82. Joyous Utterances (ITI82)

This was said by the Lord…

“Bhikkhus, among the devas these three joyous utterances are proclaimed from time to time upon certain occasions. What three?

“At the time when a noble disciple, having had his hair and beard shaved off and having clothed himself in the yellow robe, intends going forth from home into homelessness, at that time among the devas the joyous utterance is proclaimed: ‘A noble disciple intends to do battle with Māra.’ This is the first joyous utterance proclaimed among the devas from time to time upon a certain occasion.

“Again, bhikkhus, at the time when a noble disciple lives engaged in cultivating the seven groups of the requisites of enlightenment, at that time among the devas the joyous utterance is proclaimed: ‘A noble disciple is doing battle with Māra.’ This is the second joyous utterance proclaimed among the devas from time to time upon a certain occasion.

“And again, bhikkhus, at the time when a noble disciple, through realization by his own direct knowledge, here and now enters and abides in the mind-release and wisdom-release that is taintless by the destruction of the taints, at that time among the devas the joyous utterance is proclaimed: ‘A noble disciple has won the battle. He was in the forefront of the fight and he now dwells victorious.’ This, bhikkhus, is the third joyous utterance proclaimed among the devas from time to time upon a certain occasion.

“These, bhikkhus, are the three joyous utterances…”

On seeing that he has won the battle,
Even the devas honour him,
The Fully Enlightened One’s disciple,
A great one free from diffidence:

“We salute you, O thoroughbred man,
You who have won a difficult conquest.
Having routed the army of Death,
You are unhindered in liberation.”

Thus do the devas extol him,
The one who has attained the goal,
For they do not perceive in him
Ground for subjection to Death’s control.

Translated from the Pali by John D. Ireland.

Digital Transcription Source: BPS Transcription Project

Extracted from The Udāna & the Itivuttaka, translated and introduced by John D. Ireland. Published in 1997.

The complete book, including introduction and notes by the translator, is available from the Buddhist Publication Society.

ISBN 955–24-0164-X

Copyright © 1997 by John D. Ireland.

This text has been made available by the kind permission of the Buddhist Publication Society. It was released under the following licence terms:

For free distribution. This work may be republished, reformatted, reprinted and redistributed in any medium. However, any such republication and redistribution is to be made available to the public on a free and unrestricted basis, and translations and other derivative works are to be clearly marked as such.

Buddhist Publication Society P.O. Box. 61 54, Sangharaja Mawatha Kandy, Sri Lanka

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Bhikkhu Sujato.