Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Savatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anathapiṇḍika’s Park. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus!”

“Venerable sir!” those bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:

“Bhikkhus, once in the past the asuras marched against the devas. Then Sakka, lord of the devas, addressed Suvīra, a young deva, thus: ‘Dear Suvīra, these asuras are marching against the devas. Go, dear Suvīra, launch a counter-march against the asuras.’—‘Yes, your lordship,’ Suvīra replied, but he became negligent. A second time Sakka addressed Suvīra … … but a second time Suvīra became negligent. A third time Sakka addressed Suvīra … but a third time Suvīra became negligent. Then, bhikkhus, Sakka addressed Suvīra in verse:

“‘Where one need not toil and strive
Yet still may attain to bliss:
Go there, Suvīra,
And take me along with you.’

Suvīra:

“‘That a lazy man who does not toil
Nor attend to his duties
Might still have all desires fulfilled:
Grant me that, Sakka, as a boon.’

Sakka:

“‘Where a lazy man who does not toil
Might achieve unending bliss:
Go there, Suvīra,
And take me along with you.’

Suvīra:

“‘The bliss, supreme deva, we might find
Without doing work, O Sakka,
The sorrowless state without despair:
Grant me that, Sakka, as a boon.’

Sakka:

“‘If there exists any place anywhere
Where without work one won’t decline,
That is indeed Nibbāna’s path:
Go there, Suvīra,
And take me along with you.’

“So, bhikkhus, if Sakka, lord of the devas, subsisting on the fruit of his own merit, exercising supreme sovereignty and rulership over the Tavatiṃsa devas, will be one who speaks in praise of initiative and energy, then how much more would it be fitting here for you, who have gone forth in such a well-expounded Dhamma and Discipline, to toil, struggle, and strive for the attainment of the as-yet-unattained, for the achievement of the as-yet-unachieved, for the realization of the as-yet-unrealized.”