1On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park. Then, when the night had advanced, the young deva Hatthaka, [n.588] Apparently this is Hatthaka of Āḷavī (see AN1.251), though Mp does not identify him as such. illuminating the entire Jeta's Grove, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, while thinking: "I will stand in front of the Blessed One," he sank down, descended, and could not remain in place. Just as ghee or oil, when poured on sand, sinks down, descends, and does not remain in place, so the young deva Hatthaka, while thinking: "I will stand in front of the Blessed One," sank down, descended, and could not remain in place.

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2Then the Blessed One said to Hatthaka: "Create a gross body, Hatthaka..

"Yes, Bhante," Hatthaka replied. Then he created a gross body, paid homage to the Blessed One, and stood to one side. The Blessed One then said to him:

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3"Hatthaka, do those teachings that you could recall in the past, when you were a human being, come back to you now?" [n.589] Mp explains dhammā … pavattino as "the Buddha-word that you learned in the past" (pubbe uggahitabuddhavacanaṁ).

"Bhante, those teachings that I could recall in the past, when I was a human being, come back to me now; and those teachings that I could not recall in the past, when I was a human being, come back to me now. [n.590] Mp: "Teachings that he has forgotten because he neglected to recite them." Just as the Blessed One is now hemmed in by bhikkhus, bhikkhunīs, male and female lay followers, kings and royal ministers, sectarian teachers and their disciples, so I am hemmed in by other young devas. Young devas come to me even from a distance, thinking: ‘We will hear the Dhamma from the young deva Hatthaka.’

"I died, Bhante, insatiable and unquenchable in three things. What three? (1) I died insatiable and unquenchable in seeing the Blessed One. (2) I died insatiable and unquenchable in hearing the good Dhamma. (3) I died insatiable and unquenchable in attending upon the Saṅgha. I died insatiable and unquenchable in these three things.

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4"I could never get enough of
seeing the Blessed One,
hearing the good Dhamma,
and attending on the Saṅgha.

5"Training in the higher virtuous behavior,
I rejoiced in hearing the good Dhamma.
Hatthaka has gone to rebirth in Aviha [n.591] Aviha: One of the five pure abodes (suddhāvāsa) into which only non-returners are reborn.
not having gotten enough of these three things."

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Atha kho hatthako devaputto abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇo kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā: "Bhagavato purato ṭhassāmī"ti osīdatimeva saṁsīdatimeva, na sakkoti saṇṭhātuṁ. Seyyathāpi nāma sappi vā telaṁ vā vālukāya āsittaṁ osīdatimeva saṁsīdatimeva, na saṇṭhāti; evamevaṁ hatthako devaputto: "Bhagavato purato ṭhassāmī"ti osīdatimeva saṁsīdatimeva, na sakkoti saṇṭhātuṁ.

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2Atha kho bhagavā hatthakaṁ devaputtaṁ etadavoca: "oḷārikaṁ, hatthaka, attabhāvaṁ abhinimmināhī"ti.

"Evaṁ, bhante"ti, kho hatthako devaputto bhagavato paṭissutvā oḷārikaṁ attabhāvaṁ abhinimminitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitaṁ kho hatthakaṁ devaputtaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

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3"Ye te, hatthaka, dhammā pubbe manussabhūtassa pavattino ahesuṁ, api nu te te dhammā etarahi pavattino"ti.

"Ye ca me, bhante, dhammā pubbe manussabhūtassa pavattino ahesuṁ, te ca me dhammā etarahi pavattino; ye ca me, bhante, dhammā pubbe manussabhūtassa nappavattino ahesuṁ, te ca me dhammā etarahi pavattino. Seyyathāpi, bhante, bhagavā etarahi ākiṇṇo viharati bhikkhūhi bhikkhunīhi upāsakehi upāsikāhi rājūhi rājamahāmattehi titthiyehi titthiyasāvakehi; evamevaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, ākiṇṇo viharāmi devaputtehi. Dūratopi, bhante, devaputtā āgacchanti hatthakassa devaputtassa santike ‘dhammaṁ sossāmā’ti.

Tiṇṇāhaṁ, bhante, dhammānaṁ atitto appaṭivāno kālaṅkato. Katamesaṁ tiṇṇaṁ? Bhagavato ahaṁ, bhante, dassanassa atitto appaṭivāno kālaṅkato; saddhammasavanassāhaṁ, bhante, atitto appaṭivāno kālaṅkato; saṅghassāhaṁ, bhante, upaṭṭhānassa atitto appaṭivāno kālaṅkato. Imesaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, tiṇṇaṁ dhammānaṁ atitto appaṭivāno kālaṅkatoti.

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4Nāhaṁ bhagavato dassanassa,
Tittimajjhagā kudācanaṁ;
Saṅghassa upaṭṭhānassa,
Saddhammasavanassa ca.

5Adhisīlaṁ sikkhamāno,
saddhammasavane rato;
Tiṇṇaṁ dhammānaṁ atitto,
hatthako avihaṁ gato"ti.

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Pañcamaṁ.