At one time the Buddha was living in the province of the Kosala in a certain forest.
Now at that time a person of the Bhāradvāja brahmin clan had lost fourteen cows. While looking for them, he went to that forest, where he saw the Buddha sitting down cross-legged and with his body straight. He went up to the Buddha, and recited these verses:
“It’s been six days since I lost my fourteen cows.
Surely this monk doesn’t have such a problem.
That’s why he is so happy.
“My sesame field is ruined and the plants are left with just one or two leaves.
Surely this monk doesn’t have such a ruined sesame field.
That’s why he is so happy.
“Rats in my empty barn are dancing around cheerfully.
Surely this monk doesn’t have such an empty barn.
That’s why he is so happy.
“My mattress is seven months old.
It is infested with fleas.
Surely this monk doesn’t have such a mattress.
That’s why he is so happy.
“I have seven widowed daughters
with one or two children each.
Surely this monk doesn’t have such daughters.
That’s why he is so happy.
“I have a wife with blotchy skin.
She wakes me up with a kick.
Surely this monk doesn’t have such a wife.
That’s why he is so happy.
“Creditors knock on my door at dawn,
warning, ‘Pay up! Pay up!’
Surely this monk doesn’t have such creditors.
That’s why he is so happy.”
The Buddha:
“You’re right, friend, I don’t have
fourteen cows missing for the past six days.
That’s why I’m so happy, friend.
“You’re right, friend, I don’t have
a ruined sesame field with just one or two leaves.
That’s why I’m so happy, friend.
“You’re right, friend, I don’t have
rats in an empty barn dancing cheerfully.
That’s why I’m so happy, friend.
“You’re right, friend, I don’t have
a seven month old mattress which has been infested with fleas.
That’s why I’m so happy, friend.
“You’re right, friend, I don’t have
seven widowed daughters, with one or two children each.
That’s why I’m so happy, friend.
“You’re right, friend, I don’t have
a wife with blotchy skin to wake me up with a kick.
That’s why I’m so happy, friend.
“You’re right, friend, I don’t have
creditors knocking at dawn, warning, ‘Pay up! Pay up!’.
That’s why I’m so happy, friend.”
When the Buddha taught this Dhamma, the poor man from Bhāradvāja brahmin clan said to the Buddha:
“Excellent, Master Gotama! Excellent! Just as if someone turned upright, what was upside down, revealed what was hidden, pointed out the path to whoever was lost, or lit a lamp in the dark so people with good eyes could see what’s there, Master Gotama taught me the Dhamma, which is clear in many ways. I go for refuge to Master Gotama, to the Dhamma, and to the Saṅgha. Bhante, may I become a monk under you?”
And he became a monk under the Buddha. Not long after his ordination, Bhante Bhāradvāja, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, passionate, and firm, soon realized the supreme goal of the spiritual path in this very life. He achieved with his own wisdom the goal for which a son would leave the lay life to become a monk.
He realized: “Rebirth has ended. The spiritual journey has been completed. What had to be done to end suffering has been done. There will be no rebirth.” Therefore, Bhante Bhāradvāja became one of the enlightened monks.
