1.1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu viharati aññatarasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe.At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Kosalans in a certain forest grove.¹

1.2Tena kho pana samayena aññatarassa bhāradvājagottassa brāhmaṇassa catuddasa balībaddā naṭṭhā honti.Now at that time one of the brahmins of the Bhāradvāja clan had lost fourteen oxen.1.3Atha kho bhāradvājagotto brāhmaṇo te balībadde gavesanto yena so vanasaṇḍo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā addasa bhagavantaṁ tasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe nisinnaṁ pallaṅkaṁ ābhujitvā ujuṁ kāyaṁ paṇidhāya parimukhaṁ satiṁ upaṭṭhapetvā.While looking for them he went to that forest grove, where he saw the Buddha sitting down cross-legged, his body set straight, and mindfulness brought to the present.1.4Disvāna yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavato santike imā gāthāyo abhāsi:He went up to the Buddha, and recited these verses in the Buddha’s presence:

2.1“Na hi nūnimassa samaṇassa,“This ascetic mustn’t have2.2Balībaddā catuddasa;fourteen oxen2.3Ajjasaṭṭhiṁ na dissanti,missing for the past six days:2.4Tenāyaṁ samaṇo sukhī.that’s why this ascetic is happy.

3.1Na hi nūnimassa samaṇassa,This ascetic mustn’t have3.2Tilākhettasmi pāpakā;a field of sesame ruined,3.3Ekapaṇṇā dupaṇṇā ca,with just one or two leaves:3.4Tenāyaṁ samaṇo sukhī.that’s why this ascetic is happy.

4.1Na hi nūnimassa samaṇassa,This ascetic mustn’t have4.2Tucchakoṭṭhasmi mūsikā;rats in a vacant barn4.3Ussoḷhikāya naccanti,dancing merrily:4.4Tenāyaṁ samaṇo sukhī.that’s why this ascetic is happy.

5.1Na hi nūnimassa samaṇassa,This ascetic mustn’t have5.2Santhāro sattamāsiko;carpets that for seven months²5.3Uppāṭakehi sañchanno,have been infested with fleas:5.4Tenāyaṁ samaṇo sukhī.that’s why this ascetic is happy.

6.1Na hi nūnimassa samaṇassa,This ascetic mustn’t have6.2Vidhavā satta dhītaro;seven widowed daughters6.3Ekaputtā duputtā ca,with one or two children each:³6.4Tenāyaṁ samaṇo sukhī.that’s why this ascetic is happy.

7.1Na hi nūnimassa samaṇassa,This ascetic mustn’t have7.2Piṅgalā tilakāhatā;a wife with sallow, blotchy skin7.3Sottaṁ pādena bodheti,to wake him with a kick:7.4Tenāyaṁ samaṇo sukhī.that’s why this ascetic is happy.

8.1Na hi nūnimassa samaṇassa,This ascetic mustn’t have8.2Paccūsamhi iṇāyikā;creditors knocking at dawn,8.3Detha dethāti codenti,demanding, ‘Pay up! Pay up!’:8.4Tenāyaṁ samaṇo sukhī”ti.that’s why this ascetic is happy.”

9.1“Na hi mayhaṁ brāhmaṇa,“You’re right, brahmin, I don’t have⁴9.2balībaddā catuddasa;fourteen oxen9.3Ajjasaṭṭhiṁ na dissanti,missing for the past six days:9.4tenāhaṁ brāhmaṇā sukhī.that’s why I’m happy, brahmin.

10.1Na hi mayhaṁ brāhmaṇa,You’re right, brahmin, I don’t have10.2tilākhettasmi pāpakā;a field of sesame ruined,10.3Ekapaṇṇā dupaṇṇā ca,with just one or two leaves:10.4tenāhaṁ brāhmaṇā sukhī.that’s why I’m happy, brahmin.

11.1Na hi mayhaṁ brāhmaṇa,You’re right, brahmin, I don’t have11.2tucchakoṭṭhasmi mūsikā;rats in a vacant barn11.3Ussoḷhikāya naccanti,dancing merrily:11.4tenāhaṁ brāhmaṇā sukhī.that’s why I’m happy, brahmin.

12.1Na hi mayhaṁ brāhmaṇa,You’re right, brahmin, I don’t have12.2santhāro sattamāsiko;carpets that for seven months12.3Uppāṭakehi sañchanno,have been infested with fleas:12.4tenāhaṁ brāhmaṇā sukhī.that’s why I’m happy, brahmin.

13.1Na hi mayhaṁ brāhmaṇa,You’re right, brahmin, I don’t have13.2vidhavā satta dhītaro;seven widowed daughters13.3Ekaputtā duputtā ca,with one or two children each:13.4tenāhaṁ brāhmaṇā sukhī.that’s why I’m happy, brahmin.

14.1Na hi mayhaṁ brāhmaṇa,You’re right, brahmin, I don’t have14.2piṅgalā tilakāhatā;a wife with blotchy, pockmarked skin14.3Sottaṁ pādena bodheti,to wake me up with a kick:14.4tenāhaṁ brāhmaṇā sukhī.that’s why I’m happy, brahmin.

15.1Na hi mayhaṁ brāhmaṇa,You’re right, brahmin, I don’t have15.2paccūsamhi iṇāyikā;creditors knocking at dawn,15.3Detha dethāti codenti,warning, ‘Pay up! Pay up!’:15.4tenāhaṁ brāhmaṇā sukhī”ti.that’s why I’m happy, brahmin.”

16.1Evaṁ vutte, bhāradvājagotto brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:When he had spoken, the brahmin said to the Buddha,16.2“abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama.“Excellent, worthy Gotama! Excellent! …16.3Seyyathāpi, bho gotama, nikkujjitaṁ vā ukkujjeyya, paṭicchannaṁ vā vivareyya, mūḷhassa vā maggaṁ ācikkheyya, andhakāre vā telapajjotaṁ dhāreyya: ‘cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhantī’ti; evameva bhotā gotamena anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito.As if he were righting the overturned, or revealing the hidden, or pointing out the path to the lost, or lighting a lamp in the dark so people with clear eyes can see what’s there, worthy Gotama has made the teaching clear in many ways.16.4Esāhaṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca.I go for refuge to the worthy Gotama, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha.16.5Labheyyāhaṁ bhoto gotamassa santike pabbajjaṁ, labheyyaṁ upasampadan”ti.May I receive the going forth, the ordination in the worthy Gotama’s presence?”

17.1Alattha kho bhāradvājagotto brāhmaṇo bhagavato santike pabbajjaṁ, alattha upasampadaṁ.And the brahmin received the going forth, the ordination in the Buddha’s presence.17.2Acirūpasampanno panāyasmā bhāradvājo eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto nacirasseva—yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihāsi.Not long after his ordination, Venerable Bhāradvāja, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, soon realized the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life. He lived having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.

17.3“Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā”ti abbhaññāsi.He understood: “Rebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is nothing further for this place.”17.4Aññataro ca panāyasmā bhāradvājo arahataṁ ahosīti.And Venerable Bhāradvāja became one of the perfected.

17.5Arahantavaggo paṭhamo.

18.0Tassuddānaṁ

18.1Dhanañjānī ca akkosaṁ,18.2asurindaṁ bilaṅgikaṁ;18.3Ahiṁsakaṁ jaṭā ceva,18.4suddhikañceva aggikā;18.5Sundarikaṁ bahudhīta—18.6rena ca te dasāti.