sutta » sn » sn7 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 7.14

Mahāsālasutta

A well-to-do brahmin

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthī.
At Sāvatthī.

Atha kho aññataro brāhmaṇamahāsālo lūkho lūkhapāvuraṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi.
Then a certain affluent brahmin, shabby, clad in a shabby cloak, approached the Blessed One and exchanged greetings with him.
Then a certain well-to-do brahmin, shabby, wearing a shabby cloak, went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him.

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho taṁ brāhmaṇamahāsālaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:
When they had concluded their greetings and cordial talk, he sat down to one side, and the Blessed One then said to him:
When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him,

“kiṁ nu tvaṁ, brāhmaṇa, lūkho lūkhapāvuraṇo”ti?
“Why now, brahmin, are you so shabby, clad in a shabby cloak?”
“Brahmin, why are you so shabby, wearing a shabby cloak?”

“Idha me, bho gotama, cattāro puttā.
“Here, Master Gotama, my four sons,
“Mister Gotama, I have four sons.

Te maṁ dārehi sampuccha gharā nikkhāmentī”ti.
instigated by their wives, have expelled me from the house.
At their wives’ bidding they expelled me from my house.”

“Tena hi tvaṁ, brāhmaṇa, imā gāthāyo pariyāpuṇitvā sabhāyaṁ mahājanakāye sannipatite puttesu ca sannisinnesu bhāsassu:
“Well then, brahmin, learn these verses and recite them when the multitude has assembled in the meeting hall with your sons sitting together there:
“Well then, brahmin, memorize these verses and recite them to your sons when you are all seated in the council hall with a large crowd.

‘Yehi jātehi nandissaṁ,
“Those at whose birth I took delight
‘I was overjoyed when they were born,

yesañca bhavamicchisaṁ;
And whose success I much desired,
and wished for them the very best.

Te maṁ dārehi sampuccha,
Being instigated by their wives,
But at their wives’ bidding they chased me out,

sāva vārenti sūkaraṁ.
Chase me out as dogs chase swine.
like hounds after hogs.

Asantā kira maṁ jammā,
“These evil fellows are indeed mean,
It turns out they’re wicked, those nasty men,

tāta tātāti bhāsare;
Although they call me, ‘Dad, dear Dad.
though they called me their dear old Dad.

Rakkhasā puttarūpena,
They’re demons in the guise of sons
They’re monsters in the shape of sons,

te jahanti vayogataṁ.
To abandon me when I’ve grown old.
throwing me out as I’ve grown old.

Assova jiṇṇo nibbhogo,
“As an old horse of no more use
Like an old, useless horse

khādanā apanīyati;
Is led away from its fodder,
led away from its fodder,

Bālakānaṁ pitā thero,
So the old father of those boys
the elderly father of those kids

parāgāresu bhikkhati.
Begs for alms at others’ homes.
begs for alms at others’ homes.

Daṇḍova kira me seyyo,
“Better for me is the staff I use
Even my staff is better

yañce puttā anassavā;
Than those disobedient sons;
than those disobedient sons,

Caṇḍampi goṇaṁ vāreti,
For the staff drives off the wild bull
for it wards off a wild bull,

atho caṇḍampi kukkuraṁ.
And drives away the wild dog.
and even a wild dog.

Andhakāre pure hoti,
“In the dark it goes before me,
It goes before me in the dark;

gambhīre gādhamedhati;
In the deep it gives me support.
in deep waters it supports me.

Daṇḍassa ānubhāvena,
By the gracious power of the staff,
By the wonderful power of this staff,

khalitvā patitiṭṭhatī’”ti.
If I stumble I still stand firm. ’
when I stumble, I stand firm again.’”

Atha kho so brāhmaṇamahāsālo bhagavato santike imā gāthāyo pariyāpuṇitvā sabhāyaṁ mahājanakāye sannipatite puttesu ca sannisinnesu abhāsi:
Then that affluent brahmin, having learned these verses in the presence of the Blessed One, recited them when the multitude had assembled in the meeting hall with his sons sitting together there:
Having memorized those verses in the Buddha’s presence, the brahmin recited them to his sons when they were all seated in the council hall with a large crowd. …

“Yehi jātehi nandissaṁ,
- “Those at whose birth I took delight …

yesañca bhavamicchisaṁ;

Te maṁ dārehi sampuccha,

sāva vārenti sūkaraṁ.

Asantā kira maṁ jammā,

tāta tātāti bhāsare;

Rakkhasā puttarūpena,

te jahanti vayogataṁ.

Assova jiṇṇo nibbhogo,

khādanā apanīyati;

Bālakānaṁ pitā thero,

parāgāresu bhikkhati.

Daṇḍova kira me seyyo,

yañce puttā anassavā;

Caṇḍampi goṇaṁ vāreti,

atho caṇḍampi kukkuraṁ.

Andhakāre pure hoti,

gambhīre gādhamedhati;

Daṇḍassa ānubhāvena,

khalitvā patitiṭṭhatī”ti.
If I stumble I still stand firm.

Atha kho naṁ brāhmaṇamahāsālaṁ puttā gharaṁ netvā nhāpetvā paccekaṁ dussayugena acchādesuṁ.
Then the sons led that affluent brahmin to their house, bathed him, and each gave him a pair of clothes.
Then the brahmin’s sons led him back home, bathed him, and each clothed him with a fine pair of garments.

Atha kho so brāhmaṇamahāsālo ekaṁ dussayugaṁ ādāya yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi.
Then that affluent brahmin, having taken one pair of clothes, approached the Blessed One and exchanged greetings with him.
Then the brahmin, taking one pair of garments, went to the Buddha and exchanged greetings with him.

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho brāhmaṇamahāsālo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then he sat down to one side and said to the Blessed One:
When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha:

“mayaṁ, bho gotama, brāhmaṇā nāma ācariyassa ācariyadhanaṁ pariyesāma.
“Master Gotama, we brahmins seek a teacher’s fee for our teacher.
“Mister Gotama, we brahmins seek a fee for our teacher.

Paṭiggaṇhatu me bhavaṁ gotamo ācariyadhanan”ti.
Let Master Gotama accept a teacher’s fee from me.
May Mister Gotama please accept my teacher’s fee!”

Paṭiggahesi bhagavā anukampaṁ upādāya.
The Blessed One accepted out of compassion.
So the Buddha accepted it out of compassion.

Atha kho so brāhmaṇamahāsālo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then that affluent brahmin said to the Blessed One:
Then the well-to-do brahmin said to the Buddha,

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

upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.
Let Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who from today has gone for refuge for life. “
From this day forth, may Mister Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”