Climate chaos continues: Polar vortex (sutra)

Ven. Piyadassi Thera (translator), edited by Wisdom Quarterly (Suriya Sutta, SN 2.10)

Geoengineering the world's weather is new to the MIC and its HAARP. Give them time.

Oh, Surya (Sol), please come back! We liked global warming better than this new Ice Age.

 

Yogic Sun salutation (worldiniowa.com)

Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was living near the city of Savatthi at Jetavana in Anathapindika's hermitage.

At that time Suriya (Surya) the Sun deva was seized by Rahu lord of titans (asuras). Thereupon, calling to mind the Blessed One, Suriya the Sun deva recited this stanza:
 

"O Buddha, Hero, wholly free of all defilements, honor to thee. I have fallen into distress! Guide me."
 

Thereupon, the Blessed One responded by addressing a stanza to Rahu lord of titans on behalf of Suriya:
 

"O Rahu, Suriya has gone for guidance to the Tathagata, the Noble One. Release Suriya. The buddhas radiate compassion on the world (of beings).
 
"O Rahu, do not swallow the dispeller of darkness, the shining one, the radiant and effulgent traveler of the sky. Rahu, release Suriya."
 

Thereupon, Rahu lord of titans released Suriya and immediately came to the presence of Vepacitti lord of titans and stood beside him trembling in fear with hair standing on end. Then Vepacitti addressed Rahu in this stanza:
 

Indian mythology describes astronomy.

"Rahu, why did you suddenly release Suriya? Why have you come trembling, and why are you standing here terrified?"

"I have been spoken to by the Buddha in a stanza (requesting me to release Suriya). If I had not released Suriya, my head would have split into seven pieces [a common Indian idiom frequently met with in the sutras]. While I yet lived, I would have had no happiness. (Therefore, I released Suriya)."

The asura Rahu is mentioned explicitly in a pair of sutras from the Connected Discourses of the Pali Canon. In the Candima Sutta and the Suriya Sutta, Rahu attacks Chandra the moon deity and Suriya the sun deity before being compelled to release them by their recitation of a brief stanza conveying their reverence for the Buddha. The Buddha responds by enjoining Rahu to release them, which Rahu does rather than have his "head split into seven pieces." The verses recited by the two celestial deities and the Buddha have since been incorporated into Buddhist as protective chants (parittas) recited by monastics as kind of post-Vedic mantras.