1On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park. Now on that occasion a certain female lay follower had a son named Sanu who had been possessed by a yakkha. [n.572] The background story, related in Spk, is also found at Dhp-a IV 18–25, which includes the verses as well; see BL 3:207–11. In brief: Sanu was a devout novice who, on reaching maturity, had become dissatisfied with the monk's life and had returned to his mother's house intending to disrobe. His mother, after pleading with him to reconsider his decision, went to prepare a meal for him, and just then a female yakkha—his mother from the previous life, who was also anxious to prevent him from disrobing—took possession of him and threw him down to the ground, where he lay quivering with rolling eyes and foaming mouth. When his present mother returned to the room, she found him in this condition. Then that female lay follower, lamenting, on that occasion recited these verses:

2v.816 "With those who lead the holy life, [n.573] I follow the reading in Be. Ee1 & Ee2 insert another verse here (v. 815 in Ee2), but since this verse seems to be the product of a scribal error I do not translate it. The Be reading is supported by the Dhp-a version. Se reads as in Be, but with ya va in place of ya ca in the second pāda of both the exclamation and the reply. In order to translate in accordance with natural English syntax, I have had to invert lines of the Pali in a way which crosses over the division of verses in the Pali text.
The Uposatha complete in eight factors (aṭṭhasusamagataṁ uposathaṁ): On the Uposatha, see n. 513. Besides the two major Uposathas falling on the full-moon and new-moon days (respectively the fifteenth, and either the fourteenth or fifteenth, of the fortnight), minor Uposathas fall on the half-moon days, the eighths of the fortnight. Lay people observe the Uposatha by taking upon themselves the Eight Precepts (aṭṭhaṅga-sīla), a stricter discipline than the Five Precepts of daily observance. These entail abstaining from: (1) taking life, (2) stealing, (3) all sexual activity, (4) false speech, (5) taking intoxicants, (6) eating past noon, (7) dancing, singing, listening to music, seeing improper shows, and using personal ornaments and cosmetics, and (8) using high and luxurious beds and seats. For more on the Uposatha duties for the laity, see AN IV 248–62.
And during special periods (patihariyapakkhañ ca). Spk explains this as if it meant the days proximate to the Uposatha: "This is said with reference to those who undertake the Uposatha observances on the seventh and ninth of the fortnight too (in addition to the eighth), and who also undertake the practices on the days preceding and following the Uposatha on the fourteenth or fifteenth (the full-moon and new-moon observance days). Further, following the Pavaraṇa day (see n. 513) they observe the Uposatha duties continuously for a fortnight (Spk-pṭ: that is, during the waning fortnight)." Different explanations of the expression patihariyapakkha are given at Mp II 234 and Pj II 378.
Who observe the Uposatha days
Complete in eight factors
On the fourteenth or fifteenth,

3v.817 And on the eighths of the fortnight,
And during special periods,
The yakkhas do not sport around:
So I have heard from the arahants.
But now today I see for myself
The yakkhas sporting with Sanu."

The yakkha that has entered Sanu: sn.i.209

4v.818 "With those who lead the holy life,
Who observe the Uposatha days
Complete in eight factors
On the fourteenth or fifteenth,
v.819 And on the eighths of the fortnight,
And during special periods,

5The yakkhas do not sport around:
What you heard from the arahants is good.
v.820 "When Sanu has awakened tell him
This injunction of the yakkhas:
Do not do an evil deed
Either openly or in secret.

6v.821 If you should do an evil deed,
Or if you are doing one now,
You won’t be free from suffering
Though you fly up and flee." [n.574] Spk glosses uppaccā pi as uppatitvā pi, and paraphrases: "Even if you fly up like a bird and flee, there will still be no freedom for you." The same verse is at Thī 247c–248b, Pv 236, Ud 51,17–18, Peṭ 44,20–21, and Nett 131,19–20. These versions (except Pv) read the absolutive as upecca, with a strange gloss sañcicca in their commentaries; Pv follows SN, but its commentary recognizes upecca as a v.l. A parallel is at Uv 9:4, with the absolutive utplutya. See von Hinüber, "On the Tradition of Pali Texts in India, Ceylon, and Burma," pp. 51–53.

Sanu: [n.575] At this point the yakkha has released Sānu and he has regained consciousness, unaware of what had just occurred.

7v.822 "They weep, mother, for the dead
Or for one living who isn’t seen.
When you see, mother, that I’m alive,
Why, O mother, do you weep for me?"

Sanu′s mother:

8v.823 "They weep, O son, for the dead
Or for one living who isn’t seen;
But when one returns to the home life
After renouncing sensual pleasures,
They weep for this one too, my son,
For though alive he's really dead. [n.576] See SN20.10 (II 271,13–14): "For this is death in the Noble One's Discipline: that one gives up the training and returns to the lower life."

9v.824 "Drawn out, my dear, from hot embers,
You wish to plunge into hot embers;
Drawn out, my dear, from an inferno,
You wish to plunge into an inferno. [n.577] Spk: She says this to show the danger in household life; for household life is called "hot embers" (kukkuḷā) in the sense of being hot. Kukkuḷā is also at SN22.136.

10v.825 "Run forward, good luck be with you!
To whom could we voice our grief?
Being an item rescued from the fire,
You wish to be burnt again." [n.578] Spk paraphrases kassa ujjhapāyamase, in pāda b, thus: "When you were intent on disrobing and had been possessed by the yakkha, to whom could we have voiced our grief (complained), to whom could we have appealed and reported this (kassa mayaṁ ujjhāpayāma nijjhapayāma ārocayāma)?" On pāda cd: "When you went forth into the Buddha’s Teaching, drawn out from the household, you were like an item rescued from a blazing house. But now you wish to be burnt again in the household life, which is like a great conflagration." According to Spk, the yakkha's intervention proved effective. After listening to his mother, Sanu gave up his idea of disrobing, received the higher ordination, mastered the Buddha’s teachings, and quickly attained arahantship. He became a great preacher who lived to the age of 120.

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ vihārati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena aññatarissā upāsikāya sānu nāma putto yakkhena gahito hoti. Atha kho sā upāsikā paridevamānā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imā gāthāyo abhāsi:

2"Cātuddasiṁ pañcadasiṁ,
yā ca pakkhassa aṭṭhamī;
Pāṭihāriyapakkhañca,
aṭṭhaṅgasusamāgataṁ.

3Uposathaṁ upavasanti,
brahmacariyaṁ caranti ye;
Na tehi yakkhā kīḷanti,
iti me arahataṁ sutaṁ;
Sā dāni ajja passāmi,
yakkhā kīḷanti sānunā"ti.

4"Cātuddasiṁ pañcadasiṁ,
yā ca pakkhassa aṭṭhamī;
Pāṭihāriyapakkhañca,
aṭṭhaṅgasusamāgataṁ;
Uposathaṁ upavasanti,
brahmacariyaṁ caranti ye.

5Na tehi yakkhā kīḷanti,
sāhu te arahataṁ sutaṁ;
Sānuṁ pabuddhaṁ vajjāsi,
yakkhānaṁ vacanaṁ idaṁ;
Mākāsi pāpakaṁ kammaṁ,
āvi vā yadi vā raho.

6Sace ca pāpakaṁ kammaṁ,
karissasi karosi vā;
Na te dukkhā pamutyatthi,
uppaccāpi palāyato"ti.

7"Mataṁ vā amma rodanti,
yo vā jīvaṁ na dissati;
Jīvantaṁ amma passantī,
kasmā maṁ amma rodasī"ti.

8"Mataṁ vā putta rodanti,
yo vā jīvaṁ na dissati;
Yo ca kāme cajitvāna,
punarāgacchate idha;
Taṁ vāpi putta rodanti,
puna jīvaṁ mato hi so.

9Kukkuḷā ubbhato tāta,
kukkuḷaṁ patitumicchasi;
Narakā ubbhato tāta,
narakaṁ patitumicchasi.

10Abhidhāvatha bhaddante,
kassa ujjhāpayāmase;
Ādittā nīhataṁ bhaṇḍaṁ,
puna ḍayhitumicchasī"ti.