sutta » sn » sn3 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 3.13

Doṇapākasutta

A Bucket Measure of Food A Bucket of Rice

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthī.
At Sāvatthī.

Tena kho pana samayena rājā pasenadi kosalo doṇapākakuraṁ bhuñjati.
Now on that occasion King Pasenadi of Kosala had eaten a bucket measure of rice and curries.
Now at that time King Pasenadi of Kosala used to eat rice by the bucket.

Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo bhuttāvī mahassāsī yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.
Then, while still full, huffing and puffing, the king approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side.
Then after eating King Pasenadi of Kosala went up to the Buddha, huffing and puffing. He bowed and sat down to one side.

Atha kho bhagavā rājānaṁ pasenadiṁ kosalaṁ bhuttāviṁ mahassāsiṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:
Then the Blessed One, having understood that King Pasenadi was full and was huffing and puffing, on that occasion recited this verse:
Then, knowing that King Pasenadi was huffing and puffing after eating, on that occasion the Buddha recited this verse:

“Manujassa sadā satīmato,
“When a man is always mindful,
“When a man is always mindful,

Mattaṁ jānato laddhabhojane;
Knowing moderation in the food he eats,
knowing moderation in eating,

Tanukassa bhavanti vedanā,
His ailments then diminish:
his discomfort fades,

Saṇikaṁ jīrati āyupālayan”ti.
He ages slowly, guarding his life. ”
and he ages slowly, taking care of his life.”

Tena kho pana samayena sudassano māṇavo rañño pasenadissa kosalassa piṭṭhito ṭhito hoti.
Now on that occasion the brahmin youth Sudassana was standing behind King Pasenadi of Kosala.
Now at that time the brahmin student Sudassana was standing behind the king.

Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo sudassanaṁ māṇavaṁ āmantesi:
The king then addressed him thus:
Then King Pasenadi addressed him,

“ehi tvaṁ, tāta sudassana, bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ pariyāpuṇitvā mama bhattābhihāre bhattābhihāre bhāsa.
“Come now, dear Sudassana, learn this verse from the Blessed One and recite it to me whenever I am taking my meal.
“Please, dear Sudassana, memorize this verse in the Buddha’s presence and recite it to me whenever I am presented with a meal.

Ahañca te devasikaṁ kahāpaṇasataṁ kahāpaṇasataṁ niccaṁ bhikkhaṁ pavattayissāmī”ti.
I will then present you daily with a hundred kahāpaṇas as a perpetual grant. ”
I’ll set up a regular daily allowance of a hundred dollars for you.”

“Evaṁ, devā”ti kho sudassano māṇavo rañño pasenadissa kosalassa paṭissutvā bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ pariyāpuṇitvā rañño pasenadissa kosalassa bhattābhihāre sudaṁ bhāsati:
“Yes, sire, ” the brahmin youth Sudassana replied. Having learned this verse from the Blessed One, whenever King Pasenadi was taking his meal the brahmin youth Sudassana recited:
“Yes, Your Majesty,” replied Sudassana. He memorized that verse in the Buddha’s presence, and then whenever the king was presented with a meal he would repeat it:

“Manujassa sadā satīmato,
“When a man is always mindful,
“When a man is always mindful,

Mattaṁ jānato laddhabhojane;
knowing moderation in eating,

Tanukassa bhavanti vedanā,
his discomfort fades,

Saṇikaṁ jīrati āyupālayan”ti.
He ages slowly, guarding his life. ”
and he ages slowly, taking care of his life.”

Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo anupubbena nāḷikodanaparamatāya saṇṭhāsi.
Then King Pasenadi of Kosala gradually reduced his intake of food to at most a pint-pot measure of boiled rice.
Then the king gradually got used to having no more than a pint of rice.

Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo aparena samayena susallikhitagatto pāṇinā gattāni anumajjanto tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:
At a later time, when his body had become quite slim, King Pasenadi of Kosala stroked his limbs with his hand and on that occasion uttered this inspired utterance:
After some time King Pasenadi’s body slimmed right down. Stroking his limbs with his hands, at that time he expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

“ubhayena vata maṁ so bhagavā atthena anukampi—
“The Blessed One showed compassion towards me in regard to both kinds of good—
“In both ways the Buddha has compassion for me:

diṭṭhadhammikena ceva atthena samparāyikena cā”ti.
the good pertaining to the present life and that pertaining to the future life.”
in the good of the present life and the good of the next.”