sūrya-sūtra
Sutra of Surya
With faith I praise the Three Noble Jewels!
So I heard once.
The Blessed one was in the garden of Anathapindada in the Jethavana grove of Shravasti. At that time Surya, son of the god, was seized by Rahula, lord of the asuras. Then Surya, son of the god, remembered the Blessed One and pleaded with the following verses:
I bow before the Enlightened One, the hero!
[You] quickly deliver all!
So I come to you for protection,
for I have fallen into the jaws!
Then the Blessed One, for the sake of Surya, son of the god, said the following verses to Rahula, lord of the asuras:
Since the Enlightened One loves the universe,
Surya has come under the protection of the arhat, the Tathagata!
Therefore let Surya go, Rahula!
The light of Surya will dispel the darkness!
[His] perfect radiance possesses a circle of mighty splendor!
Do not conceal, Rahula, Surya of heaven!
Rahule, release this Surya!
Then Rahula, the lord of the asuras, released Surya, the son of the god. When he did so, and everything was as before, the asura lord Bimlachihra came to him. As he approached, his mind became unhappy and his hair stood up in sorrow. He stood before him.
And standing before him, said the following verses Lord of the asuras Bimlachihra to Rahula, lord of the asuras:
Why are you afraid?
You, Rahule, hast let go of Surya, whose
The sight of his body is bad everywhere!
Why, being afraid, didst thou come to that?
Rahula said:
If having heard the verses of the Enlightened One,
I did not let go of the Surya,
my head would be in seven pieces,
there would be no happiness in life!
Thus concludes the sutra of the Surya.
In the presence of the great sage Anandashri, the translator who has heard much, bhikshu Shakya Nyima Gyaltshen Palzangpo translated and corrected what was said in two languages at the great temple of Paltharpa Ling.
May the Sun and the Moon be above the earth accordingly.
Translated by lama Karma Paljor (O. Filippov).