1Thus I heard: At one time the Gracious One was walking on walking tour amongst the Kosalans, together with a great Community of monks. Then the Gracious One, having gone down from the road, went to the root of a certain tree, and after going, he sat down on the prepared seat.

2Then a certain cowherd went to the Gracious One, and after going and worshipping the Gracious One, he sat down on one side. While sitting on one side the Gracious One instructed, roused, enthused, and cheered that cowherd with a Dhamma talk.

3Then that cowherd, having been instructed, roused, enthused, and cheered by the Gracious One with a Dhamma talk, said to the Gracious One: "May the Gracious One consent, reverend Sir, to me offering him a meal on the morrow, together with the Community of monks."

The Gracious One consented by maintaining silence. Then that cowherd, having understood the Gracious One's consent, after rising from his seat, worshipping and circumambulating the Gracious One, went away.

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4Then with the passing of that night, that cowherd, in his own residence, having had an abundance of rich milk-rice and fresh ghee made ready, announced the time to the Gracious One, saying: "It is time, reverend Sir, the meal is ready."

5Then the Gracious One, having dressed in the morning time, after picking up his bowl and robe, together with the Community of monks, went to that cowherd's residence, and after going, he sat down on the prepared seat.

Then that cowherd with his own hand, served and satisfied the Community of monks with the Buddha at its head with rich milk-rice and fresh ghee.

Then that cowherd, when the Gracious One had eaten and washed his hand and bowl, having taken a low seat, sat down on one side. While sat on one side the Gracious One, after instructing, rousing, enthusing, and cheering that cowherd with a Dhamma talk, having risen from the seat, went away.

Then not long after the Gracious One had gone, while between the boundaries of the villages, a certain man deprived that cowherd of life.

6Then many monks went to the Gracious One, and after going and worshipping the Gracious One, they sat down on one side. While sat on one side those monks said this to the Gracious One:

"Today, reverend Sir, the Community of monks with the Buddha at its head, was served and satisfied by a cowherd with rich milk-rice and fresh ghee, now it seems that cowherd, reverend Sir, while between the boundaries of the villages, was deprived of life by a certain man.

7Then the Gracious One, having understood the significance of it, on that occasion uttered this exalted utterance:

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1Evaṁ me sutaṁ — ​   ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu cārikaṁ carati mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ. Atha kho bhagavā maggā okkamma yena aññataraṁ rukkhamūlaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi.

2Atha kho aññataro gopālako yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho taṁ gopālakaṁ bhagavā dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi.

3Atha 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.

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4Atha kho so gopālako tassā rattiyā accayena sake nivesane pahūtaṁ appodakapāyāsaṁ paṭiyādāpetvā navañca sappiṁ bhagavato kālaṁ ārocesi:  "kālo, bhante, niṭṭhitaṁ bhattan"ti.

5Atha 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.

6Atha 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.

7Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi: 

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Tatiyaṁ.