Kasibharadvaja Sutta

Translation by Bhikkhuni Uppalavanna

1. I heard thus. At one time the Blessed One was living in the Brahmin village Ekanaliya in the southern hills of Magadha.

2. At that time about five hundred ploughs were yoked to plough the fields of the brahmin Kasi Bhàradvàja.

3. The Blessed One putting on robes in the morning and taking bowl and robes approached the work place of the brahmin Kasi Bhàradvàja.

4. At that time the brahmin Kasi Bhàradvàja was attending to the distribution of food.

5. The Blessed One approached the place where the food was distributed and stood on a side.

6. The Brahmin Kasi Bhàradvàja seeing the Blessed One standing for alms said: "Recluse, I plough, sow and then partake food. Recluse, you too plough, sow and then partake food."

7. "Brahmin, I too plough, sow and then partake food

8. "We doõot see good Gotama's yoke, or plough or ploughshare or goad or buffaloes, yet good Gotama says Brahmin I plough, sow and then partake food."

9. Then the Brahmin Kasi Bhàradvàja said these stanzas to the Blessed One:


 * "We know the farmer well, we do not see him plough,
 * Farmer, we ask you, how do you plough?"

(The Blessed One:)

10. "Faith the seeds, austerities the rain, wisdom is my yoke and plough,
 * Shame is the pole, mind is the reins, mindfulness, is my ploughshare and goad
 * Protected bodily and verbally, I partake, the needful food.
 * Truthfully I do a mowing, forbearance is my release.
 * Effort is my bearing the load and I pull the yoke up to appeasement.
 * I go non-stop, gone there, it's without grief
 * With this farming the fruits are deathlessness.
 * Doing this farming, one is released from all unpleasantness."

(Kasi:)

11. "Good Gotama, partake. Good Gotama is a farmer.
 * Good Gotama ploughs, to cultivate the fruit of deathlessness."

(The Blessed One:)

12. "Look bramin, it is not suitable, that I should partake food reciting stanzas.
 * Enlightened Ones do not push along reciting stanzas.
 * It is becoming mindful of the right thing.
 * Offer the eatables and drinks to a perfect sage.
 * Who has destroyed desires and appeased doubts
 * It will be a field of merit for those who desire merit."

Then the Brahmin Kasi Baradvaja said to the Blessed One: "Good Gotama, now I understand. It's like something overturned is put upright. Something covered is made manifest. It's like one who was lost was shown the path. It's like a lamp lighted for the darkness, for those who have sight to see forms. In this and other ways the Teaching is well explained. Now I take refuge in good Gotama, in the Teaching and the Community of bhikkhus. I am a lay disciple who has taken refuge from today until I die."