2. Upāsakavagga
2. Lay Followers
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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.
“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:
Evaṁ vutte, navakammikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
When he had spoken, the brahmin Bhāradvāja the Builder said to the Buddha,
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.”