SN 2.17 - SN 2:17 Subrahma the Deva’s Son | Subrahma Sutta
Translated by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu
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Copyright: Copyright 2014 Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu, Revised edition 2017
License notice: Copyright 2014 Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu, Revised edition 2017 This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 Unported. To see a copy of this license visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. “Commercial” shall mean any sale, whether for commercial or non-profit purposes or entities. Questions about this book may be addressed to Metta Forest Monastery Valley Center, CA 92082-1409 U.S.A. Additional resources More Dhamma talks, books and translations by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu are available to download in digital audio and various ebook formats at dhammatalks.org. Printed copy A paperback copy of this book is available free of charge. To request one, write to: Book Request, Metta Forest Monastery, PO Box 1409, Valley Center, CA 92082 USA.
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Subrahma the Deva’s Son
 Subrahma Sutta (SN 2:17)

Standing to one side, Subrahma the deva’s son recited this verse to the Blessed One:

“Constantly troubled is this mind,
constantly trembling this heart,
    over duties1 that have yet to arise,
    and those already arisen.
If there is an Untroubled,
    point it out to me, when asked.”

The Buddha:
“Apart from the factors for awakening, austerity,2
apart from sense-faculty restraint,
apart from relinquishing the all,3
    I see no safety
    for living beings.”

That is what the Blessed One said… the deva disappeared right there.

Notes

1. Reading kiccesu with the Thai version. The Burmese version has kicchesu, “troubles.”

2. Reading bojjhaṅga-tapasā with the Thai version. The Burmese version has bojjhā tapasā, “from awakening, from austerity.” The Commentary notes that bojjhaṅga/bojjhā refers to the development of the factors of awakening (see MN 118). Tapasā, it says, refers to undertaking the dhutaṅga practices (see Thag 16:7).

3. On the definition of the all, see SN 35:23.