sutta » sn » sn3 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 3.13

Doṇapākasutta

A Bucket of Rice A Bucket Measure of Food

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthī.
At Sāvatthī.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Evaṁ, devā”ti kho sudassano māṇavo rañño pasenadissa kosalassa paṭissutvā bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ pariyāpuṇitvā rañño pasenadissa kosalassa bhattābhihāre sudaṁ bhāsati:
“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:
“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:

“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.
and he ages slowly, taking care of his life.”
He ages slowly, guarding his life. ”

Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo anupubbena nāḷikodanaparamatāya saṇṭhāsi.
Then the king gradually got used to having at most a cup of rice.
Then King Pasenadi of Kosala gradually reduced his intake of food to at most a pint-pot measure of boiled rice.

Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo aparena samayena susallikhitagatto pāṇinā gattāni anumajjanto tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:
After some time King Pasenadi’s body slimmed right down. Stroking his limbs with his hands, at that time he expressed this heartfelt sentiment:
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:

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

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