1 Thus was heard by me: At one time the Auspicious One was dwelling in Savatthi at Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's Park. At that place the Auspicious One addressed the bhikkhus. "Bhikkhus." "Yes, Bhante" those bhikkhus replied to the Auspicious One. The Auspicious One said this:

2 Once in the past, O bhikkhus, the asuras were advancing against the devas. So then O bhikkhus, Sakka, ruler of the devas, addressed Suvira, son of the devas. “My son Suvira, these asuras are advancing against the devas.
Go, my son Suvira, go out to meet the asuras.” “Yes, your honour.” O bhikkhus, Suvira, son of the devas, having replied to Sakka, ruler of the devas, grew negligent.

3 Also for a second time, O bhikkhus, Sakka, ruler of the devas, addressed Suvira, son of the devas. “My son Suvira, these asuras are advancing against the devas.
Go, my son Suvira, go out to meet the asuras.” “Yes, your honour.” O bhikkhus, Suvira, son of the devas, having also replied to Sakka, ruler of the devas for the second time, grew negligent.

4 Also for a third time, O bhikkhus, Sakka, ruler of the devas, addressed Suvira, son of the devas. “My son Suvira, these asuras are advancing against the devas.
Go, my son Suvira, go out to meet the asuras.” “Yes, your honour.” O bhikkhus, Suvira, son of the devas, having also replied to Sakka, ruler of the devas for the third time, grew negligent.

5 So then, O bhikkhus, Sakka, ruler of the devas, addressed Suvira, son of the devas, in verse:

“Where one attains happiness without putting forth effort,
go there Suvira, and even take me there with you.”

(Suvira:)
“For the lazy one who does not rouse himself,
who does not cause to do that which should be done but succeeds in [attaining] all his desires,
that to me, O Sakka, is the excellent path.”

(Sakka:)
“Where the lazy one who does not rouse himself,
succeeds in [attaining] perpetual happiness,
go there Suvira, and even take me there with you.”

(Suvira:)
That happiness which we might find without work, O Sakka, best of devas,
the sorrowless state, free from grief,
that to me, O Sakka, is the excellent path.”

(sakko:)
“If there exists someone somewhere, who without work, does not decline,
that indeed is nibbana's path.
Go there Suvira, and even take me there with you.”).

6 “Indeed, O bhikkhus, [if] Sakka, ruler of the devas, living off the fruit of his own merits, excercising overlordship and sovereignty over the Tavatimsa devas, will speak in praise of arousing energy and effort, then you here, O bhikkhus, having gone forth in such a well-proclaimed Dhamma and Discipline, must let your energy, exertion and striving shine forth for the attainment of the as-yet-unattained, for the achievement of the as-yet-unachieved, for the realization of the as-yet-unrealized.”

1 evaṃ me sutaṃ: ekaṃ samayaṃ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṃ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi bhikkhavoti. bhadanteti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṃ. bhagavā etadavoca: pts page 216

2 bhutapubbaṃ bhikkhave asurā deve abhiyaṃsu. atha kho bhikkhave sakko devānamindo suvīraṃ devaputtaṃ āmantesi. ete tāta suvīra, asurā deve abhiyanti. gaccha, tāta suvīra, asure paccuyyāhīti. evaṃ bhaddaṃ tavāti kho bhikkhave suvīro devaputto sakkassa devānamindassa paṭissutvā pamādaṃ āpādesi.

3 dutiyampi kho bhikkhave sakko devānamindo suvīraṃ devaputtaṃ āmantesi: ete tāta suvīra, asurā deve abhiyanti. gaccha tāta suvīra, asure paccuyyāhīti. evaṃ bhaddaṃ tavāti kho bhikkhave suvīro devaputto sakkassa devānamindassa paṭissutvā dutiyampi pamādaṃ āpādesi.

4 tatiyampi kho bhikkhave sakko devānamindo suvīraṃ devaputtaṃ āmantesi: ete tāta suvīra, asurā deve abhiyanti. gaccha tāta suvīra, asure paccuyyāhīti. evaṃ bhaddaṃ tavāti kho bhikkhave suvīro devaputto sakkassa devānamindassa paṭissutvā tatiyampi pamādaṃ āpādesi. pts page 217

5 atha kho bhikkhave sakko devānamindo suvīraṃ devaputtaṃ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi: bjt page 386

anuṭṭhahaṃ avāyamaṃ sukhaṃ yatrādhigacchati,
suvīra tattha gacchāhi mañca tattheva pāpayāti.

(suvīro:)
alasassa anuṭṭhātā na ca kiccāni kāraye,
sabbakāmasamiddhassa tamme sakka varaṃ disāti.

(sakko:)
yatthālaso anuṭṭhātā accantaṃ sukhamedhati,
suvīra tattha gacchāhi mañca tattheva pāpayāti.

(suvīro:)
akammunā devaseṭṭha sakka vindemu yaṃ sukhaṃ,
asokaṃ anupāyāsaṃ tamme sakka varaṃ disāti.

(sakko:)
sace atthi akammena koci kvaci na jīyati,
nibbāṇassa hi so maggo suvīra tattha gacchāhi mañca tattheva pāpayāti.

6 so hi nāma bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo sakaṃ puññaphalaṃ upajīvamāno devānaṃ tāvatiṃsānaṃ issariyādhipaccaṃ rajjaṃ kārento uṭṭhānaviriyassa vaṇṇavādī bhavissati. idha kho taṃ bhikkhave sobhetha, yaṃ tumhe evaṃ svākkhāte dhammavinaye pabbajitā samānā uṭṭhaheyyātha ghaṭeyyātha vāyameyyātha appattassa pattiyā anadigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāyāti.