1.1Evaṁ me sutaṁ—So I have heard.1.2ekaṁ 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.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.1.5Tena kho pana samayena kasibhāradvājassa brāhmaṇassa parivesanā vattati.Now at that time Bhāradvāja the Farmer was distributing food.1.6Atha kho bhagavā yena parivesanā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi.Then the Buddha went to where the distribution was taking place and stood to one side.

2.1Addasā kho kasibhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ piṇḍāya ṭhitaṁ.Bhāradvāja the Farmer saw him standing for alms2.2Disvāna bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:and said to him,2.3“ahaṁ kho, samaṇa, kasāmi ca vapāmi ca; kasitvā ca vapitvā ca bhuñjāmi.“I plough and sow, ascetic, and then I eat.2.4Tvampi, samaṇa, kasassu ca vapassu ca; kasitvā ca vapitvā ca bhuñjassū”ti.You too should plough and sow, then you may eat.”

3.1“Ahampi kho, brāhmaṇa, kasāmi ca vapāmi ca; kasitvā ca vapitvā ca bhuñjāmī”ti.“I too plough and sow, brahmin, and then I eat.”3.2“Na kho pana mayaṁ passāma bhoto gotamassa yugaṁ vā naṅgalaṁ vā phālaṁ vā pācanaṁ vā balībadde vā.“I don’t see the worthy Gotama with a yoke or plow or plowshare or goad or oxen, yet he says:3.3Atha ca pana bhavaṁ gotamo evamāha:3.4‘ahampi kho, brāhmaṇa, kasāmi ca vapāmi ca; kasitvā ca vapitvā ca bhuñjāmī’”ti.‘I too plough and sow, brahmin, and then I eat.’”

4.1Atha kho kasibhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:Then Bhāradvāja the Farmer addressed the Buddha in verse:

5.1“Kassako paṭijānāsi,“You claim to be a farmer,5.2na ca passāma te kasiṁ;but I don’t see you farming.5.3Kasiṁ no pucchito brūhi,Tell me your farming when asked,5.4yathā jānemu te kasiṁ”.so I can recognize your farming.”

6.1“Saddhā bījaṁ tapo vuṭṭhi,“Faith is my seed, fervor my rain,6.2paññā me yuganaṅgalaṁ;and wisdom is my yoke and plough.6.3Hirī īsā mano yottaṁ,Conscience is my draft-pole, mind my strap,6.4sati me phālapācanaṁ.mindfulness my plowshare and goad.

7.1Kāyagutto vacīgutto,Guarded in body and speech,7.2āhāre udare yato;I restrict my intake of food.7.3Saccaṁ karomi niddānaṁ,I use truth as my scythe,7.4soraccaṁ me pamocanaṁ.and gentleness is my release.

8.1Vīriyaṁ me dhuradhorayhaṁ,Energy is my harnessed beast,8.2yogakkhemādhivāhanaṁ;transporting me to sanctuary from the yoke.8.3Gacchati anivattantaṁ,Without turning back, it goes8.4yattha gantvā na socati.to where there is no sorrow.

9.1Evamesā kasī kaṭṭhā,That’s how to do the farming9.2Sā hoti amatapphalā;that has freedom from death as its fruit.9.3Etaṁ kasiṁ kasitvāna,When you finish this farming9.4Sabbadukkhā pamuccatī”ti.you’re released from all suffering.”

10.1Atha kho kasibhāradvājo brāhmaṇo mahatiyā kaṁsapātiyā pāyasaṁ vaḍḍhetvā bhagavato upanāmesi:Then Bhāradvāja the Farmer poured milk-rice in a large bronze cup and presented it to the Buddha:10.2“bhuñjatu bhavaṁ gotamo pāyasaṁ.“May the worthy Gotama eat the milk-rice!10.3Kassako bhavaṁ;The worthy one is a farmer.10.4yañhi bhavaṁ gotamo amatapphalaṁ kasiṁ kasatī”ti.For the worthy Gotama does the farming that has freedom from death as its fruit.”

11.1“Gāthābhigītaṁ me abhojaneyyaṁ,“Food enchanted by a verse isn’t fit for me to eat.11.2Sampassataṁ brāhmaṇa nesa dhammo;That’s not the principle of those who see, brahmin.11.3Gāthābhigītaṁ panudanti buddhā,The Buddhas cast aside things enchanted with verses.11.4Dhamme satī brāhmaṇa vuttiresā.Since there is such a principle, brahmin, <j>that’s how they live.

12.1Aññena ca kevalinaṁ mahesiṁ,Serve with other food and drink12.2Khīṇāsavaṁ kukkuccavūpasantaṁ;the consummate one, the great seer,12.3Annena pānena upaṭṭhahassu,with defilements ended and remorse stilled.12.4Khettaṁ hi taṁ puññapekkhassa hotī”ti.For he is the field for the seeker of merit.”

13.1“Atha kassa cāhaṁ, bho gotama, imaṁ pāyasaṁ dammī”ti?“Then, worthy Gotama, to whom should I give the milk-rice?”13.2“Na khvāhaṁ taṁ, brāhmaṇa, passāmi sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya, yassa so pāyaso bhutto sammā pariṇāmaṁ gaccheyya, aññatra tathāgatassa vā tathāgatasāvakassa vā.“Brahmin, I don’t see anyone in this world—with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans—who can properly digest this milk-rice, except the Realized One or one of his disciples.13.3Tena hi tvaṁ, brāhmaṇa, taṁ pāyasaṁ appaharite vā chaḍḍehi appāṇake vā udake opilāpehī”ti.Well then, brahmin, throw out the milk-rice where there is little that grows, or drop it into water that has no living creatures.”

14.1Atha kho kasibhāradvājo brāhmaṇo taṁ pāyasaṁ appāṇake udake opilāpesi.So Bhāradvāja the Farmer dropped the milk-rice in water that had no living creatures.14.2Atha kho so pāyaso udake pakkhitto cicciṭāyati ciṭiciṭāyati sandhūpāyati sampadhūpāyati.And when the milk-rice was placed in the water, it sizzled and hissed, steaming and fuming.14.3Seyyathāpi nāma phālo divasaṁ santatto udake pakkhitto cicciṭāyati ciṭiciṭāyati sandhūpāyati sampadhūpāyati;Suppose there was an iron cauldron that had been heated all day. If you placed it in the water, it would sizzle and hiss, steaming and fuming.14.4evamevaṁ so pāyaso udake pakkhitto cicciṭāyati ciṭiciṭāyati sandhūpāyati sampadhūpāyati.In the same way, when the milk-rice was placed in the water, it sizzled and hissed, steaming and fuming.

15.1Atha kho kasibhāradvājo brāhmaṇo saṁviggo lomahaṭṭhajāto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavato pādesu sirasā nipatitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:Then Bhāradvāja the Farmer, shocked and awestruck, went up to the Buddha, bowed down with his head to the Buddha’s feet, and said,15.2“abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama.“Excellent, worthy Gotama! Excellent!15.3Seyyathāpi, bho gotama, nikkujjitaṁ vā ukkujjeyya, paṭicchannaṁ vā vivareyya, mūḷhassa vā maggaṁ ācikkheyya, andhakāre vā telapajjotaṁ dhāreyya, ‘cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhantī’ti; evamevaṁ 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.15.4Esāhaṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca,I go for refuge to the worthy Gotama, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha.15.5labheyyāhaṁ bhoto gotamassa santike pabbajjaṁ, labheyyaṁ upasampadan”ti.May I receive the going forth, the ordination in the worthy Gotama’s presence?”

16.1Alattha kho kasibhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavato santike pabbajjaṁ, alattha upasampadaṁ.And Bhāradvāja the Farmer received the going forth, the ordination in the Buddha’s presence.16.2Acirūpasampanno kho 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.16.3“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.”16.4Aññataro ca panāyasmā bhāradvājo arahataṁ ahosīti.And Venerable Bhāradvāja became one of the perfected.

16.5Kasibhāradvājasuttaṁ catutthaṁ.