2.25. Jantu

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

ekaṁ samayaṁ sambahulā bhikkhū, kosalesu viharanti himavantapasse araññakuṭikāya uddhatā unnaḷā capalā mukharā vikiṇṇavācā muṭṭhassatino asampajānā asamāhitā vibbhantacittā pākatindriyā.

Atha kho jantu devaputto tadahuposathe pannarase yena te bhikkhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā te bhikkhū gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:

“Sukhajīvino pure āsuṁ,

bhikkhū gotamasāvakā;

Anicchā piṇḍamesanā,

anicchā sayanāsanaṁ;

Loke aniccataṁ ñatvā,

dukkhassantaṁ akaṁsu te.

Dupposaṁ katvā attānaṁ,

gāme gāmaṇikā viya;

Bhutvā bhutvā nipajjanti,

parāgāresu mucchitā.

Saṅghassa añjaliṁ katvā,

idhekacce vadāmahaṁ;

Apaviddhā anāthā te,

yathā petā tatheva te.

Ye kho pamattā viharanti,

te me sandhāya bhāsitaṁ;

Ye appamattā viharanti,

namo tesaṁ karomahan”ti.

So I have heard.

At one time several mendicants were staying in the Kosalan lands, in a wilderness hut on the slopes of the Himalayas. They were restless, insolent, fickle, scurrilous, loose-tongued, unmindful, lacking situational awareness and immersion, with straying minds and undisciplined faculties.

Then on the fifteenth day sabbath the godling Jantu went up to those mendicants and addressed them in verse:

“The mendicants used to live happily,

as disciples of Gotama.

Desireless they sought alms;

desireless they used their lodgings.

Knowing that the world was impermanent

they made an end of suffering.

But now they’ve made themselves hard to look after,

like chiefs in a village.

They eat and eat and then lie down,

passed out in the homes of others.

Having raised my joined palms to the Saṅgha,

I speak here only about certain people.

They’re dregs, with no protector,

just like those who have passed away.

I’m speaking about

those who live negligently.

To those who live diligently

I pay homage.”