Bahudhītarasutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu viharati aññatarasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe. Tena kho pana samayena aññatarassa bhāradvājagottassa brāhmaṇassa catuddasa balībaddā naṭṭhā honti. Atha kho bhāradvājagotto brāhmaṇo te balībadde gavesanto yena so vanasaṇḍo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā addasa bhagavantaṁ tasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe nisinnaṁ pallaṅkaṁ ābhujitvā ujuṁ kāyaṁ paṇidhāya parimukhaṁ satiṁ upaṭṭhapetvā. Disvāna yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavato santike imā gāthāyo abhāsi:

At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Kosalans in a certain forest grove. Now at that time one of the brahmins of the Bhāradvāja clan had lost fourteen oxen. While looking for them he went to that forest grove, where he saw the Buddha sitting down cross-legged, his body set straight, and mindfulness brought to the present. He went up to the Buddha, and recited these verses in the Buddha’s presence:

“Na hi nūnimassa samaṇassa, Balībaddā catuddasa; Ajjasaṭṭhiṁ na dissanti, Tenāyaṁ samaṇo sukhī.

“This ascetic mustn’t have fourteen oxen missing for the past six days: that’s why this ascetic is happy.

Na hi nūnimassa samaṇassa, Tilākhettasmi pāpakā; Ekapaṇṇā dupaṇṇā ca, Tenāyaṁ samaṇo sukhī.

This ascetic mustn’t have a field of sesame ruined, with just one or two leaves: that’s why this ascetic is happy.

Na hi nūnimassa samaṇassa, Tucchakoṭṭhasmi mūsikā; Ussoḷhikāya naccanti, Tenāyaṁ samaṇo sukhī.

This ascetic mustn’t have rats in a vacant barn dancing merrily: that’s why this ascetic is happy.

Na hi nūnimassa samaṇassa, Santhāro sattamāsiko; Uppāṭakehi sañchanno, Tenāyaṁ samaṇo sukhī.

This ascetic mustn’t have carpets that for seven months have been infested with fleas: that’s why this ascetic is happy.

Na hi nūnimassa samaṇassa, Vidhavā satta dhītaro; Ekaputtā duputtā ca, Tenāyaṁ samaṇo sukhī.

This ascetic mustn’t have seven widowed daughters with one or two children each: that’s why this ascetic is happy.

Na hi nūnimassa samaṇassa, Piṅgalā tilakāhatā; Sottaṁ pādena bodheti, Tenāyaṁ samaṇo sukhī.

This ascetic mustn’t have a wife with sallow, blotchy skin to wake him with a kick: that’s why this ascetic is happy.

Na hi nūnimassa samaṇassa, Paccūsamhi iṇāyikā; Detha dethāti codenti, Tenāyaṁ samaṇo sukhī”ti.

This ascetic mustn’t have creditors knocking at dawn, demanding, ‘Pay up! Pay up!’: that’s why this ascetic is happy.”

“Na hi mayhaṁ brāhmaṇa, balībaddā catuddasa; Ajjasaṭṭhiṁ na dissanti, tenāhaṁ brāhmaṇā sukhī.

“You’re right, brahmin, I don’t have fourteen oxen missing for the past six days: that’s why I’m happy, brahmin.

Na hi mayhaṁ brāhmaṇa, tilākhettasmi pāpakā; Ekapaṇṇā dupaṇṇā ca, tenāhaṁ brāhmaṇā sukhī.

You’re right, brahmin, I don’t have a field of sesame ruined, with just one or two leaves: that’s why I’m happy, brahmin.

Na hi mayhaṁ brāhmaṇa, tucchakoṭṭhasmi mūsikā; Ussoḷhikāya naccanti, tenāhaṁ brāhmaṇā sukhī.

You’re right, brahmin, I don’t have rats in a vacant barn dancing merrily: that’s why I’m happy, brahmin.

Na hi mayhaṁ brāhmaṇa, santhāro sattamāsiko; Uppāṭakehi sañchanno, tenāhaṁ brāhmaṇā sukhī.

You’re right, brahmin, I don’t have carpets that for seven months have been infested with fleas: that’s why I’m happy, brahmin.

Na hi mayhaṁ brāhmaṇa, vidhavā satta dhītaro; Ekaputtā duputtā ca, tenāhaṁ brāhmaṇā sukhī.

You’re right, brahmin, I don’t have seven widowed daughters with one or two children each: that’s why I’m happy, brahmin.

Na hi mayhaṁ brāhmaṇa, piṅgalā tilakāhatā; Sottaṁ pādena bodheti, tenāhaṁ brāhmaṇā sukhī.

You’re right, brahmin, I don’t have a wife with blotchy, pockmarked skin to wake me up with a kick: that’s why I’m happy, brahmin.

Na hi mayhaṁ brāhmaṇa, paccūsamhi iṇāyikā; Detha dethāti codenti, tenāhaṁ brāhmaṇā sukhī”ti.

You’re right, brahmin, I don’t have creditors knocking at dawn, warning, ‘Pay up! Pay up!’: that’s why I’m happy, brahmin.”

Evaṁ vutte, bhāradvājagotto brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama. Seyyathāpi, bho gotama, nikkujjitaṁ vā ukkujjeyya, paṭicchannaṁ vā vivareyya, mūḷhassa vā maggaṁ ācikkheyya, andhakāre vā telapajjotaṁ dhāreyya: ‘cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhantī’ti; evameva bhotā gotamena anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito. Esāhaṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca. Labheyyāhaṁ bhoto gotamassa santike pabbajjaṁ, labheyyaṁ upasampadan”ti.

When he had spoken, the brahmin said to the Buddha, “Excellent, worthy Gotama! Excellent! … As if he were righting the overturned, or revealing the hidden, or pointing out the path to the lost, or lighting a lamp in the dark so people with clear eyes can see what’s there, worthy Gotama has made the teaching clear in many ways. I go for refuge to the worthy Gotama, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha. May I receive the going forth, the ordination in the worthy Gotama’s presence?”

Alattha kho bhāradvājagotto brāhmaṇo bhagavato santike pabbajjaṁ, alattha upasampadaṁ. Acirūpasampanno panāyasmā bhāradvājo eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto nacirasseva—yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihāsi. “Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā”ti abbhaññāsi. Aññataro ca panāyasmā bhāradvājo arahataṁ ahosīti. Arahantavaggo paṭhamo.

And the brahmin received the going forth, the ordination in the Buddha’s presence. Not long after his ordination, Venerable Bhāradvāja, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, soon realized the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life. He lived having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness. He understood: “Rebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is nothing further for this place.” And Venerable Bhāradvāja became one of the perfected.

Dhanañjānī ca akkosaṁ, asurindaṁ bilaṅgikaṁ; Ahiṁsakaṁ jaṭā ceva, suddhikañceva aggikā; Sundarikaṁ bahudhīta— rena ca te dasāti.