Ujjhanasanni Sutta
Nala Vagga, Devata Samyutta
Sagatha Vagga Samyutta, Samyutta Nikaya, Suttanta Pitaka

SOURCE: "FIVE SAMYUTTAS FROM SAGATHAVAGGA SAMYUTTA"
Translated by U Tin U (Myaung), Yangon
Edited by the Editorial Committee, Burma (Myanmar) Tipitaka Association, 1998

5. Ujjhanasanni Sutta
Discourse Concerning the Censorious Devas

        35. At one time the Bhagava was staying at the Jetavana monastery of Anathapindika in Savatthi. During that time, soon after the middle watch of the night, many censorious devas1 of exceeding beauty approached the Bhagava, illuminating the entire Jetavana monastery. Having made their approach they stood in mid-air. Standing in mid-air, one of them spoke this verse in the presence of the Bhagava:

        "What a certain person says is different from what he himself is;2 what that person enjoys amounts to theft (of the four requisites).

        He is like a bird-catcher who makes a living by means of trickery.

        "One should speak only of what one actually does, and should not speak of what one does not actually do.

        The wise can see through a person who speaks of what he himself does not do."

        (The Bhagava said:)

        "That practice3 which is firm 'has been adopted by wise persons who have thereby burnt out all defilements in them and have escaped from the bonds of Mara.

        It is not possible to engage in that Practice by merely speaking or hearing about it.

        Indeed, the wise who know the real nature of the world do not act thus.

        The wise who know the' 'Four Ariya Truths and who in the world have transcended Craving have extinguished defilements.

        Thereupon the devas stood on the ground and, placing their heads at the Bhagava's feet, addressed him thus: "Venerable Sir, being foolish, being bewildered, and being unwise, we have committed a great wrong.4 We thought that we could assail the Bhagava We re quest the Bhagava to accept our offence as offence so that we may restrain ourselves in the future."

        Then the Bhagava~ smiled.5

        Thereupon the devas became extremely censorious6 and ascended to the sky from where one of them spoke thus in verse in the presence of the Bhagava.

        "One who does not accept the admission of offence by others has anger in his heart and is giving undue weight to the offence; he is tied up in knots of enmity."

        (The Bhagava said:)

        'If there were no transgression

        there would be in the world no offence.

        If there is no end to enmity, how could there be in the world a faultless man?"

        (The deva said:)

        "Who is the one who does not trangress?

        Who is the one who does not commit any offence? Who is one who is not bewildered?

        And who is the wise one

        Who is mindful all the time?" (The Bhagava said:)

        "The Buddha who is a Tathagata who has compassion on all sentient beings, does not transgress, does not commit any offence, is never bewildered, and is the wise one who is mindful all the time.

        One who does not accept the admission of offence by others has anger in his heart and is giving undue weight to the offence; he is tied up in knots of enmity: I do not like that enmity. I accept the admission of your offence."

End of the Ujjhanasanni Sutta,

the fifth in this vagga.


        1. censorious devas: ujjhanasannika devas:

        The devas who addressed the Buddha here were prejudiced against the Buddha. They assumed that the Buddha did not practise what he preached. To them, the Buddha extolled austerity and contentment but lived in luxury. His day was spent in preaching only. This censonous attitude was so strong in this particular body of devas that the theras who convened the First Buddhist Council gave the epithet' censorious - minded' to them. The term does not signify a separate celestial abode.

        2. What a certain person says is different from what he himself is. The accusation in these words is actually aimed at the Buddha himself. It implies that the Buddha is being hypocritical.

        3. 'That practice' means the practice of the Ariya Path of Eight Constituents which is a sure way to attain Magga and Phala (fruition) in four stages and Nibbana.

        4. The devas admitted that they had transgressed against the Buddha; their staying in mid-air with the Buddha below them was bodily transgression: their false accusation was verbal transgression.

        5. Then the Bhagava smiled:

        The Buddhas smile by just a slight gesture of baring the tips of the front teeth. The smile prompted the devas to ask a further question which enabled the Buddha to express his forbearance.

        6. the devas became extremely censorious because they misunderstood the reason for the Buddha's smile.