The Related Suttas Collection 11.9

Chapter One

Seers in the Wilderness

At Sāvatthī.

“Once upon a time, bhikkhus, several seers who were ethical, of good character, settled in leaf huts in a wilderness region.

Then Sakka, lord of gods, and Vepacitti, lord of demons, went to those seers. Vepacitti put on his boots, strapped on his sword, and, carrying a sunshade, entered the hermitage through the main gate. He walked right past those seers, keeping them at a distance.

Sakka took off his boots, gave his sword to others, and, putting down his sunshade, entered the hermitage through a gate he happened upon. He stood downwind of those seers, revering them with joined palms.

Then those seers addressed Sakka in verse:

‘When seers have been long ordained, the odor of their bodies goes with the wind. You’d better leave, O thousand-eyed! The odor of the seers is unclean, king of gods.’

‘When seers have been long ordained, let the odor of their bodies go with the wind. We yearn for this odor, sirs, like a colorful crown of flowers. The gods don’t see it as repulsive.’”