• Heartfelt Sayings 4.3 Udāna 4.3

The Cowherd Gopālakasutta

So I have heard. Evaṁ me sutaṁ—At one time the Buddha was wandering in the land of the Kosalans together with a large Saį¹…gha of mendicants. ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu cārikaṁ carati mahatā bhikkhusaį¹…ghena saddhiṁ. 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 bhagavā maggā okkamma yena aƱƱataraṁ rukkhamÅ«laṁ tenupasaį¹…kami; upasaį¹…kamitvā paƱƱatte āsane nisÄ«di.

Then a certain cowherd went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. Atha kho aƱƱataro gopālako yena bhagavā tenupasaį¹…kami; upasaį¹…kamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisÄ«di. The Buddha educated, encouraged, fired up, and inspired him with a Dhamma talk. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho taṁ gopālakaṁ bhagavā dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi.

Then the cowherd said to the Buddha, Atha kho so gopālako bhagavatā dhammiyā kathāya sandassito samādapito samuttejito sampahaṁsito bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: ā€œSir, may the Buddha together with the mendicant Saį¹…gha please accept tomorrow’s meal from me.ā€ ā€œadhivāsetu me, bhante, bhagavā svātanāya bhattaṁ saddhiṁ bhikkhusaį¹…ghenÄā€ti. The Buddha consented with silence. Adhivāsesi bhagavā tuṇhÄ«bhāvena. The cowherd got up from his seat, circumambulated the Buddha with his right side toward him, and left. Atha kho so gopālako bhagavato adhivāsanaṁ viditvā uį¹­į¹­hāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.

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 gopālako tassā rattiyā accayena sake nivesane pahÅ«taṁ appodakapāyāsaṁ paį¹­iyādāpetvā navaƱca sappiṁ bhagavato kālaṁ ārocesi: ā€œSir, it’s time. The meal is ready.ā€ ā€œkālo, bhante, niį¹­į¹­hitaṁ bhattanā€ti.

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 bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacÄ«varamādāya saddhiṁ bhikkhusaį¹…ghena yena tassa gopālakassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaį¹…kami; upasaį¹…kamitvā paƱƱatte āsane 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 gopālako buddhappamukhaṁ bhikkhusaį¹…ghaṁ appodakapāyāsena navena ca sappinā sahatthā santappesi sampavāresi. 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 gopālako bhagavantaṁ bhuttāviṁ onÄ«tapattapāṇiṁ aƱƱataraṁ nÄ«caṁ āsanaṁ gahetvā ekamantaṁ nisÄ«di. The Buddha then instructed, inspired, and gladdened him with a teaching, after which he got up and left. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho taṁ gopālakaṁ bhagavā dhammiyā kathāya sandassetvā samādapetvā samuttejetvā sampahaṁsetvā uį¹­į¹­hāyāsanā pakkāmi. 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 taṁ gopālakaṁ aƱƱataro puriso sÄ«mantarikāya jÄ«vitā voropesi.

Then several mendicants went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened. Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhÅ« yena bhagavā tenupasaį¹…kamiṁsu; upasaį¹…kamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisÄ«diṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhÅ« bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: ā€œyena, bhante, gopālakena ajja buddhappamukho bhikkhusaį¹…gho appodakapāyāsena navena ca sappinā sahatthā santappito sampavārito so kira, bhante, gopālako aƱƱatarena purisena sÄ«mantarikāya jÄ«vitā voropitoā€ti.

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment: Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:

ā€œA wrongly directed mind ā€œDiso disaṁ yaṁ taṁ kayirā, would do you more harm verÄ« vā pana verinaṁ; than a hater to the hated, Micchāpaṇihitaṁ cittaṁ, or an enemy to their foe.ā€ pāpiyo naṁ tato kareā€ti.

Tatiyaṁ.