SN 1–11 The Group of Connected Discourses With Verses – Sagāthāvaggasaṁyutta > SN 7 Connected Discourses with Brahmins – Brāhmaṇasaṁyutta > SN 7.18 Collecting Firewood

Linked Discourses 7.18 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 7.18

2. Lay Followers – 2. Upāsakavagga

SN 7.18 Collecting Firewood – Kaṭṭhahārasutta

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.

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,

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:

“Please sir, you should know this.

“yagghe bhavaṁ jāneyyāsi.

In such and such a forest grove the ascetic Gotama is sitting down cross-legged, with his body straight, and mindfulness established right there.”

Asukasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe samaṇo nisinno pallaṅkaṁ ābhujitvā ujuṁ kāyaṁ paṇidhāya parimukhaṁ satiṁ upaṭṭhapetvā”.

Then Bhāradvāja together with those students went to that forest grove

Atha kho bhāradvājagotto brāhmaṇo tehi māṇavakehi saddhiṁ yena so vanasaṇḍo tenupasaṅkami.

where he saw the Buddha sitting down cross-legged, with his body straight, and mindfulness established right there.

Addasā kho bhagavantaṁ tasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe nisinnaṁ pallaṅkaṁ ābhujitvā ujuṁ kāyaṁ paṇidhāya parimukhaṁ satiṁ upaṭṭhapetvā.

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

Disvāna yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

“Deep in the jungle so full of terrors,

“Gambhīrarūpe bahubherave vane,

you’ve plunged into the empty, desolate wilderness.

Suññaṁ araññaṁ vijanaṁ vigāhiya;

Still, steady, and graceful:

Aniñjamānena ṭhitena vaggunā,

how beautifully you meditate, bhikkhu!

Sucārurūpaṁ vata bhikkhu jhāyasi.

Where there is no song or music,

Na yattha gītaṁ napi yattha vāditaṁ,

a lonely sage resorts to the wilderness.

Eko araññe vanavassito muni;

This strikes me as an amazing thing,

Accherarūpaṁ paṭibhāti maṁ idaṁ,

that you dwell so joyfully alone in the jungle.

Yadekako pītimano vane vase.

I suppose you wish to be reborn in the company

Maññāmahaṁ lokādhipatisahabyataṁ,

of the supreme sovereign of the heaven of the Three and Thirty.

Ākaṅkhamāno tidivaṁ anuttaraṁ;

Is that why you resort to the desolate wilderness,

Kasmā bhavaṁ vijanamaraññamassito,

to practice austerities for attaining Brahmā?”

Tapo idha kubbasi brahmapattiyā”ti.

“Any wishes and hopes that are always attached

“Yā kāci kaṅkhā abhinandanā vā,

to the many and various realms—

Anekadhātūsu puthū sadāsitā;

the yearnings sprung from the root of unknowing—

Aññāṇamūlappabhavā pajappitā,

I’ve eliminated them all down to the root.

Sabbā mayā byantikatā samūlikā.

So I’m wishless, unattached, disengaged;

Svāhaṁ akaṅkho asito anūpayo,

amongst all things, my vision is clear.

Sabbesu dhammesu visuddhadassano;

I’ve attained the state of grace, the supreme awakening;

Pappuyya sambodhimanuttaraṁ sivaṁ,

I meditate alone, brahmin, and self-assured.”

Jhāyāmahaṁ brahma raho visārado”ti.

When he had spoken, Bhāradvāja said to the Buddha,

Evaṁ vutte, bhāradvājagotto brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Excellent, Master Gotama! Excellent! …

“abhikkantaṁ, bho 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.”

ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.