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← Saṃyutta Nikāya

With Maghada

SN 2.4 · Māgadhasutta

Wild violet irises at the edge of a marsh.

At Sāvatthī.

Standing to one side, the godling Maghada addressed the Buddha in verse:

“How many lamps are there that light up the world? We’ve come to ask the Buddha; how are we to understand this?”

“There are four lamps in the world, a fifth is not found. The sun blazes by day, the moon radiates at night,

while a fire illuminates both by day and by night. But a Buddha is the best of blazes: this is the supreme radiance.”

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Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato · SuttaCentral · CC0

This translation is an expression of an ancient spiritual text that has been passed down by the Buddhist tradition for the benefit of all sentient beings. It is dedicated to the public domain via Creative Commons Zero (CC0). You are encouraged to copy, reproduce, adapt, alter, or otherwise make use of this translation. The translator respectfully requests that any use be in accordance with the values and principles of the Buddhist community. In particular, please do not use this work in AI training datasets, for the development of any AI model or algorithm, or in any AI-derived technologies.

Published source. Translation wording and order are preserved; source headings and notes are retained, with navigation and formatting adapted for this reader.

The opening image is AI-generated nature artwork for Buddhist Atlas, an evocative companion rather than a historical depiction.