sutta » sn » sn7 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 7.10

Bahudhītarasutta

Many Daughters Many Daughters

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

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

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.
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:
While looking for them he went to that forest, where he saw the Buddha sitting down cross-legged, his body set straight, and mindfulness established in front of him.

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,
“Surely this ascetic does not have
“This ascetic mustn’t have

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ussoḷhikāya naccanti,
Dancing around merrily:
dancing merrily:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ussoḷhikāya naccanti,
Dancing around merrily:
dancing merrily:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama.
“Magnificent, Master Gotama!”…
“Excellent, Mister Gotama! Excellent! …

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 the ascetic 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 no return to any state of existence.”

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

Arahantavaggo paṭhamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Dhanañjānī ca akkosaṁ,

asurindaṁ bilaṅgikaṁ;

Ahiṁsakaṁ jaṭā ceva,

suddhikañceva aggikā;

Sundarikaṁ bahudhīta—

rena ca te dasāti.