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Saṁyutta Nikāya — The Linked Discourses

Vol 1:
Verses
SN1-11
Vol 2:
Causation
SN12-21
Vol 3:
Aggregates
SN22-34
Vol 4:
Sense Bases
SN35-44
Vol 5:
Great Book
SN45-56

7. Brāhmaṇasaṁyutta: With Brahmins

II. Lay Followers — SN7.18: Collecting Firewood

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

Then several youths, students of one of the Bhāradvāja brahmins, approached a forest grove while collecting firewood. They 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, they went up to Bhāradvāja and said to him: “Please sir, you should know this. In such and such a forest grove the ascetic Gotama is sitting down cross-legged, with his body straight, and mindfulness established right there.”

Then Bhāradvāja together with those students went to that forest grove where he saw the Buddha sitting down cross-legged, with his body straight, and mindfulness established right there.

He went up to the Buddha and addressed him in verse:


2“Deep in the jungle so full of terrors,
you’ve plunged into the empty, desolate wilderness.
Still, steady, and graceful:
how beautifully you meditate, mendicant!

3Where there is no song or music,
a lonely sage resorts to the wilderness.
This strikes me as an amazing thing,
that you dwell so joyfully alone in the jungle.

4I suppose you wish to be reborn in the company
of the supreme sovereign of the heaven of the Three and Thirty.
Is that why you resort to the desolate wilderness,
to practice austerities for attaining Brahmā?”

5“Any wishes and hopes that are always attached
to the many and various realms —
the yearnings sprung from the root of unknowing —
I’ve eliminated them all down to the root.

6So I’m wishless, unattached, disengaged;
amongst all things, my vision is clear.
I’ve attained the state of grace, the supreme awakening;
I meditate alone, brahmin, and self-assured.”

7When he had spoken, Bhāradvāja said to the Buddha: “Excellent, Master Gotama! Excellent! … 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 aññatarassa bhāradvājagottassa brāhmaṇassa sambahulā antevāsikā kaṭṭhahārakā māṇavakā yena vanasaṇḍo tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā addasaṁsu bhagavantaṁ tasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe nisinnaṁ pallaṅkaṁ ābhujitvā ujuṁ kāyaṁ paṇidhāya parimukhaṁ satiṁ upaṭṭhapetvā. Disvāna yena bhāradvājagotto brāhmaṇo tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhāradvājagottaṁ brāhmaṇaṁ etadavocuṁ: "yagghe bhavaṁ jāneyyāsi. Asukasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe samaṇo nisinno pallaṅkaṁ ābhujitvā ujuṁ kāyaṁ paṇidhāya parimukhaṁ satiṁ upaṭṭhapetvā".

Atha kho bhāradvājagotto brāhmaṇo tehi māṇavakehi saddhiṁ yena so vanasaṇḍo tenupasaṅkami. Addasā kho bhagavantaṁ tasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe nisinnaṁ pallaṅkaṁ ābhujitvā ujuṁ kāyaṁ paṇidhāya parimukhaṁ satiṁ upaṭṭhapetvā.

Disvāna yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi: 


2"Gambhīrarūpe bahubherave vane,
Suññaṁ araññaṁ vijanaṁ vigāhiya;
Aniñjamānena ṭhitena vaggunā,
Sucārurūpaṁ vata bhikkhu jhāyasi.

3Na yattha gītaṁ napi yattha vāditaṁ,
Eko araññe vanavassito muni;
Accherarūpaṁ paṭibhāti maṁ idaṁ,
Yadekako pītimano vane vase.

4Maññāmahaṁ lokādhipatisahabyataṁ,
Ākaṅkhamāno tidivaṁ anuttaraṁ;
Kasmā bhavaṁ vijanamaraññamassito,
Tapo idha kubbasi brahmapattiyā"ti.

5"Yā kāci kaṅkhā abhinandanā vā,
Anekadhātūsu puthū sadāsitā;
Aññāṇamūlappabhavā pajappitā,
Sabbā mayā byantikatā samūlikā.

6Svāhaṁ akaṅkho asito anūpayo,
Sabbesu dhammesu visuddhadassano;
Pappuyya sambodhimanuttaraṁ sivaṁ,
Jhāyāmahaṁ brahma raho visārado"ti.

7Evaṁ vutte, bhāradvājagotto brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "Abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama … pe … ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan"ti.