The Shorter Discourse on the Cowherd · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral
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thusEvaṁ
by meme
heardsutaṁ—
oneekaṁ
timesamayaṁ
the Blessed Onebhagavā
among the Vajjisvajjīsu
apart·dwellviharati
near Ukkacelāukkacelāyaṁ
of the Gangesgaṅgāya
rivernadiyā
on the banktīre.
thereTatra
indeedkho
the Blessed Onebhagavā
the mendicantsbhikkhū
to·speakāmantesi:
mendicant·quotation marker“bhikkhavo”ti.
venerable sir·quotation marker“Bhadante”ti
thosete
mendicantsbhikkhū
to the Blessed Onebhagavato
back·replypaccassosuṁ.
the Blessed OneBhagavā
this·saidetadavoca:
once upon a time“Bhūtapubbaṁ, mendicantsbhikkhave, Magadhanmāgadhako cowherdgopālako of unintelligent natureduppaññajātiko, of the rainy seasonvassānaṁ lastpacchime monthmāse in the autumn seasonsaradasamaye, not·having inspectedasamavekkhitvā of the Gangesgaṅgāya rivernadiyā nearorimaṁ shoretīraṁ, not·having inspectedasamavekkhitvā farpārimaṁ shoretīraṁ, not·ford·justatittheneva cattlegāvo drove acrosspatāresi northernuttaraṁ shoretīraṁ among the Suvidehanssuvidehānaṁ.
thenAtha
indeedkho,
monksbhikkhave,
cattlegāvo
middle + Gangesmajjhegaṅgāya
of the rivernadiyā
in the streamsote
a circleāmaṇḍaliyaṁ
having madekaritvā
there + justtattheva
ruin + destructionanayabyasanaṁ
they came toāpajjiṁsu.
thatTaṁ
of whatkissa
cause?hetu?
thusTathā
forhi
thatso,
monksbhikkhave,
Magadhanmāgadhako
cowherdgopālako
unintelligent by natureduppaññajātiko,
of the rainsvassānaṁ
in the lastpacchime
monthmāse
in the autumn seasonsaradasamaye,
not·together·having inspectedasamavekkhitvā
of the Gangesgaṅgāya
of the rivernadiyā
the nearorimaṁ
shoretīraṁ,
not·together·having inspectedasamavekkhitvā
the farpārimaṁ
shoretīraṁ,
at a place with no fordatittheneva
cattlegāvo
he drove acrosspatāresi
to the northernuttaraṁ
shoretīraṁ
of the Videhanssuvidehānaṁ.
just soEvameva
indeedkho,
monksbhikkhave,
whoeverye
forhi
anykeci
asceticssamaṇā
orvā
brahminsbrāhmaṇā
orvā
not·skilledakusalā
of thisimassa
worldlokassa
not·skilledakusalā
of the otherparassa
worldlokassa,
not·skilledakusalā
Māra·dominionmāradheyyassa
not·skilledakusalā
in what is not Māra's dominionamāradheyyassa,
not·skilledakusalā
death·dominionmaccudheyyassa
not·skilledakusalā
in what is not Death's dominionamaccudheyyassa,
of thosetesaṁ
whoye
worth listening tosotabbaṁ
worth trustingsaddahātabbaṁ
they will thinkmaññissanti,
for thosetesaṁ
thattaṁ
it will bebhavissati
long·timedīgharattaṁ
for harmahitāya
for sufferingdukkhāya.
once upon a timeBhūtapubbaṁ, mendicantsbhikkhave, Magadhanmāgadhako cowherdgopālako intelligentsappaññajātiko, of the rainy seasonvassānaṁ lastpacchime monthmāse in autumnsaradasamaye, after inspectingsamavekkhitvā of the Gangesgaṅgāya rivernadiyā nearorimaṁ shoretīraṁ, after inspectingsamavekkhitvā farpārimaṁ shoretīraṁ, by a fordtittheneva cattlegāvo drove acrosspatāresi northernuttaraṁ shoretīraṁ of the Suvidehanssuvidehānaṁ.
heSo
firstpaṭhamaṁ
across·crosspatāresi
whoye
thosete
bullsusabhā
cow·fathersgopitaro
cow·captainsgopariṇāyakā.
theyTe
acrosstiriyaṁ
of the Gangesgaṅgāya
streamsotaṁ
having cutchetvā
safelysotthinā
far shorepāraṁ
to·goagamaṁsu.
then othersAthāpare
across·crosspatāresi
strong·cattlebalavagāvo
tractable·cattledammagāvo.
they tooTepi
acrosstiriyaṁ
of the Gangesgaṅgāya
streamsotaṁ
having cutchetvā
safelysotthinā
far shorepāraṁ
to·goagamaṁsu.
then othersAthāpare
across·crosspatāresi
bullocksvacchatare
heifers.vacchatariyo.
they tooTepi
acrosstiriyaṁ
of the Gangesgaṅgāya
streamsotaṁ
having cutchetvā
safelysotthinā
far shorepāraṁ
to·goagamaṁsu.
then othersAthāpare
across·crosspatāresi
calvesvacchake
weak·cattlekisābalake.
they tooTepi
acrosstiriyaṁ
of the Gangesgaṅgāya
streamsotaṁ
having cutchetvā
safelysotthinā
far shorepāraṁ
to·goagamaṁsu.
happened·beforeBhūtapubbaṁ,
monks,bhikkhave,
calfvacchako
youngtaruṇako
justtāvadeva
bornjātako
mother's·lowingmātugoravakena
urged on,vuyhamāno,
even itsopi
acrosstiriyaṁ
of the Gangesgaṅgāya
streamsotaṁ
having cutchetvā
safelysotthinā
far shorepāraṁ
to·goagamāsi.
thatTaṁ
whatkissa
reason?hetu?
thusTathā
indeedhi
he,so,
monks,bhikkhave,
Magadhanmāgadhako
cowherd,gopālako
intelligent·by naturesappaññajātiko,
of the rainsvassānaṁ
lastpacchime
monthmāse
autumn·timesaradasamaye,
together·inspectsamavekkhitvā
of the Gangesgaṅgāya
river'snadiyā
nearorimaṁ
shore,tīraṁ,
together·inspectsamavekkhitvā
farpārimaṁ
shore,tīraṁ,
at a fordtittheneva
cattlegāvo
across·crosspatāresi
northernuttaraṁ
shoretīraṁ
of·Videhanssuvidehānaṁ.
just soEvameva indeedkho, monksbhikkhave, whoye forhi anykeci asceticssamaṇā orvā brahminsbrāhmaṇā orvā skilledkusalā thisimassa worldlokassa skilledkusalā otherparassa worldlokassa, skilledkusalā in Māra's dominionmāradheyyassa skilledkusalā in its oppositeamāradheyyassa, skilledkusalā in Death's dominionmaccudheyyassa skilledkusalā in its oppositeamaccudheyyassa, of themtesaṁ whoye worth listening tosotabbaṁ worth trustingsaddahātabbaṁ will thinkmaññissanti, for themtesaṁ thattaṁ will bebhavissati for a long timedīgharattaṁ for welfarehitāya for happinesssukhāya.
just asSeyyathāpi,
monksbhikkhave,
whoye
thosete
bullsusabhā
cow·fathergopitaro
cow·leadergopariṇāyakā
theyte
acrosstiriyaṁ
of the Gangesgaṅgāya
streamsotaṁ
having cutchetvā
to safetysotthinā
far shorepāraṁ
wentagamaṁsu;
just soevameva
indeedkho,
monksbhikkhave,
whoye
thosete
mendicantsbhikkhū
perfectedarahanto
with defilements endedkhīṇāsavā
who have completed the spiritual journeyvusitavanto
done·to be donekatakaraṇīyā
laid down·burdenohitabhārā
attained·own goalanuppattasadatthā
utterly ended·fetter of existenceparikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojanā
right knowledge·freedsammadaññāvimuttā,
theyte
acrosstiriyaṁ
of Māramārassa
streamsotaṁ
having cutchetvā
to safetysotthinā
crossed over to the far shorepāraṅgatā.
just asSeyyathāpi
thosete,
monksbhikkhave,
strong cattlebalavagāvo
tractable cattledammagāvo
acrosstiriyaṁ
of the Gangesgaṅgāya
streamsotaṁ
having cutchetvā
to safetysotthinā
to the far shorepāraṁ
they wentagamaṁsu;
just soevameva
indeedkho,
monksbhikkhave,
whoye
thosete
monksbhikkhū
of the fivepañcannaṁ
lowerorambhāgiyānaṁ
of fetterssaṁyojanānaṁ
by the endingparikkhayā
reborn spontaneouslyopapātikā
theretattha
extinguished thereparinibbāyino
not liable to returnanāvattidhammā
from thattasmā
worldlokā,
they tootepi
acrosstiriyaṁ
of Māramārassa
streamsotaṁ
having cutchetvā
to safetysotthinā
to the far shorepāraṁ
they will gogamissanti.
just asSeyyathāpi
thosete,
monksbhikkhave,
bullocksvacchatarā
heifersvacchatariyo
slantwisetiriyaṁ
of the Gangesgaṅgāya
streamsotaṁ
having cutchetvā
safelysotthinā
to the far shorepāraṁ
they wentagamaṁsu;
just soevameva
indeedkho,
monksbhikkhave,
whoye
thosete
monksbhikkhū
of threetiṇṇaṁ
of fetterssaṁyojanānaṁ
with the endingparikkhayā
greed·hate·delusionrāgadosamohānaṁ
with the weakeningtanuttā
once-returnerssakadāgāmino
once onlysakideva
thisimaṁ
worldlokaṁ
to·goāgantvā
suffering·enddukkhassantaṁ
they will makekarissanti,
they·tootepi
slantwisetiriyaṁ
of Māramārassa
streamsotaṁ
having cutchetvā
safelysotthinā
to the far shorepāraṁ
they will gogamissanti.
as·justSeyyathāpi
thosete,
monksbhikkhave,
calvesvacchakā
weak cattlekisābalakā
breastingtiriyaṁ
of the Gangesgaṅgāya
streamsotaṁ
having cutchetvā
to safetysotthinā
the far shorepāraṁ
wentagamaṁsu;
so·evenevameva
indeedkho,
monksbhikkhave,
whoye
thosete
mendicantsbhikkhū
of threetiṇṇaṁ
of fetterssaṁyojanānaṁ
with the endingparikkhayā
stream-entererssotāpannā
not·underworld·liableavinipātadhammā
assuredniyatā
awakening·destinedsambodhiparāyanā,
they·tootepi
breastingtiriyaṁ
of Māramārassa
streamsotaṁ
having cutchetvā
to safetysotthinā
the far shorepāraṁ
will gogamissanti.
just asSeyyathāpi
heso,
monksbhikkhave,
young calfvacchako
tendertaruṇako
just thentāvadeva
bornjātako
mother·cowmātugoravakena
being urged onvuyhamāno
acrosstiriyaṁ
of the Gangesgaṅgāya
streamsotaṁ
having crossedchetvā
to safetysotthinā
to the far shorepāraṁ
wentagamāsi;
just soevameva
indeedkho,
monksbhikkhave,
whoye
thosete
monksbhikkhū
followers of teachingsdhammānusārino
followers by faithsaddhānusārino,
they tootepi
acrosstiriyaṁ
of Māramārassa
streamsotaṁ
having crossedchetvā
to safetysotthinā
to the far shorepāraṁ
will gogamissanti.
IAhaṁ indeedkho nowpana, mendicantsbhikkhave, skilledkusalo in thisimassa worldlokassa skilledkusalo in the otherparassa worldlokassa, skilledkusalo Māra·domainmāradheyyassa skilledkusalo not·Māra·domainamāradheyyassa, skilledkusalo Death·domainmaccudheyyassa skilledkusalo not·Death·domainamaccudheyyassa. for thoseTassa of memayhaṁ, mendicantsbhikkhave, whoye worth listening tosotabbaṁ worth trustingsaddahātabbaṁ will thinkmaññissanti, for themtesaṁ thattaṁ will bebhavissati long·timedīgharattaṁ for welfarehitāya for happinesssukhāyā”ti.
this·saidIdamavoca
the Blessed Onebhagavā.
thisIdaṁ
having saidvatvā
the Holy Onesugato
then furtherathāparaṁ
this·saidetadavoca
the Teachersatthā:
this“Ayaṁ
worldloko
the otherparo
worldloko,
by one who knowsjānatā
clearly explainedsuppakāsito;
what + andYañca
by Māramārena
reachedsampattaṁ,
not reachedappattaṁ
what + andyañca
by Deathmaccunā.
the wholeSabbaṁ
worldlokaṁ
directly knowingabhiññāya,
by the Fully Awakened Onesambuddhena
who understandspajānatā;
openedVivaṭaṁ
the door to the deathlessamatadvāraṁ,
the sanctuarykhemaṁ
for attaining extinguishmentnibbānapattiyā.
cutChinnaṁ
of the Wicked Onepāpimato
streamsotaṁ,
blown awayViddhastaṁ
mown downvinaḷīkataṁ;
full of joyPāmojjabahulā
behotha,
the sanctuaryKhemaṁ
set your heart onpattattha
mendicantsbhikkhavo”ti.
the Shorter Discourse on the CowherdCūḷagopālakasuttaṁ
is finishedniṭṭhitaṁ
fourthcatutthaṁ.
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