With NāgadattaNāgadattasutta

At one time Venerable Nāgadatta was staying in the land of the Kosalans in a certain forest grove.Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā nāgadatto kosalesu viharati aññatarasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe.

Now at that time Venerable Nāgadatta had been entering the village too early and returning late in the day.Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā nāgadatto atikālena gāmaṁ pavisati, atidivā paṭikkamati. Then the deity haunting that forest had sympathy for Nāgadatta, wanting what’s best for him. So they approached him wanting to stir him up, and recited these verses:Atha kho yā tasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe adhivatthā devatā āyasmato nāgadattassa anukampikā atthakāmā āyasmantaṁ nāgadattaṁ saṁvejetukāmā yenāyasmā nāgadatto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ nāgadattaṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:

“Entering the village too early,“Kāle pavisa nāgadatta, and returning too late in the day,Divā ca āgantvā ativelacārī; Nāgadatta mixes with lay people,Saṁsaṭṭho gahaṭṭhehi, sharing their joys and sorrows.Samānasukhadukkho.

I’m afraid for Nāgadatta; he’s reckless,Bhāyāmi nāgadattaṁ suppagabbhaṁ, shackled to families.Kulesu vinibaddhaṁ; May he not come under the King of Death’s power,Mā heva maccurañño balavato, under the sway of the terminator!”Antakassa vasaṁ upesī”ti.

Impelled by that deity, Venerable Nāgadatta was struck with a sense of urgency.Atha kho āyasmā nāgadatto tāya devatāya saṁvejito saṁvegamāpādīti.