King Sivi’s Conduct

“In the city called AriṭṭhaI was the aristocrat named Sivi.Seated in my finest longhouse,I then had the following thought:

“Ariṭṭhasavhaye nagare, sivināmāsi khattiyo; Nisajja pāsādavare, evaṁ cintesahaṁ tadā.

“In the city called Ariṭṭha“Ariṭṭhasavhaye nagare, I was the aristocrat named Sivi.sivināmāsi khattiyo; Seated in my finest longhouse,Nisajja pāsādavare, I then had the following thought:evaṁ cintesahaṁ tadā.

‘Whatever human gifts there are,none may be found that I have not given.Even if someone were to ask for my eye,I would give it without wavering.’

‘Yaṁ kiñci mānusaṁ dānaṁ, adinnaṁ me na vijjati; Yopi yāceyya maṁ cakkhuṁ, dadeyyaṁ avikampito’.

‘Whatever human gifts there are,‘Yaṁ kiñci mānusaṁ dānaṁ, none may be found that I have not given.adinnaṁ me na vijjati; Even if someone were to ask for my eye,Yopi yāceyya maṁ cakkhuṁ, I would give it without wavering.’dadeyyaṁ avikampito’.

Knowing my thoughts,Sakka the lord of gods,sitting in the assembly of godssaid the following.

Mama saṅkappamaññāya, sakko devānamissaro; Nisinno devaparisāya, idaṁ vacanamabravi.

Knowing my thoughts,Mama saṅkappamaññāya, Sakka the lord of gods,sakko devānamissaro; sitting in the assembly of godsNisinno devaparisāya, said the following.idaṁ vacanamabravi.

‘Seated in his finest longhouse,the mighty King Siviis thinking of manifold giftsand cannot see any he would not give.

‘Nisajja pāsādavare, sivirājā mahiddhiko; Cintento vividhaṁ dānaṁ, adeyyaṁ so na passati.

‘Seated in his finest longhouse,‘Nisajja pāsādavare, the mighty King Sivisivirājā mahiddhiko; is thinking of manifold giftsCintento vividhaṁ dānaṁ, and cannot see any he would not give.adeyyaṁ so na passati.

Is this true or not?Come, let us test him.Wait a whileuntil I know his mind.’

Tathaṁ nu vitathaṁ netaṁ, handa vīmaṁsayāmi taṁ; Muhuttaṁ āgameyyātha, yāva jānāmi taṁ manaṁ’.

Is this true or not?Tathaṁ nu vitathaṁ netaṁ, Come, let us test him.handa vīmaṁsayāmi taṁ; Wait a whileMuhuttaṁ āgameyyātha, until I know his mind.’yāva jānāmi taṁ manaṁ’.

Appearing as a frail old man,with grey hair and wrinkled skin,feeble and blind,he approached the king.

Pavedhamāno palitasiro, Valigatto jarāturo; *Valigatto → valitagatto (bj, pts-vp-pli1-2)Andhavaṇṇova hutvāna, Rājānaṁ upasaṅkami.

Appearing as a frail old man,Pavedhamāno palitasiro, with grey hair and wrinkled skin,Valigatto jarāturo; *Valigatto → valitagatto (bj, pts-vp-pli1-2)feeble and blind,Andhavaṇṇova hutvāna, he approached the king.Rājānaṁ upasaṅkami.

Then, stretching outhis left and right arms,he raised his cupped palms to his headand said the following.

So tadā paggahetvāna, vāmaṁ dakkhiṇabāhu ca; Sirasmiṁ añjaliṁ katvā, idaṁ vacanamabravi.

Then, stretching outSo tadā paggahetvāna, his left and right arms,vāmaṁ dakkhiṇabāhu ca; he raised his cupped palms to his headSirasmiṁ añjaliṁ katvā, and said the following.idaṁ vacanamabravi.

‘Great king, I have a request for you.Under your just rule the kingdom has flourished,and the renown of your love of givinghas risen among gods and humans.

‘Yācāmi taṁ mahārāja, dhammika raṭṭhavaḍḍhana; Tava dānaratā kitti, uggatā devamānuse.

‘Great king, I have a request for you.‘Yācāmi taṁ mahārāja, Under your just rule the kingdom has flourished,dhammika raṭṭhavaḍḍhana; and the renown of your love of givingTava dānaratā kitti, has risen among gods and humans.uggatā devamānuse.

Both my eyes, by which I find my way,are ruined and become blind.Give me just one eye,while you too get by with one.’

Ubhopi nettā nayanā, andhā upahatā mama; Ekaṁ me nayanaṁ dehi, tvampi ekena yāpaya’.

Both my eyes, by which I find my way,Ubhopi nettā nayanā, are ruined and become blind.andhā upahatā mama; Give me just one eye,Ekaṁ me nayanaṁ dehi, while you too get by with one.’tvampi ekena yāpaya’.

After hearing his wordsI was thrilled, my mind elated,so with cupped palms, inspired,I said the following.

Tassāhaṁ vacanaṁ sutvā, haṭṭho saṁviggamānaso; Katañjalī vedajāto, idaṁ vacanamabraviṁ.

After hearing his wordsTassāhaṁ vacanaṁ sutvā, I was thrilled, my mind elated,haṭṭho saṁviggamānaso; so with cupped palms, inspired,Katañjalī vedajāto, I said the following.idaṁ vacanamabraviṁ.

‘Just now I was reflecting on thiswhen I came here from the longhouse.Understanding my mind,you have come to ask for an eye.

‘Idānāhaṁ cintayitvāna, pāsādato idhāgato; Tvaṁ mama cittamaññāya, nettaṁ yācitumāgato.

‘Just now I was reflecting on this‘Idānāhaṁ cintayitvāna, when I came here from the longhouse.pāsādato idhāgato; Understanding my mind,Tvaṁ mama cittamaññāya, you have come to ask for an eye.nettaṁ yācitumāgato.

Oh! My wish has come true!My intention is fulfilled!Today I shall give to a supplicanta fine gift never before given.’

Aho me mānasaṁ siddhaṁ, saṅkappo paripūrito; Adinnapubbaṁ dānavaraṁ, ajja dassāmi yācake.

Oh! My wish has come true!Aho me mānasaṁ siddhaṁ, My intention is fulfilled!saṅkappo paripūrito; Today I shall give to a supplicantAdinnapubbaṁ dānavaraṁ, a fine gift never before given.’ajja dassāmi yācake.

‘Come Sivaka, stand up,*Commentary says these two verses were spoken by the king’s minister.do not hesitate or waver.Pluck out even both eyesand give them to the supplicant.’

Ehi sivaka uṭṭhehi, mā dandhayi mā pavedhayi; Ubhopi nayanaṁ dehi, uppāṭetvā vaṇibbake’.

‘Come Sivaka, stand up,*Commentary says these two verses were spoken by the king’s minister.Ehi sivaka uṭṭhehi, do not hesitate or waver.mā dandhayi mā pavedhayi; Pluck out even both eyesUbhopi nayanaṁ dehi, and give them to the supplicant.’uppāṭetvā vaṇibbake’.

And then, urged on by me,Sivaka did as I said.Extracting both eyes,he presented them to the trembling supplicant.

Tato so codito mayhaṁ, sivako vacanaṁ karo; Uddharitvāna pādāsi, tālamiñjaṁva yācake.

And then, urged on by me,Tato so codito mayhaṁ, Sivaka did as I said.sivako vacanaṁ karo; Extracting both eyes,Uddharitvāna pādāsi, he presented them to the trembling supplicant.tālamiñjaṁva yācake.

‘While planning to give, while giving,*Both dadamāna and denta are present participles, but the commentary explains dadamāna as infinitive (dātuṁ).and after I had given,my mind did not falter,because it was solely for awakening.

Dadamānassa dentassa, dinnadānassa me sato; Cittassa aññathā natthi, bodhiyāyeva kāraṇā.

‘While planning to give, while giving,*Both dadamāna and denta are present participles, but the commentary explains dadamāna as infinitive (dātuṁ).Dadamānassa dentassa, and after I had given,dinnadānassa me sato; my mind did not falter,Cittassa aññathā natthi, because it was solely for awakening.bodhiyāyeva kāraṇā.

It was not because I disliked my eyes,or that I disliked myself,but because omniscience is precious to me,that is why I gave away my eyes.’”

Na me dessā ubho cakkhū, attā na me na dessiyo; Sabbaññutaṁ piyaṁ mayhaṁ, tasmā cakkhuṁ adāsahan”ti.

It was not because I disliked my eyes,Na me dessā ubho cakkhū, or that I disliked myself,attā na me na dessiyo; but because omniscience is precious to me,Sabbaññutaṁ piyaṁ mayhaṁ, that is why I gave away my eyes.’”tasmā cakkhuṁ adāsahan”ti.