For a general introduction to all thirteen late-translated sūtras, see the 84000 Knowledge Base article on the thirteen late-translated sūtras.
Pema Yeshe De (2023), trans., The Sūtra of the Sun, Toh 41 (84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha).
Pema Yeshe De (2023), trans., The Sūtra of the Moon (2), Toh 331 (84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha).
See the introduction to the Sūtra of the Moon (2) (Toh 331). The colophon of the Sūtra of the Moon (1) (Toh 42) in the Narthang, Stok Palace, Ulaanbaatar, and Shey versions acknowledge the existence of The Sūtra of the Moon (2): “There is also an early translation.”
These include the Egoo, Stagrimo, Stongde, and Bardan collections. For information on differences in its location in the various Kangyur collections, see the Knowledge Base article on the thirteen late-translated sūtras; see also Skilling 1993, pp. 73–78.
This is one of the editions we used for the Pali text, the other being the Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka Buddhavasse 2500 available at SuttaCentral.
Wilhelm Geiger’s German translation is available on SuttaCentral: https://legacy.suttacentral.net/de/sn2.9.
This translation is also available on SuttaCentral: https://suttacentral.net/sn2.9/en/sujato.
The Paritta collection gives the setting in full, as does the Tibetan, but it is abbreviated as sāvatthinidānaṃ in the SN. The setting of Toh 331 is on the bank of the Traveler Pond in the country of Campā.
The Pali omits “taking to heart.” Alternatively, it is possible that the Tibetan phrase bcom ldan ’das rjes su dran pa yid la byas is an attempt to translate the Pali bhagavantam anussaramāno and might be rendered “bringing to mind the remembrance of the Blessed One.”
The Pali reads sambādhapaṭipannosmi, tassa me saraṇaṃ bhavā”ti (“I have entered confinement, be my refuge!”). Though the Tibetan translation bdag ’di’i kha ru bcug pas na/ /bdag ni khyed la skyabs su mchi, the first part of which seems to say, “As I have entered the mouth of it,” seems distant at first, upon reflection it conveys the meaning of the Pali well.
Here translated with reference to the Pali taramānarūpo yena vepacitti asurindo tenupasaṅkami. The Tibetan phrase sngar gyi gzugs bzhin du corresponds to the Pali taramānarūpo, which “hurriedly.”
The Pali has kiṃ nu santaramānova, rāhu candaṃ pamuñcasi, saṃviggarūpo āgamma, kiṃ nu bhītova tiṭṭhasī”ti (“Why did you, Rāhu, in a hurry, release the moon? After having approached, moved by fear, why are you standing here so scared?”).
Narthang, Stok Palace, Lhasa, and Bardan here add: paNDi ta chen po A nanda shrI’i zhal snga nas/ mang du thos pa’i lo tsA ba shAkya’i dge slong nyi ma rgyal mtshan dpal bzang pos skad gnyis smra ba rnams kyi gdan sa/ gtsug lag khang chen po dpal thar pa gling du bsgyur cing zhus te gtan la phab pa’o (“Translated, edited, and finalized by the great paṇḍita Ānandaśrī and the learned translator, Śākya monk, Nyima Gyaltsen Palsangpo at the seat of translators, the great monastery, the glorious Tharpa Ling”). Narthang, Stok Palace, and Lhasa proceed with the aspiration: sa’i steng du nyi ma dang / zla ba ltar gyur cig (“May the sun and moon transform above the earth in the same way”). Narthang and Stok Palace add: sngar ’gyur yang yod (“There is also an early translation”).
A paṇḍita from Ceylon, who was active as a translator in Tibet in the early part of the fourteenth century.
A type of nonhuman being whose precise status is subject to different views, but is included as one of the six classes of beings in the sixfold classification of realms of rebirth. In the Buddhist context, asuras are powerful beings said to be dominated by envy, ambition, and hostility. They are also known in the pre-Buddhist and pre-Vedic mythologies of India and Iran, and feature prominently in Vedic and post-Vedic Brahmanical mythology, as well as in the Buddhist tradition. In these traditions, asuras are often described as being engaged in interminable conflict with the devas (gods).
A lord of the asuras; son of Virocana.
In Buddhist literature, this is an epithet applied to buddhas, most often to Śākyamuni. The Sanskrit term generally means “possessing fortune,” but in specifically Buddhist contexts it implies that a buddha is in possession of six auspicious qualities (bhaga) associated with complete awakening. The Tibetan term—where bcom is said to refer to “subduing” the four māras, ldan to “possessing” the great qualities of buddhahood, and ’das to “going beyond” saṃsāra and nirvāṇa—possibly reflects the commentarial tradition where the Sanskrit bhagavat is interpreted, in addition, as “one who destroys the four māras.” This is achieved either by reading bhagavat as bhagnavat (“one who broke”), or by tracing the word bhaga to the root √bhañj (“to break”).
A fully realized (“awakened”) being.
A city in ancient India, located on the Campā River. It was the capital of the Aṅga state, which was located east of Magadha.
The god of the moon; the moon.
Lit. “son of a god.” A class of beings in the higher planes of existence in the desire realm, as well as in the form and formless realms.
Also translated as “bliss.”
One of the first Buddhist monasteries, located in a park outside Śrāvastī, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Kośala in northern India. This park was originally owned by Prince Jeta, hence the name Jetavana, meaning Jeta’s grove. The wealthy merchant Anāthapiṇḍada, wishing to offer it to the Buddha, sought to buy it from him, but the prince, not wishing to sell, said he would only do so if Anāthapiṇḍada covered the entire property with gold coins. Anāthapiṇḍada agreed, and managed to cover all of the park except the entrance, hence the name Anāthapiṇḍadasyārāmaḥ, meaning Anāthapiṇḍada’s park. The place is usually referred to in the sūtras as “Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s park,” and according to the Saṃghabhedavastu the Buddha used Prince Jeta’s name in first place because that was Prince Jeta’s own unspoken wish while Anāthapiṇḍada was offering the park. Inspired by the occasion and the Buddha’s use of his name, Prince Jeta then offered the rest of the property and had an entrance gate built. The Buddha specifically instructed those who recite the sūtras to use Prince Jeta’s name in first place to commemorate the mutual effort of both benefactors.
Anāthapiṇḍada built residences for the monks, to house them during the monsoon season, thus creating the first Buddhist monastery. It was one of the Buddha’s main residences, where he spent around nineteen rainy season retreats, and it was therefore the setting for many of the Buddha’s discourses and events. According to the travel accounts of Chinese monks, it was still in use as a Buddhist monastery in the early fifth century ᴄᴇ, but by the sixth century it had been reduced to ruins.
Also known as “the translator from Tharpa Ling,” he was a Tibetan who translated several Kangyur texts, working mainly with Indian and Nepalese paṇḍitas. He was also one of the teachers of the famous scholar Butön Rinchen Drup (1290–1364).
A lord of the asuras who seizes the sun and moon, and causes eclipses.
During the life of the Buddha, Śrāvastī was the capital city of the powerful kingdom of Kośala, ruled by King Prasenajit, who became a follower and patron of the Buddha. It was also the hometown of Anāthapiṇḍada, the wealthy patron who first invited the Buddha there, and then offered him a park known as Jetavana, Prince Jeta’s Grove, which became one of the first Buddhist monasteries. The Buddha is said to have spent about twenty-five rainy seasons with his disciples in Śrāvastī, thus it is named as the setting of numerous events and teachings. It is located in present-day Uttar Pradesh in northern India.
A frequently used synonym for buddha. According to different explanations, it can be read as tathā-gata, literally meaning “one who has thus gone,” or as tathā-āgata, “one who has thus come.” Gata, though literally meaning “gone,” is a past passive participle used to describe a state or condition of existence. Tatha(tā), often rendered as “suchness” or “thusness,” is the quality or condition of things as they really are, which cannot be conveyed in conceptual, dualistic terms. Therefore, this epithet is interpreted in different ways, but in general it implies one who has departed in the wake of the buddhas of the past, or one who has manifested the supreme awakening dependent on the reality that does not abide in the two extremes of existence and quiescence. It is also often used as a specific epithet of the Buddha Śākyamuni.
The Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha—the three objects of Buddhist refuge.
A lord of the asuras.
One who has achieved the fourth and final level of attainment on the hearer’s path and who has attained liberation from saṃsāra with the cessation of all defilements. Also used as an epithet of the buddhas.
zla ba’i mdo (Candrasūtra). Toh 42, Degé Kangyur vol. 34 (sher phyin, ka), folios 282.b–283.a.
zla ba’i mdo. bka’ ’gyur (dpe bsdur ma) [Comparative Edition of the Kangyur], krung go’i bod rig pa zhib ’jug ste gnas kyi bka’ bstan dpe sdur khang (The Tibetan Tripitaka Collation Bureau of the China Tibetology Research Center). 108 volumes. Beijing: krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang (China Tibetology Publishing House), 2006–9, vol. 34, pp. 836–39.
zla ba’i mdo. Stok Palace Kangyur vol. 87 (mdo, chi), folios 216.a–217.a.
Butön Rinchen Drup (bu ston rin chen grub). chos kyi ’byung gnas gsung rab rin po che’i gter mdzod. In: gsung ’bum (zhol par ma/ ldi lir bskyar par brgyab pa), vol 24 (ya), pp. 633–1055. New Delhi: International Academy of Indian Culture, 1965–71.
Candimasutta. Pali Canon, Saṃyutta Nikāya 2.9. Texts in Pali on SuttaCentral. For translations, see Bhikkhu Sujato, The Moon.
Sūryasutta. Pali Canon, Saṃyutta Nikāya 2.10. Texts in Pali on SuttaCentral. For translations, see Bhikkhu Sujato, The Sun.
Bhikkhu Sujato, trans. The Moon (English translation of Candimasutta). SuttaCentral, 2016–18.
Bhikkhu Sujato, trans. The Sun (English translation of the Sūryasutta). SuttaCentral, 2016–18.
Dharmachakra Translation Committee, trans. (2016). Destroyer of the Great Trichiliocosm (Mahāsāhasrapramardanī, Toh 558). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
Bhikkhu Sujato, trans. (2020a). The Application of Mindfulness of the Sacred Dharma (Saddharmasmṛtyupasthāna, Toh 287). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
Bhikkhu Sujato, trans. (2013). The Play in Full (Lalitavistara, Toh 95). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
Bhikkhu Sujato, trans. (2020b). The Root Manual of the Rites of Mañjuśrī (Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa, Toh 543). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
Feer, Léon (1883). Fragments extraits du Kandjour. Annales du Musée Guimet 5. Paris.
Feer, Léon (1865). La Légende de Rahu chez les bramanes et les buddhistes. Paris: Duprat.
Geiger, Wilhelm. Die in Gruppen geordnete Sammlung aus dem Pāli-Kanon der Buddhisten zum ersten Mal ins Deutsche übertragen. München-Neubiberg: Oskar Schloss, 1930.
Grimblot, Paul and Léon Feer. “Extraits du Paritta.” Journal Asiatique 67 (1871): 225–335.
Jamspal, Lozang and Kaia Tara Fischer, trans. The Hundred Deeds (Karmaśataka, Toh 340). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2020.
Pema Yeshé Dé Translation Team, trans. (2023). The Sūtra of the Sun. (Sūryasūtra, Toh 41). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
Pema Yeshé Dé Translation Team, trans. (2023). The Sūtra of the Moon (2). (Candrasūtra, Toh 331). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
Rhys Davids, Caroline A. F. The Book of the kindred sayings (Samyutta-nikāya) or grouped suttas. Pali Text Society Translation Series 7. London: The Pali Text Society, 1950.
Roberts, Peter Alan, trans. The White Lotus of the Good Dharma (Saddharmapuṇḍarīka, Toh 113). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2018.
Skilling, Peter. “Theravādin Literature in Tibetan Translation.” Journal of the Pāli Text Society 19, (1993): 69–201.
Waldschmidt, Ernst. “Buddha Frees the Disc of the Moon (Candrasūtra).” Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies 33 (1970): 179–83.
Wille, Klaus. “Neue Fragmente des Candrasūtra.” In Bauddhasāhityastabakāvalī, Essays and Studies on Buddhist Sanskrit Literature dedicated to Claus Vogel by Colleagues, Students, and Friends, edited by D. Dimitrov, M. Hahn, and R. Steiner, 339–51. Indica et Tibetica 36. Marburg: Indica et Tibetica Verlag, 2008.
Zieme, Peter. “Verse des Candrasūtra nach chinesisch-uigurischen Bilinguen.” Türk Dilleri Araştırmaları 10 (2000): 65–80.
The Sūtra of the Moon (1) is a short discourse providing a Buddhist account of a lunar eclipse. On one occasion while the Buddha is residing in Śrāvastī, the moon is seized by Rāhu, lord of the asuras, which causes an eclipse. The god of the moon asks the Buddha for refuge, after which the Buddha urges Rāhu to release the moon. When questioned by Vemacitra, another lord of the asuras, Rāhu explains that if he had not let the moon go, his head would have split into seven pieces. This sūtra enjoys some popularity today and appears in Tibetan collections of mantras and texts for protection.
This sūtra was translated by Giuliano Proença, who also prepared the introduction, the glossary, and the notes. The English translation and ancillary materials were proofread by Daniela Espíndola.
The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
The Sūtra of the Moon (1) is a short discourse set in Śrāvastī that presents a Buddhist account of a lunar eclipse. It describes the asura king Rāhu seizing the moon and the Buddha calling for its release. When the eclipse begins, the god of the moon asks the Buddha for refuge, prompting the Buddha to demand that Rāhu let the moon go. When questioned by the asura Vemacitra, Rāhu explains that if he had not released the moon, his head would have split into seven pieces.
The Sūtra of the Moon (1) is a Tibetan translation of a canonical Theravāda text and thus was probably translated from Pali. It belongs to a group of thirteen late-translated sūtras (gsar du ’gyur ba), as noted in Butön Rinchen Drup’s History of Buddhism and in the Lithang, Degé, and Urga Kangyurs. One of these sūtras, The Sūtra of the Sun (Toh 41), presents an almost identical narrative concerning a solar eclipse. It features one additional verse not found in The Sūtra of the Moon (1), and the same is true of the Pali counterparts of these two texts. The equivalent of The Sūtra of the Moon in the Pali canon, the Candimasutta, is included in the Saṃyutta Nikāya (SN 2.9). Except for some words and one short phrase, the Tibetan and Pali are very similar.
There is another text in the Kangyur titled The Sūtra of the Moon (2) (Toh 331), which was translated from Sanskrit in the time of the early diffusion (eighth–ninth centuries). This text has Sanskrit, Chinese, and Old Uyghur parallels. It shares much of the same content as the sūtra translated here, but it differs in its wording, the number of verses and passages of its prose, its setting, and the characters depicted.
The Sūtra of the Moon (1) and The Sūtra of the Sun are popular among Tibetans today, appearing in Tibetan collections of mantras and protective texts. In the Theravāda tradition, they are included in Paritta collections, which have the function of providing protection through recitation.
Peter Skilling dates the translation of the thirteen late-translated sūtras to the first decade of the fourteenth century. The Sūtra of the Moon (1) is found in the Kangyurs of the Tshalpa, the Thempangma, and the mixed lines, as well as in some canonical collections from Western Tibet.
The colophons of all versions of the Tshalpa line only indicate the conclusion of the sūtra, while the other collections mention the translators and the place where they worked: Ānandaśrī and Tharpa Lotsāwa Nyima Gyaltsen Palsangpo at the monastery of Tharpa Ling in Central Tibet.
Ānandaśrī is described in the colophon of the Āryamaitrīsūtra, which he also translated together with Künga Gyaltsen Thupten Palsangpo, as a prominent paṇḍita from Sri Lanka, but little is known about how or why he came to be in fourteenth century Tibet or how long he stayed there. Tharpa Lotsāwa, apart from these thirteen sūtras, also translated several other texts that are preserved in the tantra section of the Kangyur, working mainly with Indian and Nepalese paṇḍitas. Notably, he was one of the teachers of Butön Rinchen Drup (1290–1364).
It is interesting to note that this Tibetan translation gives the Sanskrit title Candrasūtra, while its presumed Theravāda source would have had the title Candimasutta. It is possible that the translators and later editors Sanskritized the title in accordance with the translation practices of the time. The title Candrasūtra is not attested in Sanskrit works, but the title Candramaṇḍalasūtra is documented in a Sanskrit fragment from Central Asia that lists different sūtras.
The French Sanskritist and Orientalist Léon Feer studied Buddhist accounts of eclipses, including the legend of Rāhu according to Hindu and Buddhist texts. He translated Daniel John Gogerly’s English translation of the Candimasutta into French and produced his own French translations of Toh 42 and Toh 331. His notes are detailed and rich in explanations. He also finalized and published the unfinished work of Paul Grimblot on some paritta texts, presenting the Pali equivalent to Toh 42, excerpts of its commentary in the Aṭṭhakathā, and its translation into French.
Peter Skilling has studied the thirteen late-translated sūtras (Toh 31–43) in detail, examining the location of these texts in the Kangyur, and their colophons, contents, translators, and possible original language. He notes parallels, dates the translations, and reviews scholarship on these works.
Feer translated Toh 42 from Tibetan into French in 1865. However, there are many translations from Pali. There is Feer’s translation into French (1871), Wilhelm Geiger’s translation into German (1930), Rhys Davids’ translation into English (1950), and a recent translation into English by Bhikkhu Sujato (2018).
Our translation is based on the Tibetan text as found in the sūtra section of the Degé Kangyur, but we note variant readings from the witnesses of the Comparative Edition (dpe bsdur ma), the Stok Palace Kangyur, and the Bardan Collection. In addition, we have compared the Pali with the Tibetan and noted cases where the Pali presents different readings. We occasionally refer to Toh 331 and its Sanskrit parallel.
Our translation benefited from Feer’s notes on Toh 42 and Toh 331, as well as from his translations. We also consulted Geiger’s translation of the Pali Candimasutta into German, and Sujato’s translation into English.
Respectful homage to the noble Three Jewels!
Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was dwelling in Śrāvastī, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park. At that time the god Candramas was seized by Rāhu, lord of the asuras. Then the god Candramas, recollecting and taking the Blessed One to heart, recited this verse:
Then the Blessed One, for the sake of the god Candramas, addressed Rāhu, lord of the asuras, with this verse:
Thereupon Rāhu, lord of the asuras, set the god Candramas free and hurriedly approached Vemacitra, lord of the asuras. He then sat to one side, displeased, agitated, and with all his body hairs bristling. Vemacitra, lord of the asuras, now questioned Rāhu, lord of the asuras, in verse:
Rāhu replied:
This concludes “The Sūtra of the Moon.”
The Sūtra of the Moon (1) is a short discourse providing a Buddhist account of a lunar eclipse. On one occasion while the Buddha is residing in Śrāvastī, the moon is seized by Rāhu, lord of the asuras, which causes an eclipse. The god of the moon asks the Buddha for refuge, after which the Buddha urges Rāhu to release the moon. When questioned by Vemacitra, another lord of the asuras, Rāhu explains that if he had not let the moon go, his head would have split into seven pieces. This sūtra enjoys some popularity today and appears in Tibetan collections of mantras and texts for protection.
This sūtra was translated by Giuliano Proença, who also prepared the introduction, the glossary, and the notes. The English translation and ancillary materials were proofread by Daniela Espíndola.
The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
The Sūtra of the Moon (1) is a short discourse set in Śrāvastī that presents a Buddhist account of a lunar eclipse. It describes the asura king Rāhu seizing the moon and the Buddha calling for its release. When the eclipse begins, the god of the moon asks the Buddha for refuge, prompting the Buddha to demand that Rāhu let the moon go. When questioned by the asura Vemacitra, Rāhu explains that if he had not released the moon, his head would have split into seven pieces.
The Sūtra of the Moon (1) is a Tibetan translation of a canonical Theravāda text and thus was probably translated from Pali. It belongs to a group of thirteen late-translated sūtras (gsar du ’gyur ba), as noted in Butön Rinchen Drup’s History of Buddhism and in the Lithang, Degé, and Urga Kangyurs. One of these sūtras, The Sūtra of the Sun (Toh 41), presents an almost identical narrative concerning a solar eclipse. It features one additional verse not found in The Sūtra of the Moon (1), and the same is true of the Pali counterparts of these two texts. The equivalent of The Sūtra of the Moon in the Pali canon, the Candimasutta, is included in the Saṃyutta Nikāya (SN 2.9). Except for some words and one short phrase, the Tibetan and Pali are very similar.
There is another text in the Kangyur titled The Sūtra of the Moon (2) (Toh 331), which was translated from Sanskrit in the time of the early diffusion (eighth–ninth centuries). This text has Sanskrit, Chinese, and Old Uyghur parallels. It shares much of the same content as the sūtra translated here, but it differs in its wording, the number of verses and passages of its prose, its setting, and the characters depicted.
The Sūtra of the Moon (1) and The Sūtra of the Sun are popular among Tibetans today, appearing in Tibetan collections of mantras and protective texts. In the Theravāda tradition, they are included in Paritta collections, which have the function of providing protection through recitation.
Peter Skilling dates the translation of the thirteen late-translated sūtras to the first decade of the fourteenth century. The Sūtra of the Moon (1) is found in the Kangyurs of the Tshalpa, the Thempangma, and the mixed lines, as well as in some canonical collections from Western Tibet.
The colophons of all versions of the Tshalpa line only indicate the conclusion of the sūtra, while the other collections mention the translators and the place where they worked: Ānandaśrī and Tharpa Lotsāwa Nyima Gyaltsen Palsangpo at the monastery of Tharpa Ling in Central Tibet.
Ānandaśrī is described in the colophon of the Āryamaitrīsūtra, which he also translated together with Künga Gyaltsen Thupten Palsangpo, as a prominent paṇḍita from Sri Lanka, but little is known about how or why he came to be in fourteenth century Tibet or how long he stayed there. Tharpa Lotsāwa, apart from these thirteen sūtras, also translated several other texts that are preserved in the tantra section of the Kangyur, working mainly with Indian and Nepalese paṇḍitas. Notably, he was one of the teachers of Butön Rinchen Drup (1290–1364).
It is interesting to note that this Tibetan translation gives the Sanskrit title Candrasūtra, while its presumed Theravāda source would have had the title Candimasutta. It is possible that the translators and later editors Sanskritized the title in accordance with the translation practices of the time. The title Candrasūtra is not attested in Sanskrit works, but the title Candramaṇḍalasūtra is documented in a Sanskrit fragment from Central Asia that lists different sūtras.
The French Sanskritist and Orientalist Léon Feer studied Buddhist accounts of eclipses, including the legend of Rāhu according to Hindu and Buddhist texts. He translated Daniel John Gogerly’s English translation of the Candimasutta into French and produced his own French translations of Toh 42 and Toh 331. His notes are detailed and rich in explanations. He also finalized and published the unfinished work of Paul Grimblot on some paritta texts, presenting the Pali equivalent to Toh 42, excerpts of its commentary in the Aṭṭhakathā, and its translation into French.
Peter Skilling has studied the thirteen late-translated sūtras (Toh 31–43) in detail, examining the location of these texts in the Kangyur, and their colophons, contents, translators, and possible original language. He notes parallels, dates the translations, and reviews scholarship on these works.
Feer translated Toh 42 from Tibetan into French in 1865. However, there are many translations from Pali. There is Feer’s translation into French (1871), Wilhelm Geiger’s translation into German (1930), Rhys Davids’ translation into English (1950), and a recent translation into English by Bhikkhu Sujato (2018).
Our translation is based on the Tibetan text as found in the sūtra section of the Degé Kangyur, but we note variant readings from the witnesses of the Comparative Edition (dpe bsdur ma), the Stok Palace Kangyur, and the Bardan Collection. In addition, we have compared the Pali with the Tibetan and noted cases where the Pali presents different readings. We occasionally refer to Toh 331 and its Sanskrit parallel.
Our translation benefited from Feer’s notes on Toh 42 and Toh 331, as well as from his translations. We also consulted Geiger’s translation of the Pali Candimasutta into German, and Sujato’s translation into English.
Respectful homage to the noble Three Jewels!
Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was dwelling in Śrāvastī, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park. At that time the god Candramas was seized by Rāhu, lord of the asuras. Then the god Candramas, recollecting and taking the Blessed One to heart, recited this verse:
Then the Blessed One, for the sake of the god Candramas, addressed Rāhu, lord of the asuras, with this verse:
Thereupon Rāhu, lord of the asuras, set the god Candramas free and hurriedly approached Vemacitra, lord of the asuras. He then sat to one side, displeased, agitated, and with all his body hairs bristling. Vemacitra, lord of the asuras, now questioned Rāhu, lord of the asuras, in verse:
Rāhu replied:
This concludes “The Sūtra of the Moon.”