Dhammapada 2.7.p2

2.7.p2

Vesāliyañhi mahāli nāma licchavī vasati, so tathāgatassa sakkapañhasuttantadesanaṃ (dī. ni. 2.344 ādayo) sutvā ‘‘sammāsambuddho sakkasampattiṃ mahatiṃ katvā kathesi, ‘disvā nu kho kathesi, udāhu adisvā. Jānāti nu kho sakkaṃ, udāhu no’ti pucchissāmi na’’nti cintesi. Atha kho, mahāli, licchavī yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami, upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṃ abhivādetvā ekamantaṃ nisīdi, ekamantaṃ nisinno kho, mahāli, licchavī bhagavantaṃ etadavoca – ‘‘diṭṭho kho, bhante, bhagavatā sakko devānamindo’’ti? ‘‘Diṭṭho kho me, mahāli, sakko devānamindo’’ti. ‘‘So hi nuna, bhante, sakkapatirūpako bhavissati. Duddaso hi, bhante, sakko devānamindo’’ti. ‘‘Sakkañca khvāhaṃ, mahāli, pajānāmi sakkakaraṇe ca dhamme, yesaṃ dhammānaṃ samādinnattā sakko sakkattaṃ ajjhagā, tañca pajānāmi’’.

For a Licchavi prince named Mahāli, who lived at Vesālī, hearing the Teacher recite the Suttanta entitled Sakka’s Question, thought to himself, “The Supremely Enlightened has described the great glory of Sakka. Has the Teacher seen Sakka? or has he not seen Sakka? Is the Teacher acquainted with Sakka? or is he not acquainted with Sakka? I will ask him.” So the Licchavi prince Mahāli drew near to where the Exalted One was, and having drawn near, saluted the Exalted One and sat down on one side. And having

sat down on one side, the Licchavi prince Mahāli spoke thus to the Exalted One, "Reverend Sir, has the Exalted One seen Sakka king of gods?" "Yes, Mahāli, I have indeed seen Sakka king of gods." "Reverend Sir, it must certainly have been a counterfeit of Sakka; for, Reverend Sir, it is a difficult matter to see Sakka king of gods." "Nevertheless, Mahāli, I know Sakka; I know what qualities made him Sakka; I know by the cultivation of what qualities Sakka attained Sakkaship.