The Cowherd · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral
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Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu cārikaṁ carati mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ. Atha kho bhagavā maggā okkamma yena aññataraṁ rukkhamūlaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi.
So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was wandering in the land of the Kosalans together with a large Saṅgha of mendicants. And then the Buddha left the road, went to the root of a certain tree, and sat down on the seat spread out.
Atha kho aññataro gopālako yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho taṁ gopālakaṁ bhagavā dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi.
Then a certain cowherd went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha educated, encouraged, fired up, and inspired him with a Dhamma talk.
Atha kho so gopālako bhagavatā dhammiyā kathāya sandassito samādapito samuttejito sampahaṁsito bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “adhivāsetu me, bhante, bhagavā svātanāya bhattaṁ saddhiṁ bhikkhusaṅghenā”ti. Adhivāsesi bhagavā tuṇhībhāvena. Atha kho so gopālako bhagavato adhivāsanaṁ viditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.
Then the cowherd said to the Buddha, “Sir, would the Buddha, together with the mendicant Saṅgha, please accept tomorrow’s meal from me?” The Buddha consented with silence. Then, knowing that the Buddha had consented, the cowherd rose from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving.
Atha kho so gopālako tassā rattiyā accayena sake nivesane pahūtaṁ appodakapāyāsaṁ paṭiyādāpetvā navañca sappiṁ bhagavato kālaṁ ārocesi: “kālo, bhante, niṭṭhitaṁ bhattan”ti.
And when the night had passed the cowherd had plenty of thick milk-rice prepared in his own home, with fresh ghee. Then he had the Buddha informed of the time, saying, “Sir, it’s time. The meal is ready.”
Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya saddhiṁ bhikkhusaṅghena yena tassa gopālakassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Atha kho so gopālako buddhappamukhaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ appodakapāyāsena navena ca sappinā sahatthā santappesi sampavāresi. Atha kho so gopālako bhagavantaṁ bhuttāviṁ onītapattapāṇiṁ aññataraṁ nīcaṁ āsanaṁ gahetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho taṁ gopālakaṁ bhagavā dhammiyā kathāya sandassetvā samādapetvā samuttejetvā sampahaṁsetvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkāmi. Atha kho acirapakkantassa bhagavato taṁ gopālakaṁ aññataro puriso sīmantarikāya jīvitā voropesi.
The Buddha robed up, took his bowl and robe and, together with the Saṅgha of monks, went to the house of that cowherd, where he sat down on the prepared seat in the dining hall. Then the cowherd served and satisfied the mendicant Saṅgha headed by the Buddha with his own hands with a thick milk-rice and fresh ghee. When the Buddha had eaten and washed his hand and bowl, the cowherd took a low seat and sat to one side. The Buddha then educated, encouraged, fired up, and inspired him with a teaching, after which he got up and left. But soon after the Buddha had left, the cowherd was killed by a certain man in the gap between village perimeters.
Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: “yena, bhante, gopālakena ajja buddhappamukho bhikkhusaṅgho appodakapāyāsena navena ca sappinā sahatthā santappito sampavārito so kira, bhante, gopālako aññatarena purisena sīmantarikāya jīvitā voropito”ti.
Then several mendicants went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened.
Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:
Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:
“Diso disaṁ yaṁ taṁ kayirā, verī vā pana verinaṁ; Micchāpaṇihitaṁ cittaṁ, pāpiyo naṁ tato kare”ti. Tatiyaṁ.
“A wrongly directed mind would do you more harm than a hater to the hated, or an enemy to their foe.”
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