1At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.

Now, at that time the nun Sukkā was teaching Dhamma, surrounded by a large assembly. Then a native spirit was so devoted to Sukkā that he went street to street and square to square, and on that occasion recited these verses:

2“What’s up with these people in Rājagaha?
They sleep like they’ve been drinking mead!
They don’t attend on Sukkā
as she’s teaching the deathless state.

3But the wise—
it’s as if they drink it up,
so irresistible, delicious, and nutritious,
like travelers enjoying a cool cloud.”

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe vihārati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.

Tena kho pana samayena sukkā bhikkhunī mahatiyā parisāya parivutā dhammaṁ deseti. Atha kho sukkāya bhikkhuniyā abhippasanno yakkho rājagahe rathikāya rathikaṁ siṅghāṭakena siṅghāṭakaṁ upasaṅkamitvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imā gāthāyo abhāsi: 

2"Kiṁ me katā rājagahe manussā,
Madhupītāva seyare;
Ye sukkaṁ na payirupāsanti,
Desentiṁ amataṁ padaṁ.

3Tañca pana appaṭivānīyaṁ,
Asecanakamojavaṁ;
Pivanti maññe sappaññā,
Valāhakamiva panthagū"ti.