaven of the Thirty-Three (
Tavatimsa) shining ones, will be one who speaks in praise of initiative and energy then how much more would it be fitting here for you, who have gone forth (renounced worldly ways) in such a well-expounded Doctrine and Discipline, to exert, make effort, and strive for the attainment of the as-yet-unattained, for the achievement of the as-yet-unachieved, for the realization of the as-yet-unrealized?”
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