sutta » sn » sn7 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 7.10

Bahudhītarasutta

Many Daughters Many Daughters

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu viharati aññatarasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe.
At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Kosalans in a certain forest grove.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Kosalans in a certain woodland thicket.

Tena kho pana samayena aññatarassa bhāradvājagottassa brāhmaṇassa catuddasa balībaddā naṭṭhā honti.
Now at that time one of the brahmins of the Bhāradvāja clan had lost fourteen oxen.
Now on that occasion fourteen oxen belonging to a certain brahmin of the Bhāradvāja clan had gotten lost.

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.
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 established in his presence.
Then the brahmin of the Bhāradvāja clan, while searching for those oxen, went to the woodland thicket where the Blessed One was staying. There he saw the Blessed One sitting with his legs folded crosswise, holding his body erect, having set up mindfulness in front of him. Having seen him, he approached the Blessed One and recited these verses in the presence of the Blessed One:

Disvāna yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavato santike imā gāthāyo abhāsi:
He went up to the Buddha, and recited these verses in the Buddha’s presence:

“Na hi nūnimassa samaṇassa,
“This ascetic mustn’t have
“Surely this ascetic does not have

Balībaddā catuddasa;
fourteen oxen
Fourteen oxen [that have gotten lost],

Ajjasaṭṭhiṁ na dissanti,
missing for the past six days:
Not seen now for the past six days:

Tenāyaṁ samaṇo sukhī.
that’s why this ascetic is happy.
Hence this ascetic is happy.

Na hi nūnimassa samaṇassa,
This ascetic mustn’t have
“Surely this ascetic does not have

Tilākhettasmi pāpakā;
a field of sesame ruined,
A field of blighted sesamum plants,

Ekapaṇṇā dupaṇṇā ca,
with just one or two leaves:
Some with one leaf, some with two:

Tenāyaṁ samaṇo sukhī.
that’s why this ascetic is happy.
Hence this ascetic is happy.

Na hi nūnimassa samaṇassa,
This ascetic mustn’t have
“Surely this ascetic does not have

Tucchakoṭṭhasmi mūsikā;
rats in a vacant barn
Rats inside an empty barn

Ussoḷhikāya naccanti,
dancing merrily:
Dancing around merrily:

Tenāyaṁ samaṇo sukhī.
that’s why this ascetic is happy.
Hence this ascetic is happy.

Na hi nūnimassa samaṇassa,
This ascetic mustn’t have
“Surely this ascetic does not have

Santhāro sattamāsiko;
carpets that for seven months
A blanket that for seven months

Uppāṭakehi sañchanno,
have been infested with fleas:
Has been covered with swarms of vermin:

Tenāyaṁ samaṇo sukhī.
that’s why this ascetic is happy.
Hence this ascetic is happy.

Na hi nūnimassa samaṇassa,
This ascetic mustn’t have
“Surely this ascetic does not have

Vidhavā satta dhītaro;
seven widowed daughters
Seven daughters left for widows,

Ekaputtā duputtā ca,
with one or two children each:
Some with one son, some with two:

Tenāyaṁ samaṇo sukhī.
that’s why this ascetic is happy.
Hence this ascetic is happy.

Na hi nūnimassa samaṇassa,
This ascetic mustn’t have
“Surely this ascetic does not have

Piṅgalā tilakāhatā;
a wife with sallow, blotchy skin
A tawny wife with pockmarked face

Sottaṁ pādena bodheti,
to wake him with a kick:
Who wakes him up with a kick:

Tenāyaṁ samaṇo sukhī.
that’s why this ascetic is happy.
Hence this ascetic is happy.

Na hi nūnimassa samaṇassa,
This ascetic mustn’t have
“Surely this ascetic does not have

Paccūsamhi iṇāyikā;
creditors knocking at dawn,
Creditors who call at dawn,

Detha dethāti codenti,
warning, ‘Pay up! Pay up!’:
Chiding him, ‘Pay up! Pay up!’:

Tenāyaṁ samaṇo sukhī”ti.
that’s why this ascetic is happy.”
Hence this ascetic is happy.

“Na hi mayhaṁ brāhmaṇa,
“You’re right, brahmin, I don’t have
” [The Blessed One: ] “Surely, brahmin, I do not have

balībaddā catuddasa;
fourteen oxen
Fourteen oxen [that have gotten lost],

Ajjasaṭṭhiṁ na dissanti,
missing for the past six days:
Not seen now for the past six days:

tenāhaṁ brāhmaṇā sukhī.
that’s why I’m happy, brahmin.
Hence, O brahmin, I am happy.

Na hi mayhaṁ brāhmaṇa,
You’re right, brahmin, I don’t have
“Surely, brahmin, I do not have

tilākhettasmi pāpakā;
a field of sesame ruined,
A field of blighted sesamum plants,

Ekapaṇṇā dupaṇṇā ca,
with just one or two leaves:
Some with one leaf, some with two:

tenāhaṁ brāhmaṇā sukhī.
that’s why I’m happy, brahmin.
Hence, O brahmin, I am happy.

Na hi mayhaṁ brāhmaṇa,
You’re right, brahmin, I don’t have
“Surely, brahmin, I do not have

tucchakoṭṭhasmi mūsikā;
rats in a vacant barn
Rats inside an empty barn

Ussoḷhikāya naccanti,
dancing merrily:
Dancing around merrily:

tenāhaṁ brāhmaṇā sukhī.
that’s why I’m happy, brahmin.
Hence, O brahmin, I am happy.

Na hi mayhaṁ brāhmaṇa,
You’re right, brahmin, I don’t have
“Surely, brahmin, I do not have

santhāro sattamāsiko;
carpets that for seven months
A blanket that for seven months

Uppāṭakehi sañchanno,
have been infested with fleas:
Has been covered with swarms of vermin:

tenāhaṁ brāhmaṇā sukhī.
that’s why I’m happy, brahmin.
Hence, O brahmin, I am happy.

Na hi mayhaṁ brāhmaṇa,
You’re right, brahmin, I don’t have
“Surely, brahmin, I do not have

vidhavā satta dhītaro;
seven widowed daughters
Seven daughters left for widows,

Ekaputtā duputtā ca,
with one or two children each:
Some with one son, some with two:

tenāhaṁ brāhmaṇā sukhī.
that’s why I’m happy, brahmin.
Hence, O brahmin, I am happy.

Na hi mayhaṁ brāhmaṇa,
You’re right, brahmin, I don’t have
“Surely, brahmin, I do not have

piṅgalā tilakāhatā;
a wife with blotchy, pockmarked skin
A tawny wife with pockmarked face

Sottaṁ pādena bodheti,
to wake me up with a kick:
Who wakes me up with a kick:

tenāhaṁ brāhmaṇā sukhī.
that’s why I’m happy, brahmin.
Hence, O brahmin, I am happy.

Na hi mayhaṁ brāhmaṇa,
You’re right, brahmin, I don’t have
“Surely, brahmin, I do not have

paccūsamhi iṇāyikā;
creditors knocking at dawn,
Creditors who call at dawn,

Detha dethāti codenti,
warning, ‘Pay up! Pay up!’:
Chiding me, ‘Pay up! Pay up!’:

tenāhaṁ brāhmaṇā sukhī”ti.
that’s why I’m happy, brahmin.”
Hence, O brahmin, I am happy.

Evaṁ vutte, bhāradvājagotto brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
When he had spoken, the brahmin said to the Buddha,
”When this was said, the brahmin of the Bhāradvāja clan said to the Blessed One:

“abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama.
“Excellent, Mister Gotama! Excellent! …
“Magnificent, Master 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.
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, Mister Gotama has made the teaching clear in many ways.

Esāhaṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca.
I go for refuge to Mister Gotama, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha.

Labheyyāhaṁ bhoto gotamassa santike pabbajjaṁ, labheyyaṁ upasampadan”ti.
May I receive the going forth, the ordination in Mister Gotama’s presence?”

Alattha kho bhāradvājagotto brāhmaṇo bhagavato santike pabbajjaṁ, alattha upasampadaṁ.
And the brahmin received the going forth, the ordination in the Buddha’s presence.

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.
Not long after his ordination, Venerable Bhāradvāja, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, soon realized the supreme end 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.

“Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā”ti abbhaññāsi.
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.”

Aññataro ca panāyasmā bhāradvājo arahataṁ ahosīti.
And Venerable Bhāradvāja became one of the perfected.
And the Venerable Bhāradvāja became one of the arahants.

Arahantavaggo paṭhamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Dhanañjānī ca akkosaṁ,

asurindaṁ bilaṅgikaṁ;

Ahiṁsakaṁ jaṭā ceva,

suddhikañceva aggikā;

Sundarikaṁ bahudhīta—

rena ca te dasāti.