The Dhaniya Sutta Added: Dec. 2024

The Dhaniya (Cattleman) Sutta

Dhaniya
Cooked is the evening rice, all milked the kine (cows),
by Mahī’s (river) banks with friends, good cheer is mine,
my house well-thatched, my fire glows bright and still,
and so, rain on O sky, if such thy will!

Buddha
Hatred and barrenness from me are gone,
by Mahī’s banks I bide this night alone,
my house unroofed, my fires in ashes lie:
so, an it liketh thee, rain on O sky!

Dhaniya
No stinging gnats are here to tease and fret,
my cattle crop the grasses lush and wet,
and take no hurt though floods the valley fill:
and so, rain on O sky, if such thy will!

Buddha
The raft is bound and well together cast,
the Further Shore attained, the flood o’erpassed;
of well-made raft what further need have I?
so, an it liketh thee, rain on O sky!

Dhaniya
Attentive is my wife, no wanton she,
long have I lived with her full happily,
nor ever heard of her a breath of ill:
and so, rain on O sky, if such thy will!

Buddha
My mind attentive is, from passion freed,
long trained in wisdom’s way, well-tamed indeed:
evil in me, what searcher can espy?
so, an it liketh thee, rain on O sky!

Dhaniya
My needs are met by my own body’s hire,
my sturdy boys sit round my own house fire,
nor do I hear of them one word of ill:
and so, rain on O sky, if such thy will!

Buddha
No hireling I; to servile bonds inclined,
I walk all worlds with what I’ve earned in mind,
of wage or hire no smallest need have I:
so, an it liketh thee, rain on O sky!

Dhaniya
Cattle have I, yea, cows in milk are mine,
and cows with calf, and tender rising kine,
and lordly bulls whose ways the herds fulfil:
and so, rain on O sky, if such thy will!

Buddha
Cattle I’ve none nor cows in milk are mine
nor cows with calf, nor tender rising kine,
nor lordly bulls to lead the herds have I:
so, an it liketh thee, rain on O sky!

Dhaniya
The stakes all deeply driven, set firm and sure,
the newly-plaited ropes of grass secure.
No frenzied beast can break by any skill:
and so, rain on O sky, if such thy will!

Buddha
Like bull, bursting the bond of plaited twine,
or elephant breaking free from stinky-vine,
ne’er again I’ll enter in a womb to lie:
so, an it liketh thee, rain on O sky!

Narrator
And now the furious showers came down amain
in pouring floods that covered hill and plain,
and, listening to the beating of the rain
Dhaniya, faithful, thus found voice again.

Dhaniya
Surely our gain is great and to be praised,
whose eyes upon the Radiant One have gazed!
O Seeing One, we for refuge go to thee!
O Mighty Sage do Thou our Teacher be!

Attentive, lo! We wait my wife and I,
to live the goodly life, the pathway high,
that leads beyond all birth and death to know
and win the final end of every woe.

Māra
He who has boys rejoices in his boys,
he who has kine, of kine are all his joys.
Man’s assets surely are his chiefest treasure,
who has not assets how shall he have pleasure?

Buddha
Whoso has boys, has sorrow of his boys,
whoso has kine, by kine come his annoys.
Man’s assets, these of all his woes are chief.
Who has no assets, nevermore has grief.

<End>