1Thus I heard: At one time the Gracious One was dwelling near Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Wood, at Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery. Then at that time many young boys who were between Sāvatthī and Jeta's Wood were catching little fish.

2Then the Gracious One, having dressed in the morning time, after picking up his bowl and robe, was entering Sāvatthī for alms. The Gracious One saw those many young boys who were between Sāvatthī and Jeta's Wood catching fish. Having seen that, he went to those young boys, and after going, he said this to those young boys: "Are you afraid, boys, of suffering? Is suffering unpleasant to you?"

"Yes, reverend Sir, we are afraid of suffering, suffering is unpleasant to us."

3Then the Gracious One, having understood the significance of it, on that occasion uttered this exalted utterance:

1Evaṁ me sutaṁ — ​   ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā kumārakā antarā ca sāvatthiṁ antarā ca jetavanaṁ macchake bādhenti.

2Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi. Addasā kho bhagavā te sambahule kumārake antarā ca sāvatthiṁ antarā ca jetavanaṁ macchake bādhente. Disvāna yena te kumārakā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā te kumārake etadavoca:  "bhāyatha vo, tumhe kumārakā, dukkhassa, appiyaṁ vo dukkhan"ti?

"Evaṁ, bhante, bhāyāma mayaṁ, bhante, dukkhassa, appiyaṁ no dukkhan"ti.

3Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi: 

Catutthaṁ.