sutta » sn » sn7 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 7.17

Navakammikasutta

Navakammika The Builder

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 navakammikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo tasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe kammantaṁ kārāpeti.
Now on that occasion the brahmin Navakammika Bhāradvāja was getting some work done in that woodland thicket.
Now at that time the brahmin Bhāradvāja the Builder was doing some building work in that jungle thicket.

Addasā kho navakammikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ aññatarasmiṁ sālarukkhamūle nisinnaṁ pallaṅkaṁ ābhujitvā ujuṁ kāyaṁ paṇidhāya parimukhaṁ satiṁ upaṭṭhapetvā.
The brahmin Navakammika Bhāradvāja saw the Blessed One sitting at the foot of a certain sal tree with his legs folded crosswise, holding his body erect, having set up mindfulness in front of him.
He saw the Buddha sitting down cross-legged at the root of a certain sal tree, his body set straight, and mindfulness established in front of him.

Disvānassa etadahosi:
Having seen him, he thought:
Seeing this, it occurred to him,

“ahaṁ kho imasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe kammantaṁ kārāpento ramāmi.
“I take delight in getting work done in this woodland thicket.
“I enjoy doing this building work here in the jungle.

Ayaṁ samaṇo gotamo kiṁ kārāpento ramatī”ti?
What does this ascetic Gotama take delight in getting done?”
I wonder what the ascetic Gotama enjoys doing?”

Atha kho navakammikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami. upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:
Then the brahmin Navakammika Bhāradvāja approached the Blessed One and addressed him in verse:
Then Bhāradvāja the Builder went up to the Buddha and addressed him in verse:

“Ke nu kammantā karīyanti,
“With what kind of work are you engaged
“What kind of work do you do

bhikkhu sālavane tava;
Here in this sal woods, bhikkhu,
as a mendicant in the sal jungle?

Yadekako araññasmiṁ,
By reason of which you find delight
How do you find enjoyment

ratiṁ vindati gotamo”ti.
Alone in the forest, Gotama?”
alone in the wilderness, Gotama?”

“Na me vanasmiṁ karaṇīyamatthi,
“There is nothing in the woods I need to do;
“There’s nothing I need to do in the jungle;

Ucchinnamūlaṁ me vanaṁ visūkaṁ;
Cut down at the root, my woods is dried up.
my jungle’s cut down at the root, it’s withered away.

Svāhaṁ vane nibbanatho visallo,
Woodless and dartless, discontent cast off,
With jungle cleared and free of thorns,

Eko rame aratiṁ vippahāyā”ti.
I find delight alone in the woods.
I enjoy being alone in the jungle, <j>having given up discontent.”

Evaṁ vutte, navakammikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
When this was said,
When he had spoken, the brahmin Bhāradvāja the Builder said to the Buddha,

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