Saṃyutta Nikāya
I. Sagātha Vagga
9. Vana-Saṃyutta

The Book of the Kindred Sayings
I. Kindred Sayings with Verses
9. The Forest Suttas

Sutta 8

Kulagharaṇī (or Ogāḷha) Suttaṃ

The Housewife, or Engrossed

Translated by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Assisted by Sūriyagoḍa Sumangala Thera
Copyright The Pali Text Society. Public Domain.

 

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[256]

[8.1] THUS HAVE I HEARD: —

A certain brother was once staying among the Kosalese
in a certain forest-tract.

Now at that time
this brother was living exceedingly taken up^[1]
by a certain family.

And a deva who haunted that forest,
moved by compassion,
desiring his welfare,
and wishing to agitate him,
assumed the shape of the housewife^[2] of that family,
and went to the brother,
addressing him in the verse: —

"Along the rivers, resting by the gates,^[3]
In mote-halls and along the chariot-roads
The folk foregather and discussions rise: —
Of me it is, and thee — now why is this?"^[4]

[257] [The Brother:—]

"Ay, there is busy to-and-fro of words,^[5]
And a recluse must bear it patiently.
Not thereby should he feel annoyed, for not
Thereby can come defilement or disgrace.^[6]
Whoso at sounds is flustered and dismayed,
Like any antelope within the woods,
Men call him giddy-pated, feather-brained.^[7]
The practice he may plan he'll ne'er complete."

 

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^[1] Adhi(ajjh)-ogālhapatto. B. does not paraphrase, but narrates in detail how the family, charmed by the brother, devoted themselves to him and made him their pensioner.

^[2] Kula-gharaṇī. B. does not comment on this uncommon term.

^[3] Saṇṭhāne, described as 'a resting-place (vissamānaṭṭhane) near the city-gate, when market-wares had been brought down.'

^[4] Kim antaran ti: 'what's inside?' See Childers, who would have found B.'s comment: Kiṃ kāraṇā? confirm the definition (= hetu) of the Abhidhānappadīpikasūcī.

^[5] Paccūhā.

^[6] 'That arises only through evil deeds done by himself.' Comy

^[7] Two renderings for lahu-citto.