- Heartfelt Sayings 4.3 UdÄna 4.3
The Cowherd GopÄlakasutta
So I have heard. Evaį¹ me sutaį¹āAt one time the Buddha was wandering in the land of the Kosalans together with a large Saį¹ gha of mendicants. ekaį¹ samayaį¹ bhagavÄ kosalesu cÄrikaį¹ carati mahatÄ bhikkhusaį¹ ghena saddhiį¹. And then the Buddha left the road, went to the root of a certain tree, and sat down on the seat spread out. Atha kho bhagavÄ maggÄ okkamma yena aƱƱataraį¹ rukkhamÅ«laį¹ tenupasaį¹ kami; upasaį¹ kamitvÄ paƱƱatte Äsane nisÄ«di.
Then a certain cowherd went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. Atha kho aƱƱataro gopÄlako yena bhagavÄ tenupasaį¹ kami; upasaį¹ kamitvÄ bhagavantaį¹ abhivÄdetvÄ ekamantaį¹ nisÄ«di. The Buddha educated, encouraged, fired up, and inspired him with a Dhamma talk. Ekamantaį¹ nisinnaį¹ kho taį¹ gopÄlakaį¹ bhagavÄ dhammiyÄ kathÄya sandassesi samÄdapesi samuttejesi sampahaį¹sesi.
Then the cowherd said to the Buddha, Atha kho so gopÄlako bhagavatÄ dhammiyÄ kathÄya sandassito samÄdapito samuttejito sampahaį¹sito bhagavantaį¹ etadavoca: āSir, may the Buddha together with the mendicant Saį¹ gha please accept tomorrowās meal from me.ā āadhivÄsetu me, bhante, bhagavÄ svÄtanÄya bhattaį¹ saddhiį¹ bhikkhusaį¹ ghenÄāti. The Buddha consented with silence. AdhivÄsesi bhagavÄ tuį¹hÄ«bhÄvena. The cowherd got up from his seat, circumambulated the Buddha with his right side toward him, and left. Atha kho so gopÄlako bhagavato adhivÄsanaį¹ viditvÄ uį¹į¹hÄyÄsanÄ bhagavantaį¹ abhivÄdetvÄ padakkhiį¹aį¹ katvÄ pakkÄmi.
And when the night had passed the cowherd had plenty of thick milk-rice prepared in his own home, with fresh ghee. Then he had the Buddha informed of the time, saying, Atha kho so gopÄlako tassÄ rattiyÄ accayena sake nivesane pahÅ«taį¹ appodakapÄyÄsaį¹ paį¹iyÄdÄpetvÄ navaƱca sappiį¹ bhagavato kÄlaį¹ Ärocesi: āSir, itās time. The meal is ready.ā ākÄlo, bhante, niį¹į¹hitaį¹ bhattanāti.
The Buddha robed up, took his bowl and robe and, together with the Sangha of monks, went to the house of that cowherd, where he sat down on the prepared seat in the dining hall. Atha kho bhagavÄ pubbaį¹hasamayaį¹ nivÄsetvÄ pattacÄ«varamÄdÄya saddhiį¹ bhikkhusaį¹ ghena yena tassa gopÄlakassa nivesanaį¹ tenupasaį¹ kami; upasaį¹ kamitvÄ paƱƱatte Äsane nisÄ«di. Then the cowherd served and satisfied the mendicant Saį¹ gha headed by the Buddha with his own hands with a thick milk-rice and fresh ghee. Atha kho so gopÄlako buddhappamukhaį¹ bhikkhusaį¹ ghaį¹ appodakapÄyÄsena navena ca sappinÄ sahatthÄ santappesi sampavÄresi. When the Buddha had eaten and washed his hand and bowl, the cowherd took a low seat and sat to one side. Atha kho so gopÄlako bhagavantaį¹ bhuttÄviį¹ onÄ«tapattapÄį¹iį¹ aƱƱataraį¹ nÄ«caį¹ Äsanaį¹ gahetvÄ ekamantaį¹ nisÄ«di. The Buddha then instructed, inspired, and gladdened him with a teaching, after which he got up and left. Ekamantaį¹ nisinnaį¹ kho taį¹ gopÄlakaį¹ bhagavÄ dhammiyÄ kathÄya sandassetvÄ samÄdapetvÄ samuttejetvÄ sampahaį¹setvÄ uį¹į¹hÄyÄsanÄ pakkÄmi. But soon after the Buddha had left, the cowherd was killed by a certain man in the gap between village perimeters. Atha kho acirapakkantassa bhagavato taį¹ gopÄlakaį¹ aƱƱataro puriso sÄ«mantarikÄya jÄ«vitÄ voropesi.
Then several mendicants went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened. Atha kho sambahulÄ bhikkhÅ« yena bhagavÄ tenupasaį¹ kamiį¹su; upasaį¹ kamitvÄ bhagavantaį¹ abhivÄdetvÄ ekamantaį¹ nisÄ«diį¹su. Ekamantaį¹ nisinnÄ kho te bhikkhÅ« bhagavantaį¹ etadavocuį¹: āyena, bhante, gopÄlakena ajja buddhappamukho bhikkhusaį¹ gho appodakapÄyÄsena navena ca sappinÄ sahatthÄ santappito sampavÄrito so kira, bhante, gopÄlako aƱƱatarena purisena sÄ«mantarikÄya jÄ«vitÄ voropitoāti.
Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment: Atha kho bhagavÄ etamatthaį¹ viditvÄ tÄyaį¹ velÄyaį¹ imaį¹ udÄnaį¹ udÄnesi:
āA wrongly directed mind āDiso disaį¹ yaį¹ taį¹ kayirÄ, would do you more harm verÄ« vÄ pana verinaį¹; than a hater to the hated, MicchÄpaį¹ihitaį¹ cittaį¹, or an enemy to their foe.ā pÄpiyo naį¹ tato kareāti.
Tatiyaį¹.