Navakammikasutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 7.17

Linked Discourses 7.17

2. Upāsakavagga

2. Lay Followers

Navakammikasutta

The Builder

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu viharati aññatarasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe.

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

Tena kho pana samayena navakammikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo tasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe kammantaṁ kārāpeti.

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

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

He saw the Buddha sitting down cross-legged at the root of a certain sal tree, his body set straight, and mindfulness brought to the present.

Disvānassa etadahosi:

Seeing this, it occurred to him,

“ahaṁ kho imasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe kammantaṁ kārāpento ramāmi.

“I enjoy having this building work done here in the jungle.

Ayaṁ samaṇo gotamo kiṁ kārāpento ramatī”ti?

I wonder what the ascetic Gotama enjoys having done?”

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

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

“Ke nu kammantā karīyanti,

“What kind of works are done by you,

bhikkhu sālavane tava;

a mendicant in the sal jungle?

Yadekako araññasmiṁ,

How do you find enjoyment

ratiṁ vindati gotamo”ti.

alone in the wilderness, Gotama?”

“Na me vanasmiṁ karaṇīyamatthi,

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

Ucchinnamūlaṁ me vanaṁ visūkaṁ;

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

Svāhaṁ vane nibbanatho visallo,

Free of snarls and thorns in the jungle,

Eko rame aratiṁ vippahāyā”ti.

I enjoy solitude, having given up discontent.”

Evaṁ vutte, navakammikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

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

“abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe…

“Excellent, worthy Gotama …

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

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