1At 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?”

“Master 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.

2‘I was overjoyed when they were born,
and wished for them the very best.
But at their wives’ bidding they chased me out,
like hounds after hogs.

3It turns out they’re wicked, those nasty men,
though they called me their dear old Dad.
They’re monsters in the shape of sons,
throwing me out as I’ve grown old.

4Like an old, useless horse
led away from its fodder,
the elderly father of those kids
begs for alms at others’ homes.

5Even my staff is better
than those disobedient sons,
for it wards off a wild bull,
and even a wild dog.

6It goes before me in the dark;
in deep waters it supports me.
By the wonderful power of this staff,
when I stumble, I stand firm again.’”

7–12Having 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. …

13Then 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:

“Master Gotama, we brahmins seek a fee for our teacher. May Master Gotama please accept my teacher’s fee!” So the Buddha accepted it out of compassion.

Then the well-to-do brahmin said to the Buddha: “Excellent, Master Gotama … From this day forth, may Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”

1Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

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?

"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: 

2‘Yehi jātehi nandissaṁ,
yesañca bhavamicchisaṁ;
Te maṁ dārehi sampuccha,
sāva vārenti sūkaraṁ.

3Asantā kira maṁ jammā,
tāta tātāti bhāsare;
Rakkhasā puttarūpena,
te jahanti vayogataṁ.

4Assova jiṇṇo nibbhogo,
khādanā apanīyati;
Bālakānaṁ pitā thero,
parāgāresu bhikkhati.

5Daṇḍova kira me seyyo,
yañce puttā anassavā;
Caṇḍampi goṇaṁ vāreti,
atho caṇḍampi kukkuraṁ.

6Andhakāre pure hoti,
gambhīre gādhamedhati;
Daṇḍassa ānubhāvena,
khalitvā patitiṭṭhatī’"ti.

7Atha kho so brāhmaṇamahāsālo bhagavato santike imā gāthāyo pariyāpuṇitvā sabhāyaṁ mahājanakāye sannipatite puttesu ca sannisinnesu abhāsi: 

8"Yehi jātehi nandissaṁ,
yesañca bhavamicchisaṁ;
Te maṁ dārehi sampuccha,
sāva vārenti sūkaraṁ.

9Asantā kira maṁ jammā,
tāta tātāti bhāsare;
Rakkhasā puttarūpena,
te jahanti vayogataṁ.

10Assova jiṇṇo nibbhogo,
khādanā apanīyati;
Bālakānaṁ pitā thero,
parāgāresu bhikkhati.

11Daṇḍova kira me seyyo,
yañce puttā anassavā;
Caṇḍampi goṇaṁ vāreti,
atho caṇḍampi kukkuraṁ.

12Andhakāre pure hoti,
gambhīre gādhamedhati;
Daṇḍassa ānubhāvena,
khalitvā patitiṭṭhatī"ti.

13Atha 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:

"Mayaṁ, bho gotama, brāhmaṇā nāma acariyassa acariyadhanaṁ pariyesāma. Paṭiggaṇhatu me bhavaṁ gotamo acariyadhanan"ti. Paṭiggahesi bhagavā anukampāṁ upādāya.

Atha kho so brāhmaṇamahāsālo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "Abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama … pe … upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan"ti.