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 well-to-do brahmin, shabby, wearing a shabby cloak, went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him.
Then a certain affluent brahmin, shabby, clad in a shabby cloak, approached the Blessed One and exchanged greetings with him.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Atha kho so brāhmaṇamahāsālo bhagavato santike imā gāthāyo pariyāpuṇitvā sabhāyaṁ mahājanakāye sannipatite puttesu ca sannisinnesu abhāsi:
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. …
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:

“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 brahmin’s sons led him back home, bathed him, and each clothed him with a fine pair of garments.
Then the sons led that affluent brahmin to their house, bathed him, and each gave him a pair of clothes.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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