Udāna 4.3
Translators: sujato
Heartfelt Sayings 4.3
Gopālakasutta
The Cowherd
Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
So I have heard.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu cārikaṁ carati mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ.
At one time the Buddha was wandering in the land of the Kosalans together with a large Saṅgha of mendicants.
Atha kho bhagavā maggā okkamma yena aññataraṁ rukkhamūlaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi.
And then the Buddha left the road, went to the root of a certain tree, and sat down on the seat spread out.
Atha kho aññataro gopālako yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.
Then a certain cowherd went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side.
Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho taṁ gopālakaṁ bhagavā dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi.
The Buddha educated, encouraged, fired up, and inspired him with a Dhamma talk.
Atha kho so gopālako bhagavatā dhammiyā kathāya sandassito samādapito samuttejito sampahaṁsito bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then the cowherd said to the Buddha,
“adhivāsetu me, bhante, bhagavā svātanāya bhattaṁ saddhiṁ bhikkhusaṅghenā”ti.
“Sir, may the Buddha together with the mendicant Saṅgha please accept tomorrow’s meal from me.”
Adhivāsesi bhagavā tuṇhībhāvena.
The Buddha consented with silence.
Atha kho so gopālako bhagavato adhivāsanaṁ viditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.
The cowherd got up from his seat, circumambulated the Buddha with his right side toward him, and left.
Atha kho so gopālako tassā rattiyā accayena sake nivesane pahūtaṁ appodakapāyāsaṁ paṭiyādāpetvā navañca sappiṁ bhagavato kālaṁ ārocesi:
And when the night had passed the cowherd had plenty of thick milk-rice prepared in his own home, with fresh ghee. Then he had the Buddha informed of the time, saying,
“kālo, bhante, niṭṭhitaṁ bhattan”ti.
“Sir, it’s time. The meal is ready.”
Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya saddhiṁ bhikkhusaṅghena yena tassa gopālakassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi.
The Buddha robed up, took his bowl and robe and, together with the Sangha of monks, went to the house of that cowherd, where he sat down on the prepared seat in the dining hall.
Atha kho so gopālako buddhappamukhaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ appodakapāyāsena navena ca sappinā sahatthā santappesi sampavāresi.
Then the cowherd served and satisfied the mendicant Saṅgha headed by the Buddha with his own hands with a thick milk-rice and fresh ghee.
Atha kho so gopālako bhagavantaṁ bhuttāviṁ onītapattapāṇiṁ aññataraṁ nīcaṁ āsanaṁ gahetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.
When the Buddha had eaten and washed his hand and bowl, the cowherd took a low seat and sat to one side.
Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho taṁ gopālakaṁ bhagavā dhammiyā kathāya sandassetvā samādapetvā samuttejetvā sampahaṁsetvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkāmi.
The Buddha then instructed, inspired, and gladdened him with a teaching, after which he got up and left.
Atha kho acirapakkantassa bhagavato taṁ gopālakaṁ aññataro puriso sīmantarikāya jīvitā voropesi.
But soon after the Buddha had left, the cowherd was killed by a certain man in the gap between village borders.
Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:
Then several mendicants went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened.
“yena, bhante, gopālakena ajja buddhappamukho bhikkhusaṅgho appodakapāyāsena navena ca sappinā sahatthā santappito sampavārito so kira, bhante, gopālako aññatarena purisena sīmantarikāya jīvitā voropito”ti.
Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:
Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:
“Diso disaṁ yaṁ taṁ kayirā,
“A wrongly directed mind
verī vā pana verinaṁ;
would do you more harm
Micchāpaṇihitaṁ cittaṁ,
than a hater to the hated,
pāpiyo naṁ tato kare”ti.
or an enemy to their foe.”
Tatiyaṁ.