SN 1–11 The Group of Connected Discourses With Verses – Sagāthāvaggasaṁyutta > SN 7 Connected Discourses with Brahmins – Brāhmaṇasaṁyutta > SN 7.17 The Builder

Linked Discourses 7.17 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 7.17

2. Lay Followers – 2. Upāsakavagga

SN 7.17 The Builder – Navakammikasutta

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

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu viharati aññatarasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe.

Now at that time the brahmin Bhāradvāja the Builder was doing some building work in that jungle thicket.

Tena kho pana samayena navakammikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo tasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe kammantaṁ kārāpeti.

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.

Addasā kho navakammikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ aññatarasmiṁ sālarukkhamūle nisinnaṁ pallaṅkaṁ ābhujitvā ujuṁ kāyaṁ paṇidhāya parimukhaṁ satiṁ upaṭṭhapetvā.

Seeing this, it occurred to him,

Disvānassa etadahosi:

“I enjoy doing this building work here in the jungle.

“ahaṁ kho imasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe kammantaṁ kārāpento ramāmi.

I wonder what the ascetic Gotama enjoys doing?”

Ayaṁ samaṇo gotamo kiṁ kārāpento ramatī”ti?

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

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

“What kind of work do you do

“Ke nu kammantā karīyanti,

as a bhikkhu in the sal jungle?

bhikkhu sālavane tava;

How do you find enjoyment

Yadekako araññasmiṁ,

alone in the wilderness, Gotama?”

ratiṁ vindati gotamo”ti.

“There’s nothing I need to do in the jungle;

“Na me vanasmiṁ karaṇīyamatthi,

my jungle’s cut down at the root, it’s withered away.

Ucchinnamūlaṁ me vanaṁ visūkaṁ;

With jungle cleared and free of thorns,

Svāhaṁ vane nibbanatho visallo,

I enjoy being alone in the jungle, having given up discontent.”

Eko rame aratiṁ vippahāyā”ti.

When he had spoken, the brahmin Bhāradvāja the Builder said to the Buddha,

Evaṁ vutte, navakammikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Excellent, Master Gotama …

“abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe…

From this day forth, may Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”

upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.