{"collection":"Digha Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_dn32/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_dn32","id":"suttacentral_dn32","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/dn32/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Digha Nikaya","Early Buddhist Texts"],"text":"1. The First Recitation Section So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near R\u0101jagaha, on the Vulture\u2019s Peak Mountain. Then, late at night, the four great kings\u2014with large armies of spirits, centaurs, gnomes, and dragons\u2014set guards, troops, and wards at the four quarters and then, lighting up the entire Vulture\u2019s Peak with their beauty, went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. Before sitting down to one side, some spirits bowed, some exchanged greetings and polite conversation, some held up their cupped palms toward the Buddha, some announced their name and clan, while some kept silent. Seated to one side, the Great King Vessava\u1e47a said to the Buddha, \u201cSir, some high spirits have confidence in the Buddha, some do not. Some middling spirits have confidence in the Buddha, some do not. Some low spirits have confidence in the Buddha, some do not. But mostly the spirits don\u2019t have confidence in the Buddha. Why is that? Because the Buddha teaches them to refrain from killing living creatures, stealing, lying, sexual misconduct, and consuming intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor. But mostly they don\u2019t refrain from such things. They don\u2019t like that or approve of it. Sir, there are disciples of the Buddha who frequent remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest that are quiet and still, far from the madding crowd, remote from human settlements, and fit for retreat. There dwell high spirits who have no confidence in the Buddha\u2019s dispensation. To give them confidence, may the Buddha please learn the \u0100\u1e6d\u0101n\u0101\u1e6diya protection for the guarding, protection, safety, and comfort of the monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen.\u201d The Buddha consented with silence. Then, knowing that the Buddha had consented, on that occasion Great King Vessava\u1e47a recited the \u0100\u1e6d\u0101n\u0101\u1e6diya protection. \u201cHail Vipass\u012b, the glorious Clear-eyed One! Hail Sikh\u012b, sympathetic for all beings! Hail Vessabh\u016b, cleansed and fervent! Hail Kakusandha, crusher of M\u0101ra\u2019s army! Hail Ko\u1e47\u0101gamana, the brahmin who has lived the life! Hail Kassapa, everywhere free! Hail A\u1e45g\u012brasa, the glorious Sakyan! He taught this Dhamma that casts aside all suffering. Those in the world who are quenched, truly discerning, not backbiters; such people being great of heart and intrepid, revere that Gotama; he who is helpful to gods and humans, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, great of heart and intrepid. Where rises the sun\u2014 Aditi\u2019s child, the great orb\u2014 with whose rising night\u2019s umbra also ends, and of whom, when sun has risen, it is said to be the day\u2014 there is a deep lake, an ocean of flowing waters. That\u2019s how they understand that lake there, as an ocean of flowing waters. From here that is the eastern quarter, so the people say. That quarter is warded by a great king, glorious, the lord of the centaurs; his name is Dhatara\u1e6d\u1e6dha. He delights in song and dance, honored by the centaurs. And he has many mighty sons all of one name, so I\u2019ve heard. Eighty, and ten, and one\u2014 all of them named Indra. After seeing the Awakened One, the Buddha, Kinsman of the Sun, they revere him from afar, the one great of heart and intrepid. Homage to you, O thoroughbred! Homage to you, supreme among men! You examine us skillfully; the non-humans bow to you. We\u2019ve been asked many a time, \u2018Do you bow to Gotama the victor?\u2019 And so we ought to declare: \u2018We bow to Gotama the victor, accomplished in knowledge and conduct! We bow to Gotama the awakened!\u2019 It\u2019s where the departed go, they say, who are backbiters and calumniators, killers and hunters, bandits and cheats. From here that is the southern quarter, so the people say. That quarter is warded by a great king, glorious, the lord of the gnomes; his name is Vir\u016b\u1e37ha. He delights in song and dance, honored by the gnomes. And he has many mighty sons all of one name, so I\u2019ve heard. Eighty, and ten, and one\u2014 all of them named Indra. After seeing the Awakened One, the Buddha, Kinsman of the Sun, they revere him from afar, the one great of heart and intrepid. Homage to you, O thoroughbred! Homage to you, supreme among men! You examine us skillfully; the non-humans bow to you. We\u2019ve been asked many a time, \u2018Do you bow to Gotama the victor?\u2019 And so we ought to declare: \u2018We bow to Gotama the victor, accomplished in knowledge and conduct! We bow to Gotama the awakened!\u2019 Where sets the sun\u2014 Aditi\u2019s child, the great orb\u2014 with whose setting the day also ends; and of whom, when sun has set, it is said to be night\u2019s umbra\u2014 there is a deep lake in that place, an ocean of flowing waters. That\u2019s how they understand that lake there, as an ocean of flowing waters. From here that is the western quarter, so the people say. That quarter is warded by a great king, glorious, the lord of the dragons; his name is Vir\u016bpakkha. He delights in song and dance, honored by the dragons. And he has many mighty sons all of one name, so I\u2019ve heard. Eighty, and ten, and one\u2014 all of them named Indra. After seeing the Awakened One, the Buddha, Kinsman of the Sun, they revere him from afar, the one great of heart and intrepid. Homage to you, O thoroughbred! Homage to you, supreme among men! You examine us skillfully; the non-humans bow to you. We\u2019ve been asked many a time, \u2018Do you bow to Gotama the victor?\u2019 And so we ought to declare: \u2018We bow to Gotama the victor, accomplished in knowledge and conduct! We bow to Gotama the awakened!\u2019 Where the lovely land north of Kuru is, and the beautiful Mount Meru, humans born there are unselfish, without possessions. They do not sow the seed, nor do they draw the plough. The rice eaten by people ripens in untilled soil, free of powder or husk, pure, fragrant, with only the rice-grain. After cooking in a tandoor oven, they enjoy eating that food. Having prepared a cow with hooves uncloven, they\u2019re drawn about from place to place. Having prepared a beast with hooves uncloven, they\u2019re drawn about from place to place. Having prepared a woman-drawn carriage, they\u2019re drawn about from place to place. Having prepared a man-drawn carriage, they\u2019re drawn about from place to place. Having prepared a girl-drawn carriage, they\u2019re drawn about from place to place. Having prepared a boy-drawn carriage, they\u2019re drawn about from place to place. Having ascended their vehicle, that king\u2019s servants tour about in every quarter, provided with heavenly vehicles of elephant and of horse. And there are palaces and palanquins for that great and glorious king. And he has cities, too, well-built in the sky: \u0100\u1e6d\u0101n\u0101\u1e6d\u0101, Kusin\u0101\u1e6d\u0101, Parakusin\u0101\u1e6d\u0101, N\u0101\u1e6dapuriy\u0101, and Parakusi\u1e6dan\u0101\u1e6d\u0101. To the north is Kap\u012bvanta, and Janogha lies beyond. And there\u2019s Navanavutiya, Ambara-ambaravatiya, and the royal capital named \u0100\u1e37akamand\u0101. The Great King Kuvera, dear sir, has a capital named Vis\u0101\u1e47\u0101, which is why the great king is called \u2018Vessava\u1e47a\u2019. Searching, they shine: Tatol\u0101, Tattal\u0101, Tatotal\u0101, Ojasi, Tejasi, Tatojasi, S\u016bra, R\u0101j\u0101, Ari\u1e6d\u1e6dha, and Nemi. There is a lake there too named Dhara\u1e47\u012b, whence the clouds rain forth, and the rains disperse. There is a hall there too named S\u0101lavat\u012b, where the spirits frequent. There the trees are ever in fruit, with many different flocks of birds. Peacocks and herons call out there, and the sweet cuckoos too. One bird cries out \u2018Live, live!\u2019, another \u2018Lift up your heart!\u2019 There are cocks and kookaburras, and in the wood the woodpeckers. The parrots and mynah cry out there, and the \u2018little stick-boy\u2019 birds. Kuvera\u2019s pond of rushes is lovely all the time. From here that is the northern quarter, so the people say. That quarter is warded by a great king, glorious, the lord of spirits; his name is Kuvera. He delights in song and dance, honored by the spirits. And he has many mighty sons all of one name, so I\u2019ve heard. Eighty, and ten, and one\u2014 all of them named Indra. After seeing the Awakened One, the Buddha, Kinsman of the Sun, they revere him from afar, the one great of heart and intrepid. Homage to you, O thoroughbred! Homage to you, supreme among men! You examine us skillfully; the non-humans bow to you. We\u2019ve been asked many a time, \u2018Do you bow to Gotama the victor?\u2019 And so we ought to declare: \u2018We bow to Gotama the victor, accomplished in knowledge and conduct! We bow to Gotama the awakened!\u2019 This, good fellow, is the \u0100\u1e6d\u0101n\u0101\u1e6diya protection for the guarding, protection, safety, and comfort of the monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen. The monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen should learn this \u0100\u1e6d\u0101n\u0101\u1e6diya protection well and completely memorize it. If anyone who does so is approached while walking, standing, sitting, or lying down by any non-human being with malicious intent\u2014including males, females, boys, girls, chief ministers, councillors, and servants among the spirits, centaurs, gnomes, and dragons\u2014 that non-human will receive no homage or respect in any village or town. And they will receive no ground or dwelling in my capital of \u0100lakamand\u0101. Nor will they get to go to the conference of the spirits. In addition, the non-humans would not give or take them in marriage. They\u2019d heap personal abuse on them, drop an empty bowl on their head, and even split their head into seven pieces! For there are, good fellow, non-humans who are fierce, cruel, and violent. They don\u2019t obey the Great Kings or their men or their men\u2019s men. They\u2019re said to be rebelling against the Great Kings. They\u2019re just like the bandits in the king of Magadha\u2019s realm who don\u2019t obey the king, his men, or his men\u2019s men, and are said to be rebelling against the king. If any non-human being with malicious intent\u2014including males, females, boys, girls, ministers, councillors, and servants among the spirits, centaurs, gnomes, and dragons\u2014approaches a monk, nun, layman, or laywoman while walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, one ought to yell, cry, and scream to the spirits, great spirits, generals, great generals: \u2018This spirit\u2019s got me! This spirit\u2019s entered me! This spirit\u2019s annoying me! This spirit\u2019s harassing me! This spirit\u2019s hurting me! This spirit\u2019s harming me! This spirit won\u2019t let me go!\u2019 To what spirits, great spirits, generals, great generals? \u2018Indra, Soma, and Varu\u1e47a, Bh\u0101radv\u0101ja, the Progenitor, Candana and K\u0101mase\u1e6d\u1e6dha, Kinnugha\u1e47\u1e0du and Nigha\u1e47\u1e0du, Pan\u0101da and Opama\u00f1\u00f1a, and M\u0101tali, the god\u2019s equerry. Cittasena the centaur, and the kings Nala and Janesabha, S\u0101t\u0101gira, Hemavata, Pu\u1e47\u1e47aka, Karatiya, and Gu\u1e37a; Sivaka and Mucalinda, Vess\u0101mitta, Yugandhara, Gop\u0101la, Suppagedha, Hiri, Netti, and Mandiya; Pa\u00f1c\u0101laca\u1e47\u1e0da, \u0100\u1e37avaka, Pajjunna, Sumana, Sumukha, Dadhimukha, Ma\u1e47i, M\u0101\u1e47ivara, D\u012bgha, together with Ser\u012bsaka.\u2019 This, good fellow, is the \u0100\u1e6d\u0101n\u0101\u1e6diya protection for the guarding, protection, safety, and comfort of the monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen. Well, now, good fellow, I must go. I have many duties, and much to do.\u201d \u201cPlease, Great Kings, go at your convenience.\u201d Then the four great kings got up from their seats, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on their right side, before vanishing right there. And before the other spirits present vanished, some bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on their right side, some exchanged greetings and polite conversation, some held up their cupped palms toward the Buddha, some announced their name and clan, while some kept silent. The first recitation section is complete. 2. The Second Recitation Section Then, when the night had passed, the Buddha told the mendicants all that had happened, repeating all the verses spoken. Then he added: \u201cMendicants, learn the \u0100\u1e6d\u0101n\u0101\u1e6diya protection! Memorize the \u0100\u1e6d\u0101n\u0101\u1e6diya protection! Remember the \u0100\u1e6d\u0101n\u0101\u1e6diya protection! The \u0100\u1e6d\u0101n\u0101\u1e6diya protection is beneficial, and is for the guarding, protection, safety, and comfort of the monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen.\u201d That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said.","title":"The \u0100\u1e6d\u0101n\u0101\u1e6diya Protection","tradition":"Digha Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":1966}