A well-to-do brahmin

Mahāsālasutta

A well-to-do brahmin

Mahāsālasutta

EN
At Sāvatthī. Then a certain well-to-do brahmin, shabby, wearing a shabby cloak, went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him, “Brahmin, why are you so shabby, wearing a shabby cloak?”
PL
Sāvatthinidānaṁ. Atha kho aññataro brāhmaṇamahāsālo lūkho lūkhapāvuraṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho taṁ brāhmaṇamahāsālaṁ bhagavā etadavoca: “kiṁ nu tvaṁ, brāhmaṇa, lūkho lūkhapāvuraṇo”ti?
EN
“Worthy Gotama, I have four sons. At their wives’ bidding they expelled me from my house.” “Well then, brahmin, memorize these verses and recite them to your sons when you are all seated in the council hall with a large crowd. ‘I was overjoyed when they were born,
PL
“Idha me, bho gotama, cattāro puttā. Te maṁ dārehi sampuccha gharā nikkhāmentī”ti. “Tena hi tvaṁ, brāhmaṇa, imā gāthāyo pariyāpuṇitvā sabhāyaṁ mahājanakāye sannipatite puttesu ca sannisinnesu bhāsassu: ‘Yehi jātehi nandissaṁ,
EN
and wished prosperity for them. But at their wives’ bidding they chased me out, like hounds after hogs. It turns out they’re wicked, those nasty men,
PL
yesañca bhavamicchisaṁ; Te maṁ dārehi sampuccha, sāva vārenti sūkaraṁ. Asantā kira maṁ jammā,
EN
though they called me their dear old Dad. They’re monsters in the shape of sons, throwing me out as I’ve grown old. Like an old, useless horse
PL
tāta tātāti bhāsare; Rakkhasā puttarūpena, te jahanti vayogataṁ. Assova jiṇṇo nibbhogo,
EN
led away from its fodder, the elderly father of those kids begs for alms at others’ homes. Even my staff is better
PL
khādanā apanīyati; Bālakānaṁ pitā thero, parāgāresu bhikkhati. Daṇḍova kira me seyyo,
EN
than those disobedient sons, for it wards off a wild bull, and even a wild dog. It goes before me in the dark;
PL
yañce puttā anassavā; Caṇḍampi goṇaṁ vāreti, atho caṇḍampi kukkuraṁ. Andhakāre pure hoti,
EN
in deep waters it finds a footing. By the wonderful power of this staff, when I stumble, I stand firm again.’” Having memorized those verses in the Buddha’s presence, the brahmin recited them to his sons when they were all seated in the council hall with a large crowd. …
PL
gambhīre gādhamedhati; Daṇḍassa ānubhāvena, khalitvā patitiṭṭhatī’”ti. Atha kho so brāhmaṇamahāsālo bhagavato santike imā gāthāyo pariyāpuṇitvā sabhāyaṁ mahājanakāye sannipatite puttesu ca sannisinnesu abhāsi:
PL
“Yehi jātehi nandissaṁ, yesañca bhavamicchisaṁ; Te maṁ dārehi sampuccha, sāva vārenti sūkaraṁ.
PL
Asantā kira maṁ jammā, tāta tātāti bhāsare; Rakkhasā puttarūpena, te jahanti vayogataṁ.
PL
Assova jiṇṇo nibbhogo, khādanā apanīyati; Bālakānaṁ pitā thero, parāgāresu bhikkhati.
PL
Daṇḍova kira me seyyo, yañce puttā anassavā; Caṇḍampi goṇaṁ vāreti, atho caṇḍampi kukkuraṁ.
PL
Andhakāre pure hoti, gambhīre gādhamedhati; Daṇḍassa ānubhāvena, khalitvā patitiṭṭhatī”ti.
EN
Then the brahmin’s sons led him back home, bathed him, and each clothed him with a fine pair of garments. Then the brahmin, taking one pair of garments, went to the Buddha and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha:
PL
Atha kho naṁ brāhmaṇamahāsālaṁ puttā gharaṁ netvā nhāpetvā paccekaṁ dussayugena acchādesuṁ. Atha kho so brāhmaṇamahāsālo ekaṁ dussayugaṁ ādāya yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho brāhmaṇamahāsālo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
EN
“Worthy Gotama, we brahmins seek a fee for our tutor. May the worthy Gotama please accept my tutor’s fee!” So the Buddha accepted it out of sympathy. Then the well-to-do brahmin said to the Buddha,
PL
“mayaṁ, bho gotama, brāhmaṇā nāma ācariyassa ācariyadhanaṁ pariyesāma. Paṭiggaṇhatu me bhavaṁ gotamo ācariyadhanan”ti. Paṭiggahesi bhagavā anukampaṁ upādāya. Atha kho so brāhmaṇamahāsālo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
EN
“Excellent, worthy Gotama … From this day forth, may the worthy Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”
PL
“abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe… upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.

Pāli root text and English translation by Bhikkhu Sujato from SuttaCentral (https://suttacentral.net), CC0.

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