SN 4.18 - SN 4:18 Alms | Piṇḍa Sutta
Translated by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu
Source: https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/SN/SN4_18.html
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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.
Attribution: From Handful of Leaves, Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu; https://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/Ebooks/SuttaPitaka_251113.epub. 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.
Publisher references (not part of the sutta): See also: SN 4:13; Ud 2:6–7; Thag 5:8; Thag 6:2; Thag 18
Changes: Presentation only: original HTML markup reflowed into plain text; wording, numbering and source repetitions retained. No repetitions expanded.
Completeness: ABBREVIATED. Every source-unit character is preserved, including introductions, notes and verse structure. Thanissaro's collection-level note explicitly states that repetitions were cut: https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/about.html. This is evidence about the translation method, not an assertion that every individual unit contains an omission; no repetitions reconstructed.

Alms
 Piṇḍa Sutta (SN 4:18)

On one occasion the Blessed One was staying among the Magadhans near the brahman village of Pañcasālā. And on that occasion there were young people’s presents (being given) in Pañcasālā. Then early in the morning, the Blessed One, having adjusted his under robe and carrying his bowl & outer robe, went into Pañcasālā for alms. And at that time Māra, the Evil One, had taken possession of the brahman householders of Pañcasālā [with the thought,] “Don’t let Gotama the contemplative get alms.” Then the Blessed One left Pañcasālā with his bowl as clean as it had been when he entered.

Then Māra the Evil One went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, said to him, “Did you get any alms, contemplative?”

“So was it you, Evil One, who arranged that I didn’t get alms?”

“In that case, lord, let the Blessed One go into Pañcasālā a second time. I’ll arrange that you get alms.”1

The Buddha:
“You’ve produced demerit, Evil One,
insulting the Tathāgata.

How very happily we live,
we who have nothing.
We will feed on rapture
like the Radiant devas.”2

Then Māra the Evil One—sad & dejected at realizing, “The Blessed One knows me; the One Well-gone knows me”—vanished right there.

Notes

1. According to the Commentary, this was a false promise. Māra planned to arrange again that the Buddha wouldn’t get food, but instead would “get” the ridicule of the village youths.

2. This second verse = Dhp 200.