The Simile of the Quail · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral
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thusEvaṁ
by meme
heardsutaṁ—
oneekaṁ
timesamayaṁ
the Blessed Onebhagavā
among the Aṅguttarāpansaṅguttarāpesu
was stayingviharati
Āpaṇaāpaṇaṁ
namednāma
of the Aṅguttarāpansaṅguttarāpānaṁ
townnigamo.
So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Aṅguttarāpans, near the town of theirs named Āpaṇa.
thenAtha
indeedkho
the Buddhabhagavā
in the morningpubbaṇhasamayaṁ
having robed upnivāsetvā
taking his bowl and robepattacīvaramādāya
Āpaṇaāpaṇaṁ
for almspiṇḍāya
enteredpāvisi.
in ĀpaṇaĀpaṇe
for almspiṇḍāya
having wanderedcaritvā
after the mealpacchābhattaṁ
on his return from almsroundpiṇḍapātapaṭikkanto
to a certainyenaññataro
forest grovevanasaṇḍo
he went to ittenupasaṅkami
for the day’s meditationdivāvihārāya.
thatTaṁ
forest grovevanasaṇḍaṁ
having plunged deep intoajjhogāhetvā
at a certainaññatarasmiṁ
at the root of a treerukkhamūle
to meditatedivāvihāraṁ
satnisīdi.
Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Āpaṇa for alms. He wandered for alms in Āpaṇa. After the meal, on his return from almsround, he went to a certain forest grove for the day’s meditation. Having plunged deep into it, he sat at the root of a certain tree to meditate.
Venerable tooĀyasmāpi
indeedkho
Udāyīudāyī
in the morningpubbaṇhasamayaṁ
having robed upnivāsetvā
taking bowl and robepattacīvaramādāya
Āpaṇaāpaṇaṁ
for almspiṇḍāya
enteredpāvisi.
in ĀpaṇaĀpaṇe
for almspiṇḍāya
having wanderedcaritvā
after the mealpacchābhattaṁ
returned from almsroundpiṇḍapātapaṭikkanto
whereyena
thatso
forest grovevanasaṇḍo
went to ittenupasaṅkami
for the day's meditationdivāvihārāya.
thatTaṁ
forest grovevanasaṇḍaṁ
having plunged intoajjhogāhetvā
a certainaññatarasmiṁ
at the root of a treerukkhamūle
day's meditationdivāvihāraṁ
satnisīdi.
thenAtha
indeedkho
of Venerableāyasmato
Udāyīudāyissa
in privaterahogatassa
in retreatpaṭisallīnassa
thusevaṁ
of mindcetaso
thoughtparivitakko
aroseudapādi:
Venerable Udāyī also robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Āpaṇa for alms. He wandered for alms in Āpaṇa. After the meal, on his return from almsround, he went to that forest grove for the day’s meditation. Having plunged deep into it, he sat at the root of a certain tree to meditate. Then as Venerable Udāyī was in private retreat this thought came to his mind:
of many“bahūnaṁ
indeedvata
for usno
the Blessed Onebhagavā
of things bringing sufferingdukkhadhammānaṁ
a removerapahattā,
of manybahūnaṁ
indeedvata
for usno
the Blessed Onebhagavā
of things bringing happinesssukhadhammānaṁ
a bringerupahattā;
of manybahūnaṁ
indeedvata
for usno
the Blessed Onebhagavā
of unskillfulakusalānaṁ
of thingsdhammānaṁ
a removerapahattā,
of manybahūnaṁ
indeedvata
for usno
the Blessed Onebhagavā
of skillfulkusalānaṁ
of thingsdhammānaṁ
a bringerupahattā”ti.
“The Buddha has rid us of so many things that bring suffering and gifted us so many things that bring happiness! He has rid us of so many unskillful things and gifted us so many skillful things!”
thenAtha indeedkho venerableāyasmā Udāyīudāyī late afternoonsāyanhasamayaṁ from retreatpaṭisallānā emergedvuṭṭhito whereyena the Blessed Onebhagavā he approached himtenupasaṅkami; having approachedupasaṅkamitvā the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ having bowedabhivādetvā to one sideekamantaṁ sat downnisīdi. to one sideEkamantaṁ seatednisinno indeedkho venerableāyasmā Udāyīudāyī the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ said this to himetadavoca:
Then in the late afternoon, Udāyī came out of retreat and went to the Buddha. He bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:
here“idha
for memayhaṁ,
sirbhante,
in private retreatrahogatassa
in seclusionpaṭisallīnassa
thusevaṁ
of mindcetaso
thoughtparivitakko
aroseudapādi:
of many‘bahūnaṁ
indeedvata
for usno
the Blessed Onebhagavā
of suffering thingsdukkhadhammānaṁ
a removerapahattā,
of manybahūnaṁ
indeedvata
for usno
the Blessed Onebhagavā
of happy thingssukhadhammānaṁ
a bringerupahattā;
of manybahūnaṁ
indeedvata
for usno
the Blessed Onebhagavā
of unskillfulakusalānaṁ
thingsdhammānaṁ
a removerapahattā,
of manybahūnaṁ
indeedvata
for usno
the Blessed Onebhagavā
of skillfulkusalānaṁ
thingsdhammānaṁ
a bringerupahattā’ti.
for weMayañhi,
sirbhante,
formerlypubbe
in the eveningsāyañceva
we atebhuñjāma
in the morningpāto
andca
by daydivā
andca
at the wrong timevikāle.
there wasAhu
indeedkho
thatso,
sirbhante,
timesamayo
whenyaṁ
the Blessed Onebhagavā
the mendicantsbhikkhū
addressedāmantesi:
please‘iṅgha
youtumhe,
mendicantsbhikkhave,
thisetaṁ
meal at the wrong time of daydivāvikālabhojanaṁ
give uppajahathā’ti.
for thatTassa
memayhaṁ,
sirbhante,
there was indeedahudeva
distressaññathattaṁ,
there was indeedahudeva
sadnessdomanassaṁ:
which indeed‘yampi
to usno
faithfulsaddhā
householdersgahapatikā
by daydivā
at the wrong timevikāle
deliciouspaṇītaṁ
fresh foodkhādanīyaṁ
cooked foodbhojanīyaṁ
they givedenti
of that tootassapi
for usno
the Blessed Onebhagavā
speaks of giving uppahānamāha,
of that tootassapi
for usno
the Holy Onesugato
speaks of letting gopaṭinissaggamāhā’ti.
thoseTe
wemayaṁ,
sirbhante,
for the Blessed Onebhagavati
fondness andpemañca
respect andgāravañca
conscience andhiriñca
prudence andottappañca
consideringsampassamānā
thusevaṁ
thattaṁ
meal at the wrong time of daydivāvikālabhojanaṁ
we gave uppajahimhā.
“Just now, sir, as I was in private retreat this thought came to mind: ‘The Buddha has rid us of so many things that bring suffering and gifted us so many things that bring happiness! He has rid us of so many unskillful things and gifted us so many skillful things!’ For we used to eat at dusk, at daybreak, and at the wrong time of day. But then there came a time when the Buddha addressed the mendicants, saying, ‘Please, mendicants, give up that meal at the wrong time of day.’ At that, sir, we became sad and upset, ‘But these faithful householders give us delicious fresh and cooked foods at the wrong time of day. And the Blessed One tells us to give it up! The Holy One tells us to let it go!’ But when we considered our fondness and respect for the Buddha, and our sense of conscience and prudence, we gave up that meal at the wrong time of day.
theyTe
wemayaṁ,
sirbhante,
and in the eveningsāyañceva
we eatbhuñjāma
in the morningpāto
andca.
there wasAhu
indeedkho
thatso,
sirbhante,
timesamayo
whenyaṁ
the Blessed Onebhagavā
the mendicantsbhikkhū
he addressedāmantesi:
come‘iṅgha
youtumhe,
mendicantsbhikkhave,
thatetaṁ
meal at the wrong time of nightrattiṁvikālabhojanaṁ
give up!pajahathā’ti.
for meTassa
for memayhaṁ,
sirbhante,
there was indeed alterationahudeva
upsetaññathattaṁ
there was indeedahudeva
dejectiondomanassaṁ:
what‘yampi
for usno
of theseimesaṁ
of twodvinnaṁ
of mealsbhattānaṁ
considered the more deliciouspaṇītasaṅkhātataraṁ
of that tootassapi
for usno
the Blessed Onebhagavā
says the giving uppahānamāha,
of that tootassapi
for usno
the Holy Onesugato
says the letting gopaṭinissaggamāhā’ti.
once it so happenedBhūtapubbaṁ,
sirbhante,
a certainaññataro
personpuriso
during the daydivā
soupsūpeyyaṁ
having obtainedlabhitvā
he said thusevamāha:
come‘handa
andca
thisimaṁ
set asidenikkhipatha,
in the eveningsāyaṁ
all togethersabbeva
unitedsamaggā
we will enjoybhuñjissāmā’ti.
whatYā
kind ofkāci,
sirbhante,
prepared mealssaṅkhatiyo
allsabbā
thosetā
at nightrattiṁ,
fewappā
in the daydivā.
theyTe
wemayaṁ,
sirbhante,
in the Blessed Onebhagavati
and lovepemañca
and respectgāravañca
and shamehiriñca
and prudenceottappañca
consideringsampassamānā
thusevaṁ
thattaṁ
meal at the wrong time of nightrattiṁvikālabhojanaṁ
we gave uppajahimhā.
Then we ate at dusk and daybreak. But then there came a time when the Buddha addressed the mendicants, saying, ‘Please, mendicants, give up that meal at the wrong time of night.’ At that, sir, we became sad and upset, ‘But that’s considered the more delicious of the two meals. And the Blessed One tells us to give it up! The Holy One tells us to let it go!’ Once it so happened that a certain person got some soup during the day. He said, ‘Come, let’s set this aside; we’ll enjoy it together this evening.’ Nearly all meals are prepared at night, only a few in the day. But when we considered our love and respect for the Buddha, and our sense of conscience and prudence, we gave up that meal at the wrong time of night.
once it happenedBhūtapubbaṁ,
sirbhante,
mendicantsbhikkhū
in the dark of the nightrattandhakāratimisāyaṁ
for almspiṇḍāya
wanderingcarantā
swampcandanikampi
they walked intopavisanti,
seweroligallepi
they fell intopapatanti,
thorn bushkaṇṭakāvāṭampi
they collided withārohanti,
sleepingsuttampi
cowgāviṁ
they collided withārohanti,
youthsmāṇavehipi
they encounteredsamāgacchanti
having done a crimekatakammehipi
having not done a crimeakatakammehipi,
a ladymātugāmopi
themte
with a lewd actasaddhammena
invitednimanteti.
once it happened IBhūtapubbāhaṁ,
sirbhante,
in the dark of the nightrattandhakāratimisāyaṁ
for almspiṇḍāya
I wandercarāmi.
she sawAddasā
indeedkho
memaṁ,
sirbhante,
a certainaññatarā
womanitthī
by a flash of lightningvijjantarikāya
a potbhājanaṁ
washingdhovantī.
having seenDisvā
memaṁ
startledbhītā
she cried outvissaramakāsi:
woe is me‘abhumme
goblinpisāco
indeedvata
meman’ti.
thusEvaṁ
when saidvutte,
Iahaṁ,
sirbhante,
to thattaṁ
womanitthiṁ
I said thisetadavocaṁ:
I am not‘nāhaṁ,
sisterbhagini,
goblinpisāco;
a mendicantbhikkhu
for almspiṇḍāya
waitingṭhito’ti.
mendicant's‘Bhikkhussa
father may dieātumārī,
mendicant'sbhikkhussa
mother may diemātumārī.
betterVaraṁ
for youte,
mendicantbhikkhu,
with a sharptiṇhena
with a meat cleavergovikantanena
bellykucchi
sliced openparikanto,
notna
indeedtveva
bettervaraṁ
thatyaṁ
in the dark of the nightrattandhakāratimisāyaṁ
for the sake of your bellykucchihetu
for almspiṇḍāya
you wandercarasī’ti.
of thatTassa
mymayhaṁ,
sirbhante,
recollecting thattadanussarato
thusevaṁ
it ishoti:
of many‘bahūnaṁ
indeedvata
usno
the Buddhabhagavā
of things that bring sufferingdukkhadhammānaṁ
has rid usapahattā,
of manybahūnaṁ
indeedvata
usno
the Buddhabhagavā
of things that bring happinesssukhadhammānaṁ
has gifted usupahattā;
In the past, mendicants went wandering for alms in the dark of the night. They walked into a swamp, or fell into a sewer, or collided with a thorn bush, or collided with a sleeping cow, or encountered youths escaping a crime or on their way to commit one, or were invited by a lady to commit a lewd act. Once it so happened that I was wandering for alms in the dark of the night. A woman washing a pot saw me by a flash of lightning. Startled, she cried out, ‘Woe is me! It’s a damn goblin!’ When she said this, I said to her, ‘Sister, I am no goblin. I’m a mendicant waiting for alms.’ ‘Die, mendicant’s father! Die, mendicant’s mother! Better to have your belly sliced open with a sharp meat cleaver than to wander for alms in the dark of night for the sake of your belly!’ Recollecting that, I thought, ‘The Buddha has rid us of so many things that bring suffering and gifted us so many things that bring happiness!
of manybahūnaṁ indeedvata for usno the Blessed Onebhagavā of unskillfulakusalānaṁ of thingsdhammānaṁ a removerapahattā, of manybahūnaṁ indeedvata for usno the Blessed Onebhagavā of skillfulkusalānaṁ of thingsdhammānaṁ a bringerupahattā’”ti.
He has rid us of so many unskillful things and gifted us so many skillful things!’”
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