True DhammaLibrary · Community
SN 7.11PTS (1st ed) SN 1.1722 min read

With Bhāradvāja the Farmer

Kasibhāradvājasutta

A brahmin farmer criticizes the Buddha for failing to produce food, merely living off the work of others. But the Buddha shows that his true work is spiritual.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 7.11Linked Discourses 7.11
  • 0.22. Upāsakavagga2. Lay Followers

0.3KasibhāradvājasuttaWith Bhāradvāja the Farmer

1.1Evaṁ me sutaṁ—So I have heard.11.2ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā magadhesu viharati dakkhiṇāgirismiṁ ekanāḷāyaṁ brāhmaṇagāme.At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Magadhans in the Southern Hills near the brahmin village of Ekanāḷa.2

1.3Tena kho pana samayena kasibhāradvājassa brāhmaṇassa pañcamattāni naṅgalasatāni payuttāni honti vappakāle.Now at that time the brahmin Bhāradvāja the Farmer had harnessed around five hundred plows, it being the season for sowing.1.4Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena kasibhāradvājassa brāhmaṇassa kammanto tenupasaṅkami.Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, went to where Bhāradvāja the Farmer was working.

2.1Tena kho pana samayena kasibhāradvājassa brāhmaṇassa parivesanā vattati.Now at that time Bhāradvāja the Farmer was distributing food.32.2Atha kho bhagavā yena parivesanā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi.Then the Buddha went to where the distribution was taking place and stood to one side.

2.3Addasā kho kasibhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ piṇḍāya ṭhitaṁ.Bhāradvāja the Farmer saw him standing for alms2.4Disvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:and said to him,2.5“ahaṁ kho, samaṇa, kasāmi ca vapāmi ca, kasitvā ca vapitvā ca bhuñjāmi.“I plough and sow, ascetic, and then I eat.2.6Tvampi, samaṇa, kasassu ca vapassu ca, kasitvā ca vapitvā ca bhuñjassū”ti.You too should plough and sow, then you may eat.”

2.7“Ahampi kho, brāhmaṇa, kasāmi ca vapāmi ca, kasitvā ca vapitvā ca bhuñjāmī”ti.“I too plough and sow, brahmin, and then I eat.”

2.8“Na kho mayaṁ passāma bhoto gotamassa yugaṁ vā naṅgalaṁ vā phālaṁ vā pācanaṁ vā balībadde vā, atha ca pana bhavaṁ gotamo evamāha:“I don’t see the worthy Gotama with a yoke or plow or plowshare or goad or oxen, yet he says:2.9‘ahampi kho, brāhmaṇa, kasāmi ca vapāmi ca, kasitvā ca vapitvā ca bhuñjāmī’”ti.‘I too plough and sow, brahmin, and then I eat.’”

2.10Atha kho kasibhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:Then Bhāradvāja the Farmer addressed the Buddha in verse:

3.1“Kassako paṭijānāsi,“You claim to be a farmer,3.2na ca passāmi te kasiṁ;but I don’t see you farming.3.3Kassako pucchito brūhi,Tell me how you’re a farmer when asked:3.4kathaṁ jānemu taṁ kasin”ti.how am I to recognize your farming?”

4.1“Saddhā bījaṁ tapo vuṭṭhi,“Faith is my seed, fervor my rain,44.2paññā me yuganaṅgalaṁ;and wisdom is my yoke and plough.4.3Hirī īsā mano yottaṁ,Conscience is my draft-pole, mind my strap,4.4sati me phālapācanaṁ.mindfulness my plowshare and goad.

5.1Kāyagutto vacīgutto,Guarded in body and speech,5.2āhāre udare yato;I restrict my intake of food.5.3Saccaṁ karomi niddānaṁ,I use truth as my scythe,5.4soraccaṁ me pamocanaṁ.and gentleness is my release.

6.1Vīriyaṁ me dhuradhorayhaṁ,Energy is my harnessed beast,6.2yogakkhemādhivāhanaṁ;transporting me to sanctuary from the yoke.56.3Gacchati anivattantaṁ,Without turning back, it goes6.4yattha gantvā na socati.to where there is no sorrow.

7.1Evamesā kasī kaṭṭhā,That’s how to do the farming7.2sā hoti amatapphalā;that has freedom from death as its fruit.7.3Etaṁ kasiṁ kasitvāna,When you finish this farming7.4sabbadukkhā pamuccatī”ti.you’re released from all suffering.”

8.1“Bhuñjatu bhavaṁ gotamo.“May the worthy Gotama eat!8.2Kassako bhavaṁ.The worthy one is a farmer.8.3Yañhi bhavaṁ gotamo amatapphalampi kasiṁ kasatī”ti.For the worthy Gotama does the farming that has freedom from death as its fruit.”

9.1“Gāthābhigītaṁ me abhojaneyyaṁ,“Food enchanted by a verse isn’t fit for me to eat.9.2Sampassataṁ brāhmaṇa nesa dhammo;That’s not the principle of those who see, brahmin.9.3Gāthābhigītaṁ panudanti buddhā,The Buddhas cast aside things enchanted with verses.9.4Dhamme sati brāhmaṇa vuttiresā.Since there is such a principle, brahmin, <j>that’s how they live.

10.1Aññena ca kevalinaṁ mahesiṁ,Serve with other food and drink10.2Khīṇāsavaṁ kukkuccavūpasantaṁ;the consummate one, the great seer,10.3Annena pānena upaṭṭhahassu,with defilements ended and remorse stilled.10.4Khettañhi taṁ puññapekkhassa hotī”ti.For he is the field for the seeker of merit.”

11.1Evaṁ vutte, kasibhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:When he had spoken, the brahmin Bhāradvāja the Farmer said to the Buddha,11.2“abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe…“Excellent, worthy Gotama …11.3ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.From this day forth, may the worthy Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”

Translator’s notes

  1. This discourse recurs at Snp 1.4 with a longer narrative. Vedic hymns include invocations to the “Lord of the Field” to bless the plowing and the crops (Rig Veda 4.57.4), but it is unorthodox to see a brahmin farmer.

    ↩ sn7.11:1.1

  2. The Southern Hills (dakkhiṇāgiri, “Deccan”) is the Vindhya Range that lies on the southern border of Magadha, leading southwest to Avanti. The Buddha and his disciples visited there so rarely that people complained (Kd 1:53.1.3).

    Ekanāḷa (“one-stalk”) appears only here.

    ↩ sn7.11:1.2

  3. Atharvaveda 6.142.3 says that the “givers” of the grain shall be inexhaustible, perhaps suggesting a food distribution practice.

    ↩ sn7.11:2.1

  4. Vedic texts are full of this sort of correspondence, but I cannot find a close match to these. Perhaps this is to be expected, as the farmer is learning something new.

    ↩ sn7.11:4.1

  5. Yogakkhema (“sanctuary from the yoke”) is a metaphor for Nibbāna that draws from the literal sense of khema as an oasis or sanctuary for men and beasts. After a hard day’s journey, a caravan would stop to rest, “unyoke” the draft animals, lay down the burden, and refresh themselves in the cool waters.

    ↩ sn7.11:6.2