SA 1117（一一一七） 月八日

Thus have I heard:

At one time the Buddha was staying at Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park in the Jeta Grove near Śrāvastī.

At that time the World-Honored One told the bhikṣus: "On the eighth day of the month, the Four Heavenly Kings order their ministers to inspect the world, asking: 'Who are the people who make offerings to their parents, śramaṇas, brāhmaṇas, and relatives, respect them, create various merits and virtues, see the evils of this world, fear the sins of the next world, practice giving and creating merit, uphold the precepts of fasting, and observe the precepts on the eighth, fourteenth, fifteenth, and the full moon days?' On the fourteenth day, they send the crown prince down to observe the world: 'Who are the people who make offerings to their parents, up to observing the precepts?' On the fifteenth day, the Four Heavenly Kings themselves descend to the world to observe sentient beings: 'Who are the people who make offerings to their parents, up to observing the precepts?' Bhikṣus! At that time, there were not many people in the world who made offerings to their parents, up to observing the precepts.

At that time, the Four Heavenly Kings went to the Dharma Hall of the Thirty-three Heavens and told Śakra Devānām-Indra: 'Heavenly King, you should know that now in the world, there are not many people who make offerings to their parents, up to observing the precepts.' At that time, the assembly of the Thirty-three Heavens, upon hearing this, was displeased and told each other: 'Now the people in the world are not virtuous, not good, not kind, not similar, without true practice, not making offerings to their parents, up to not observing the precepts. Because of this sin, the assembly of gods will decrease, and the assembly of asuras will gradually increase.'

Bhikṣus! At that time, if there were many people in the world who made offerings to their parents, up to observing the precepts, the Four Heavenly Kings would go to the Dharma Hall of the Thirty-three Heavens and tell Śakra Devānām-Indra: 'Heavenly King, you should know that now in the world, there are many people who make offerings to their parents, up to observing the precepts.' At that time, the assembly of the Thirty-three Heavens would all be delighted and tell each other: 'Now in the world, the virtuous and true ones are practicing the Dharma. There are many people who make offerings to their parents, up to observing the precepts. Because of this merit, the assembly of asuras will decrease, and the assembly of gods will increase.'

At that time, Śakra Devānām-Indra, knowing that the assembly of gods was all delighted, spoke a verse:

If a person observes the eight precepts on the
eighth, fourteenth, fifteenth, and the month of miracles, practicing
as I do, they also practice in this way.

At that time, the World-Honored One told the bhikṣus: "The verse spoken by Śakra Devānām-Indra is:

If a person observes the eight precepts on the
eighth, fourteenth, fifteenth, and the month of miracles, practicing
as I do, they also practice in this way.

This is not well-spoken. Why is that? Śakra Devānām-Indra himself has the afflictions of greed, anger, and delusion, and is not free from birth, old age, sickness, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, and distress.

If an arhat bhikṣu, with all taints exhausted, having done what was to be done, having cast off all heavy burdens, having severed all bonds of existence, with mind well liberated, speaks this verse:

If a person, on the eighth, fourteenth, and fifteenth days
of the month, and on the days of the lunar
stations, observes the eight-branched fast, practicing as I have practiced.

"Those who say this are speaking well. Why is that? Because arhat bhikṣus, free from greed, hatred, and delusion, have already been liberated from birth, old age, sickness, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, and distress. Therefore, this verse is well-spoken."

Having spoken this sūtra, the bhikṣus, having heard the Buddha's words, rejoiced and upheld them.