This is as I heard from the Blessed One. Those days the Blessed One was living in the province of Anupiyā, in the Mango Forest. On that occasion, Venerable Bhaddiya, Kāḷigodhā’s son, on going to the forest, to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, would repeatedly say, “What joy! What joy!”
A large number of monks heard Venerable Bhaddiya, Kāḷigodhā’s son, on going to the forest, to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, repeatedly say, “What joy! What joy!” and on hearing him, the thought occurred to them, “There’s no doubt that Venerable Bhaddiya, Kāḷigodhā’s son, doesn’t enjoy leading the monk-life, for when he was a lay person he enjoyed the happiness of kingship, so that now, on recollecting that when going to the forest, to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, he is repeatedly saying, ‘What joy! What joy!’”
So they went to the Blessed One and having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As they were sitting there, they told the Buddha, “Bhante, Venerable Bhaddiya, Kāḷigodhā’s son, on going to the forest, to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, repeatedly says, ‘What joy! What joy!’ Bhante, there’s no doubt that Venerable Bhaddiya doesn’t enjoy leading the monk-life, for when he was a lay person he enjoyed the happiness of kingship, so that now, on recollecting that when going to the forest, to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, he is repeatedly saying, ‘What joy! What joy!’”
Then the Blessed One told a certain monk, “Come, monk. In my name, call Bhaddiya, saying, ‘The Buddha calls you, friend Bhaddiya.’”
Responding, “Yes Bhante” to the Blessed One, the monk went to Venerable Bhaddiya, Kāḷigodhā’s son, and said to him, “The Buddha calls you, friend Bhaddiya.”
Responding, “Okay, my friend,” to the monk, Venerable Bhaddiya, Kāḷigodhā’s son, went to the Blessed One and having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, the Blessed One asked him, “Is it true, Bhaddiya that on going to the forest, to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut you repeatedly say, ‘What joy! What joy!’?”
“Yes, Bhante.”
“Why is it that when going to the forest, to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut you repeatedly say, ‘What joy! What joy!’?”
“Bhante, before, when I was a lay person, ruling the country as a king, I had guards posted within and around the royal apartments, within and around the city, within and around the countryside. But even though I was guarded and protected this way, I lived in fear. I was agitated, distrustful and afraid. Bhante, but now, on going alone to the forest, to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, I live without fear, unagitated, confident and unafraid. I live lightly, untroubled, humble, my wants satisfied and innocently with my mind like a wild deer. Bhante, this is why when going to the forest, to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, I repeatedly say, ‘What joy! What joy!’”
Then, on realizing the joy of liberation, the Blessed One spoke the following inspired verses:
“The one who is free from anger and has overcome the disturbance of the ups and downs of life, he is free of all fears. He is fully satisfied and peaceful. He is free from sorrow. Even gods cannot understand the joy of liberation.”
