25. Kasībhāradvājasuttaṁ
The Discourse concerning Kasībhāradvāja



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Evaṁ me sutaṁ:
Thus I have heard:

ekaṁ samayaṁ Bhagavā Magadhesu viharati
at one time the Fortunate One was dwelling amongst the Magadhans

Dakkhiṇāgirismiṁ Ekanālāyaṁ brāhmaṇagāme.
on the Southern Hill near the brahmin village Ekanālā.

Tena kho pana samayena Kasībhāradvājassa brāhmaṇassa
Then at that time the brahmin Kasībhāradvāja

pañcamattāni naṅgalasatāni payuttāni honti vappakāle.
had about five hundred ploughs yoked up during the sowing season.

Atha kho Bhagavā pubbanhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā, pattacīvaram-ādāya,
Then the Fortunate One, having dressed in the morning time, after picking up his bowl and robe,

yena Kasībhāradvājassa brāhmaṇassa kammanto tenupasaṅkami. CBhp: omit upasankami, presumably by mistake.
approached the place where the brahmin Kasībhāradvāja was working.

Tena kho pana samayena Kasībhāradvājassa brāhmaṇassa parivesanā vattati.
Then at that time the brahmin Kasībhāradvāja’s food distribution was proceeding.

Atha kho Bhagavā yena parivesanā tenupasaṅkami,
Then the Fortunate One approached the food distribution,

upasaṅkamitvā ekam-antaṁ aṭṭhāsi.
and after approaching he stood on one side.

 

Addasā kho Kasībhāradvājo brāhmaṇo Bhagavantaṁ piṇḍāya ṭhitaṁ,
The brahmin Kasībhāradvāja saw the Fortunate One standing for alms,

disvāna Bhagavantaṁ etad-avoca:
and after seeing him he said this to the Fortunate One:

“Ahaṁ kho samaṇa kasāmi ca vapāmi ca,
“Ascetic, I plough and I sow,

kasitvā ca vapitvā ca bhuñjāmi.
and after ploughing and sowing I eat.

Tvam-pi samaṇa kasassu ca vapassu ca,
You also, ascetic, should plough and sow,

kasitvā ca vapitvā ca bhuñjassū” ti.
and after ploughing and sowing you can eat.”

 

“Aham-pi kho brāhmaṇa kasāmi ca vapāmi ca,
“Brahmin, I also plough and sow,

kasitvā ca vapitvā ca bhuñjāmī” ti.
and after ploughing and sowing I eat.”

 

“Na kho pana mayaṁ passāma bhoto Gotamassa
“But we do not see the reverend Gotama’s

yugaṁ vā naṅgalaṁ vā phālaṁ vā pācanaṁ vā balivadde vā,
yoke or plough or ploughshare or goad or oxen,

atha ca pana bhavaṁ Gotamo evam-āha:
but still the reverend Gotama said this:

‘Aham-pi kho brāhmaṇa kasāmi ca vapāmi ca,
‘Brahmin, I also plough and sow,

kasitvā ca vapitvā ca bhuñjāmī’ ” ti.
and after ploughing and sowing I eat.’ ”

Atha kho Kasībhāradvājo brāhmaṇo
Then the brahmin Kasībhāradvāja

Bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:
recited a verse to the Fortunate One:

 

“Kassako paṭijānāsi na ca passāma te kasiṁ.
“You claim that you are a ploughman, but we do not see your ploughing.

Kasiṁ no pucchito brūhi yathā jānemu te kasiṁ.” PPV, PPV2: kasiṁ ti (sic). [01]
Please tell us about ploughing when asked so that we may know your ploughing.”

 

“Saddhā bījaṁ, tapo vuṭṭhi, paññā me yuganaṅgalaṁ,
“Confidence the seed, austerity the rain, wisdom is my yoke and plough,

hiri īsā, mano yottaṁ, sati me phālapācanaṁ. [02]
conscience the pole, mind is the strap, mindfulness is my ploughshare and goad.

 

Kāyagutto, vacīgutto, āhāre udare yato,
With body guarded, speech guarded, and stomach restrained regarding food,

saccaṁ karomi niddānaṁ, soraccaṁ me pamocanaṁ. [03]
I make truth the mower, temperance the setting free (of the yoke).

 

Viriyaṁ me dhuradhorayhaṁ, yogakkhemādhivāhanaṁ -
Energy my beast of burden, the vehicle yoked to security -

gacchati anivattantaṁ yattha gantvā na socati. [04]
without turning back it goes to that place where, having gone, one does not grieve.

 

Evam-esā kasī kaṭṭhā sā hoti amatapphalā,
Thus this ploughing has been ploughed that produces the fruit of the deathless,

etaṁ kasiṁ kasitvāna sabbadukkhā pamuccatī” ti. [05]
and after ploughing this ploughing one is set free from all suffering.”

 

Atha kho Kasībhāradvājo brāhmaṇo
Then the brahmin Kasībhāradvāja

mahatiyā kaṁsapātiyā pāyāsaṁ vaḍḍhetvā Bhagavato upanāmesi:
having arranged milk-rice in a large bronze bowl presented it to the Fortunate One, saying:

“Bhuñjatu bhavaṁ Gotamo pāyāsaṁ,
“Eat this milk-rice, reverend Gotama,

kassako bhavaṁ, yaṁ hi bhavaṁ Gotamo PPV2: Gotamo yaṁ hi bhavaṁ Gotamo, printer’s error.
the reverend one is a ploughman, for the reverend Gotama

amataphalaṁ kasiṁ kasatī” ti.
ploughs the ploughing which has the deathless as fruit.”

 

“Gāthābhigītaṁ me abhojaneyyaṁ, CBhp: abhojanīyaṁ.
“I will not eat what is gained through chanting verses,

sampassataṁ brāhmaṇa nesa Dhammo,
that is not the Dhamma, brahmin, of those who see,

gāthābhigītaṁ panudanti Buddhā,
Buddhas reject what is gained through chanting verses,

Dhamme satī brāhmaṇa vutti-r-esā. [06]
while Dhamma lasts, brahmin, this is their way of life.

 

Aññena ca kevalinaṁ PPV: kevakīnaṁ: PPV2: kevalīnaṁ. mahesiṁ,
Another great sage, who is fully adept,

khīṇāsavaṁ kukkuccavūpasantaṁ,
pollutant-free, at peace regarding worry (about wrong-doing),

annena pānena upaṭṭhahassu,
attend to with food and drink,

khettaṁ hi taṁ puññapekhassa hotī” ti. [07]
for that is the field for those who look for merit.”

 

“Atha kassa cāhaṁ bho Gotama imaṁ pāyāsaṁ dammī?” ti
“Then to whom, reverend Gotama, should I give this milk-rice?”

“Na khvāhaṁ taṁ CBhp: Nakkhvāhaṁ taṁ PPV2: Na khavāhan-taṁ, printer’s error. brāhmaṇa passāmi,
“I certainly do not see, brahmin,

sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake,
in the world with its gods, Māra, and Brahma,

sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya,
in this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, princes and men,

yassa so pāyāso bhutto sammā pariṇāmaṁ gaccheyya,
anyone who, having eaten this milk-rice, could properly digest it,

aññatra Tathāgatassa vā Tathāgatasāvakassa vā.
except a Realised One or a Realised One’s disciple.

Tena hi tvaṁ brāhmaṇa taṁ pāyāsaṁ appaharite vā chaḍḍehi,
Therefore, brahmin, cast away that milk-rice where there is but little grass,

appāṇake vā udake opilāpehī” ti.
or drop it into water which has no breathing creatures.”

 

Atha kho Kasībhāradvājo brāhmaṇo
Then the brahmin Kasībhāradvāja

taṁ pāyāsaṁ appāṇake udake opilāpesi.
dropped that milk-rice into water which had no breathing creatures.

Atha kho so pāyāso udake pakkhitto
Then that milk-rice being thrown into water

cicciṭāyati ciṭiciṭāyati sandhūpāyati sampadhūpāyati,
did hiss and sizzle and steam and smoke,

seyyathā pi nāma phālo divasasantatto udake pakkhitto
just as a ploughshare heated for a day when thrown into water

cicciṭāyati ciṭiciṭāyati sandhūpāyati sampadhūpāyati,
hisses and sizzles and steams and smokes,

evam-eva so pāyāso udake pakkhitto
so that milk-rice being thrown into water

cicciṭāyati ciṭiciṭāyati sandhūpāyati sampadhūpāyati.
did hiss and sizzle and steam and smoke.

 

Atha kho Kasībhāradvājo brāhmaṇo, saṁviggo, lomahaṭṭhajāto,
Then the brahmin Kasībhāradvāja, anxious, and horrified,

yena Bhagavā tenupasaṅkami,
approached the Fortunate One,

upasaṅkamitvā Bhagavato pādesu sirasā nipatitvā,
and after approaching he fell down placing his head at the Fortunate One’s feet,

Bhagavantaṁ etad-avoca:
said this to the Fortunate One:

“Abhikkantaṁ bho Gotama! Abhikkantaṁ bho Gotama!
“Excellent, reverend Gotama! Excellent, reverend Gotama!

Seyyathā pi bho Gotama nikkujjitaṁ vā ukkujjeyya,
Just as, reverend Gotama, one might set upright what has been overturned,

paṭicchannaṁ vā vivareyya, mūḷhassa vā maggaṁ ācikkheyya,
or open up what has been closed, or show a path to one who is lost,

andhakāre vā telapajjotaṁ dhāreyya
or bear an oil lamp in the darkness

cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhintī ti,
so that one who has eyes can see forms,

evam-evaṁ bhotā Gotamena anekapariyāyena Dhammo pakāsito.
just so has the Dhamma been made clear by reverend Gotama in more than one way.

Esāhaṁ bhavantaṁ Gotamaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi,
I go to the reverend Gotama for refuge,

Dhammañ-ca bhikkhusaṅghañ-ca.
and to the Dhamma, and to the Saṅgha of monks.

Labheyyāhaṁ bhoto Gotamassa santike pabbajjaṁ,
May I receive the going forth in the presence of reverend Gotama,

labheyyaṁ upasampadan” ti.
may I receive the full ordination.”

 

Alattha kho Kasībhāradvājo brāhmaṇo
The brahmin Kasībhāradvāja received

Bhagavato santike pabbajjaṁ, alattha upasampadaṁ.
the going forth in the presence of the Fortunate One, recieved full ordination.

Acirūpasampanno kho panāyasmā Bhāradvājo,
Then not long after ordination, venerable Bhāradvāja,

eko, vūpakaṭṭho, appamatto, ātāpī, pahitatto viharanto,
while dwelling solitary, secluded, heedful, ardent, and resolute,

na cirasseva yassatthāya kulaputtā
after no long time (attained) that good for which young gentlemen

sammad-eva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti,
rightly go forth from the house to the houseless life,

tad-anuttaraṁ brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ,
that unsurpassed conclusion to the spiritual life,

diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā, sacchikatvā, upasampajja vihāsi.
and dwelt having known, experienced, and attained it himself in this very life.

Khīṇā jāti
Destroyed is (re)birth

vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ
accomplished is the spiritual life

kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ
done is what ought to be done

nāparaṁ itthattāyā ti abbhaññāsi.
there is no more of this mundane state - this he knew.

Aññataro ca kho panāyasmā Bhāradvājo Arahataṁ ahosī ti.
And venerable Bhāradvāja became another of the Worthy Ones.