1.1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.1.2Assosi kho bilaṅgikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo:The brahmin Bhāradvāja the Bitter heard a rumor that¹1.3“bhāradvājagotto kira brāhmaṇo samaṇassa gotamassa santike agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito”ti kupito anattamano yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā tuṇhībhūto ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi.a brahmin of the Bhāradvāja clan had gone forth from the lay life to homelessness in the presence of the ascetic Gotama. Angry and displeased he went to the Buddha and stood silently to one side.²

1.4Atha kho bhagavā bilaṅgikassa bhāradvājassa brāhmaṇassa cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya bilaṅgikaṁ bhāradvājaṁ brāhmaṇaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:Then the Buddha, knowing Bhāradvāja the Bitter’s train of thought, addressed him in verse:

2.1“Yo appaduṭṭhassa narassa dussati,∥“Whoever wrongs a man who has done no wrong,2.2Suddhassa posassa anaṅgaṇassa;a pure man who has not a blemish,2.3Tameva bālaṁ pacceti pāpaṁ,the evil backfires on the fool,2.4Sukhumo rajo paṭivātaṁva khitto”ti.like fine dust thrown upwind.”

3.1Evaṁ vutte, bilaṅgikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:When he said this, the brahmin Bhāradvāja the Bitter said to the Buddha,3.2“abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe…“Excellent, worthy Gotama! …” …3.3abbhaññāsi.3.4Aññataro ca panāyasmā bhāradvājo arahataṁ ahosīti.And Venerable Bhāradvāja became one of the perfected.