1At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Kosalans in a certain forest grove.

Now at that time the brahmin Bhāradvāja the Builder was doing some building work in that jungle thicket. He saw the Buddha sitting down cross-legged at the root of a certain sal tree, with his body straight, and mindfulness established right there.

Seeing this, it occurred to him: “I enjoy doing this building work here in the jungle. I wonder what the ascetic Gotama enjoys doing?”

Then Bhāradvāja the Builder went up to the Buddha and addressed him in verse:

3“What kind of work do you do
as a mendicant in the sal jungle?
How do you find enjoyment
alone in the wilderness, Gotama?”

3“There’s nothing I need to do in the jungle;
my jungle’s cut down at the root, it’s withered away.
With jungle cleared and free of thorns,
I enjoy being alone in the jungle, having given up discontent.”

4When he had spoken, the brahmin Bhāradvāja the Builder 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.”

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu vihārati aññatarasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe.

Tena kho pana samayena navakammikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo tasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe kammantaṁ kārāpeti. Addasā kho navakammikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ aññatarasmiṁ sālarukkhamūle nisinnaṁ pallaṅkaṁ ābhujitvā ujuṁ kāyaṁ paṇidhāya parimukhaṁ satiṁ upaṭṭhapetvā.

Disvānassa etadahosi: "Ahaṁ kho imasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe kammantaṁ kārāpento ramāmi. Ayaṁ samaṇo gotamo kiṁ kārāpento ramatī"ti?

Atha kho navakammikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami. Upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi: 

2"Ke nu kammantā karīyanti,
bhikkhu sālavane tava;
Yadekako araññasmiṁ,
ratiṁ vindati gotamo"ti.

3"Na me vanasmiṁ karaṇīyamatthi,
Ucchinnamūlaṁ me vanaṁ visūkaṁ;
Svāhaṁ vane nibbanatho visallo,
Eko rame aratiṁ vippahāyā"ti.

4Evaṁ vutte, navakammikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "Abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama … pe … upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan"ti.