Sakka’s Questions 1.4

1.4.1

Atha kho sakko devānamindo pañcasikhaṃ gandhabbadevaputtaṃ āmantesi:

Then Sakka addressed the centaur Pañcasikha,

1.4.2

“durupasaṅkamā kho, tāta pañcasikha, tathāgatā mādisena, jhāyī jhānaratā, tadantaraṃ paṭisallīnā.

“My dear Pañcasikha, it is hard for one like me to get near the Realized Ones while they are on retreat practicing absorption, enjoying absorption.

1.4.3

Yadi pana tvaṃ, tāta pañcasikha, bhagavantaṃ paṭhamaṃ pasādeyyāsi, tayā, tāta, paṭhamaṃ pasāditaṃ pacchā mayaṃ taṃ bhagavantaṃ dassanāya upasaṅkameyyāma arahantaṃ sammāsambuddhan”ti.

But if you were to charm the Buddha first, then I could go to see him.”

1.4.4

“Evaṃ, bhaddantavā”ti kho pañcasikho gandhabbadevaputto sakkassa devānamindassa paṭissutvā beluvapaṇḍuvīṇaṃ ādāya yena indasālaguhā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā:

“Yes, lord,” replied the centaur Pañcasikha. Taking his arched harp made from the pale timber of wood-apple, he went to Indra’s hill cave. When he had drawn near, he stood to one side, thinking,

1.4.5

“ettāvatā me bhagavā neva atidūre bhavissati nāccāsanne, saddañca me sossatī”ti—

“This is neither too far nor too near; and he’ll hear my voice.”

1.4.6

ekamantaṃ aṭṭhāsi.

1.4.8

Ekamantaṃ ṭhito kho pañcasikho gandhabbadevaputto beluvapaṇḍuvīṇaṃ assāvesi, imā ca gāthā abhāsi buddhūpasañhitā dhammūpasañhitā saṅghūpasañhitā arahantūpasañhitā kāmūpasañhitā:

Standing to one side, Pañcasikha played his arched harp, and sang these verses on the Buddha, the teaching, the Saṅgha, the perfected ones, and sensual love.