Udāna 7.9
Translators: sujato
Heartfelt Sayings 7.9
Udapānasutta
The Well
Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
So I have heard.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā mallesu cārikaṁ caramāno mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ yena thūṇaṁ nāma mallānaṁ brāhmaṇagāmo tadavasari.
At one time the Buddha was wandering in the land of the Mallas together with a large Saṅgha of mendicants when he arrived at a brahmin town of the Mallas named Thūṇa.
Assosuṁ kho thūṇeyyakā brāhmaṇagahapatikā:
The brahmins and householders of Thūṇa heard:
“samaṇo khalu, bho, gotamo sakyaputto sakyakulā pabbajito mallesu cārikaṁ caramāno mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ thūṇaṁ anuppatto”ti.
“It seems the ascetic Gotama—a Sakyan, gone forth from a Sakyan family—while wandering in the land of the Mallas has arrived at Thūṇa, together with a large Saṅgha of mendicants.”
(…) Udapānaṁ tiṇassa ca bhusassa ca yāva mukhato pūresuṁ:
They filled the well with grass and chaff right to the top, thinking,
“mā te muṇḍakā samaṇakā pānīyaṁ apaṁsū”ti.
“Don’t let these shavelings, these fake ascetics drink the water.”
Atha kho bhagavā maggā okkamma yena rukkhamūlaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi.
And then the Buddha left the road, went to the root of a tree, and sat down on the seat spread out.
Nisajja kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi:
When he was seated he said to Venerable Ānanda:
“iṅgha me tvaṁ, ānanda, etamhā udapānā pānīyaṁ āharā”ti.
“Please, Ānanda, fetch me some water from that well.”
Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
When he said this, Venerable Ānanda said to the Buddha,
“idāni so, bhante, udapāno thūṇeyyakehi brāhmaṇagahapatikehi tiṇassa ca bhusassa ca yāva mukhato pūrito:
“Just now, sir, the brahimns and householders of Thūṇa filled the well with grass and chaff right to the top, thinking,
‘mā te muṇḍakā samaṇakā pānīyaṁ apaṁsū’”ti.
‘Don’t let these shavelings, these fake ascetics drink the water.’”
Dutiyampi kho …pe…
For a second time,
tatiyampi kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi:
and for a third time, the Buddha said to Ānanda:
“iṅgha me tvaṁ, ānanda, etamhā udapānā pānīyaṁ āharā”ti.
“Please, Ānanda, fetch me some water from that well.”
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā ānando bhagavato paṭissutvā pattaṁ gahetvā yena so udapāno tenupasaṅkami.
“Yes, sir,” replied Ānanda. Taking his bowl he went to the well.
Atha kho so udapāno āyasmante ānande upasaṅkamante sabbaṁ taṁ tiṇañca bhusañca mukhato ovamitvā acchassa udakassa anāvilassa vippasannassa yāva mukhato pūrito vissandanto maññe aṭṭhāsi.
As he approached the well, all the grass and chaff erupted out of the well-mouth. The water stood transparent, unclouded, and clear right up to the top, seeming to overflow.
Atha kho āyasmato ānandassa etadahosi:
Then Venerable Ānanda thought,
“acchariyaṁ vata bho, abbhutaṁ vata bho, tathāgatassa mahiddhikatā mahānubhāvatā.
“Oh, how incredible, how amazing! The Realized One has such psychic power and might!
Ayañhi so udapāno mayi upasaṅkamante sabbaṁ taṁ tiṇañca bhusañca mukhato ovamitvā acchassa udakassa anāvilassa vippasannassa yāva mukhato pūrito vissandanto maññe ṭhito”ti.
For when I approached this well, all the grass and chaff erupted out of the well-mouth. The water stood transparent, unclouded, and clear right up to the top, seeming to overflow.”
Pattena pānīyaṁ ādāya yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Gathering a bowl of drinking water he went back to the Buddha, and said to him,
“acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante, tathāgatassa mahiddhikatā mahānubhāvatā.
“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing! The Realized One has such psychic power and might!
Ayañhi so, bhante, udapāno mayi upasaṅkamante sabbaṁ taṁ tiṇañca bhusañca mukhato ovamitvā acchassa udakassa anāvilassa vippasannassa yāva mukhato pūrito vissandanto maññe aṭṭhāsi.
For when I approached that well, all the grass and chaff erupted out of the well-mouth. The water stood transparent, unclouded, and clear right up to the top, seeming to overflow.
Pivatu bhagavā pānīyaṁ, pivatu sugato pānīyan”ti.
Drink the water, Blessed One! Drink the water, Holy One!”
Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:
Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:
“Kiṁ kayirā udapānena,
“What difference would a well make
Āpā ce sabbadā siyuṁ;
if water is there all the time?
Taṇhāya mūlato chetvā,
Having cut off craving at the root,
Kissa pariyesanaṁ care”ti.
who would go out on a quest?”
Navamaṁ.