Linked Discourses
3. Chapter Three

The Sambari Sorcery

Saṁyutta Nikāya
3. Tatiyavagga
Sambarimāyāsutta
Linked Discourses
3. Chapter Three
The Sambari Sorcery
Saṁyutta Nikāya
3. Tatiyavagga
Sambarimāyāsutta

When Vepacitti fell ill, Sakka visited his old adversary, who begged to be cured. But Sakka demanded to be taught a powerful magic spell first.

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At Sāvatthī.

Sāvatthiyaṁ …pe…

At Sāvatthī.
Sāvatthiyaṁ …pe…

At Sāvatthī. Sāvatthiyaṁ …pe…

The BuddhaBuddhaEl nombre dado a quien redescubre por sí mismo el sendero liberador del Dhamma, tras un largo período de haber sido olvidado por el mundo. Según la tradición, una larga línea de Buddhas se extiende hasta el pasado distante. El Buddha más reciente nació como Siddhattha Gotama en la India alrededor del año 500 a.e.c. Un joven bien educado y acomodado, renunció a su familia y su herencia principesca en la flor de la vida para buscar la verdadera libertad y el fin del sufrimiento (dukkha). Después de siete años de austeridades en el bosque, redescubrió el «camino medio» y alcanzó su meta, convirtiéndose en el Buddha.Ver en el glosario said this:

bhagavā etadavoca:

The BuddhaBuddhaEl nombre dado a quien redescubre por sí mismo el sendero liberador del Dhamma, tras un largo período de haber sido olvidado por el mundo. Según la tradición, una larga línea de Buddhas se extiende hasta el pasado distante. El Buddha más reciente nació como Siddhattha Gotama en la India alrededor del año 500 a.e.c. Un joven bien educado y acomodado, renunció a su familia y su herencia principesca en la flor de la vida para buscar la verdadera libertad y el fin del sufrimiento (dukkha). Después de siete años de austeridades en el bosque, redescubrió el «camino medio» y alcanzó su meta, convirtiéndose en el Buddha.Ver en el glosario said this:
bhagavā etadavoca:

The BuddhaBuddhaEl nombre dado a quien redescubre por sí mismo el sendero liberador del Dhamma, tras un largo período de haber sido olvidado por el mundo. Según la tradición, una larga línea de Buddhas se extiende hasta el pasado distante. El Buddha más reciente nació como Siddhattha Gotama en la India alrededor del año 500 a.e.c. Un joven bien educado y acomodado, renunció a su familia y su herencia principesca en la flor de la vida para buscar la verdadera libertad y el fin del sufrimiento (dukkha). Después de siete años de austeridades en el bosque, redescubrió el «camino medio» y alcanzó su meta, convirtiéndose en el Buddha.Ver en el glosario said this: bhagavā etadavoca:

“Once upon a time, mendicants, Vepacitti, lord of titans, was sick, suffering, gravely ill. So Sakka went to see him to ask after his illness.

“bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo ābādhiko ahosi dukkhito bāḷhagilāno. Atha kho, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo yena vepacitti asurindo tenupasaṅkami gilānapucchako.

“Once upon a time, mendicants, Vepacitti, lord of titans, was sick, suffering, gravely ill.
“bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo ābādhiko ahosi dukkhito bāḷhagilāno.
So Sakka went to see him to ask after his illness.
Atha kho, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo yena vepacitti asurindo tenupasaṅkami gilānapucchako.

“Once upon a time, mendicants, Vepacitti, lord of titans, was sick, suffering, gravely ill. “bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo ābādhiko ahosi dukkhito bāḷhagilāno. So Sakka went to see him to ask after his illness. Atha kho, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo yena vepacitti asurindo tenupasaṅkami gilānapucchako.

Vepacitti saw Sakka coming off in the distance, and said to him, ‘Heal me, lord of gods!’*Such a tender and caring relationship between these erstwhile enemies.

Addasā kho, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ. Disvāna sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ etadavoca: ‘tikiccha maṁ, devānamindā’ti.

Vepacitti saw Sakka coming off in the distance,
Addasā kho, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ.
and said to him,
Disvāna sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ etadavoca:
‘Heal me, lord of gods!’*Such a tender and caring relationship between these erstwhile enemies.
‘tikiccha maṁ, devānamindā’ti.

Vepacitti saw Sakka coming off in the distance, Addasā kho, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ. and said to him, Disvāna sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ etadavoca: ‘Heal me, lord of gods!’*Such a tender and caring relationship between these erstwhile enemies.‘tikiccha maṁ, devānamindā’ti.

‘Teach me, Vepacitti, the Sambari sorcery.’*Sambara’s magic was legendary: shape-shifting (Śiva Purāṇa 59.19), battle-illusions (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 27, Harivaṁśa 99.27), rains of deadly weapons (Bhāgavata Purāṇa 10.21). None of these, however, suit Sakka’s behavior—he was not the sort to blackmail a mate in time of need. And indeed, there was a benevolent side to Sambara’s power as well. It was said to induce sleep (Arthaśāstra 14.3.19, 14.3.43), which could be a way to ease Vepacitti’s pain. There is also a hint of its medicinal use, since several medicinal herbs are named after it.

‘Vācehi maṁ, vepacitti, sambarimāyan’ti.

‘Teach me, Vepacitti, the Sambari sorcery.’*Sambara’s magic was legendary: shape-shifting (Śiva Purāṇa 59.19), battle-illusions (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 27, Harivaṁśa 99.27), rains of deadly weapons (Bhāgavata Purāṇa 10.21). None of these, however, suit Sakka’s behavior—he was not the sort to blackmail a mate in time of need. And indeed, there was a benevolent side to Sambara’s power as well. It was said to induce sleep (Arthaśāstra 14.3.19, 14.3.43), which could be a way to ease Vepacitti’s pain. There is also a hint of its medicinal use, since several medicinal herbs are named after it.
‘Vācehi maṁ, vepacitti, sambarimāyan’ti.

‘Teach me, Vepacitti, the Sambari sorcery.’*Sambara’s magic was legendary: shape-shifting (Śiva Purāṇa 59.19), battle-illusions (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 27, Harivaṁśa 99.27), rains of deadly weapons (Bhāgavata Purāṇa 10.21). None of these, however, suit Sakka’s behavior—he was not the sort to blackmail a mate in time of need. And indeed, there was a benevolent side to Sambara’s power as well. It was said to induce sleep (Arthaśāstra 14.3.19, 14.3.43), which could be a way to ease Vepacitti’s pain. There is also a hint of its medicinal use, since several medicinal herbs are named after it.‘Vācehi maṁ, vepacitti, sambarimāyan’ti.

‘I can’t do that, good fellow, until I have consulted with the titans.’*Apparently demon society is quite democratic.

‘Na tāvāhaṁ vācemi, yāvāhaṁ, mārisa, asure paṭipucchāmī’ti.

‘I can’t do that, good fellow, until I have consulted with the titans.’*Apparently demon society is quite democratic.
‘Na tāvāhaṁ vācemi, yāvāhaṁ, mārisa, asure paṭipucchāmī’ti.

‘I can’t do that, good fellow, until I have consulted with the titans.’*Apparently demon society is quite democratic.‘Na tāvāhaṁ vācemi, yāvāhaṁ, mārisa, asure paṭipucchāmī’ti.

Then Vepacitti, lord of titans, asked the titans, ‘Good fellows, may I teach the Sambari sorcery to Sakka, lord of gods?’

Atha kho, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo asure paṭipucchi: ‘vācemahaṁ, mārisā, sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ sambarimāyan’ti?

Then Vepacitti, lord of titans, asked the titans,
Atha kho, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo asure paṭipucchi:
‘Good fellows, may I teach the Sambari sorcery to Sakka, lord of gods?’
‘vācemahaṁ, mārisā, sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ sambarimāyan’ti?

Then Vepacitti, lord of titans, asked the titans, Atha kho, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo asure paṭipucchi: ‘Good fellows, may I teach the Sambari sorcery to Sakka, lord of gods?’ ‘vācemahaṁ, mārisā, sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ sambarimāyan’ti?

‘Do not, good fellow, teach the Sambari sorcery to Sakka!’*Understandable, given that it has military applications as well. Magic, like any other power, may be used for good or ill.

‘Mā kho tvaṁ, mārisa, vācesi sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ sambarimāyan’ti.

‘Do not, good fellow, teach the Sambari sorcery to Sakka!’*Understandable, given that it has military applications as well. Magic, like any other power, may be used for good or ill.
‘Mā kho tvaṁ, mārisa, vācesi sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ sambarimāyan’ti.

‘Do not, good fellow, teach the Sambari sorcery to Sakka!’*Understandable, given that it has military applications as well. Magic, like any other power, may be used for good or ill.‘Mā kho tvaṁ, mārisa, vācesi sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ sambarimāyan’ti.

So Vepacitti addressed Sakka in verse:

Atha kho, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

So Vepacitti addressed Sakka in verse:
Atha kho, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

So Vepacitti addressed Sakka in verse: Atha kho, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

‘O Maghavā, O Sakka, king of gods, Sujā’s husband: a sorceror like Sambara falls into the terrible hell for a full century.’”*Powerful magics come at a cost, and are unworthy of the lord of gods.

‘Māyāvī maghavā sakka, devarāja sujampati; Upeti nirayaṁ ghoraṁ, sambarova sataṁ saman’”ti.

‘O Maghavā, O Sakka,
‘Māyāvī maghavā sakka,
king of gods, Sujā’s husband:
devarāja sujampati;
a sorceror like Sambara falls
Upeti nirayaṁ ghoraṁ,
into the terrible hell for a full century.’”*Powerful magics come at a cost, and are unworthy of the lord of gods.
sambarova sataṁ saman’”ti.

‘O Maghavā, O Sakka, ‘Māyāvī maghavā sakka, king of gods, Sujā’s husband: devarāja sujampati; a sorceror like Sambara falls Upeti nirayaṁ ghoraṁ, into the terrible hell for a full century.’”*Powerful magics come at a cost, and are unworthy of the lord of gods.sambarova sataṁ saman’”ti.