The Wealthy Rancher

“I’ve boiled my rice and drawn my milk,”*This verse evidently refers to his completion of a daily household (Sanskrit gṛhya) rite involving offering of cooked food (Sanskrit pākayajña), guaranteeing abundant cattle and offspring (Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 1.8.1.9).said Dhaniya the rancher,*Dhaniya means “wealthy man”, and gopa, while it literally means “cowherd”, here refers to someone who owns and manages a substantial cattle estate, i.e. a “rancher”.“I stay with my family along the bank of the Mahī.*This is the modern Kosi River, known as the “sorrow of Bihar” due to its capricious and dangerous floods. The town of Mahishi near its banks is still subject to flooding.My hut is roofed, my sacred fire kindled:*“My fire kindled” (āhito gini, cf. Sanskrit āhitāgni) refers to one who has set up his fire altar.so rain forth, heavens, if you wish.”*Through his offering he invokes the god of thunder and rain (Indra or Pajjuna, Sanskrit Parjanya) to bless the land with life-giving waters (per eg. Atharva Veda 4.15).

“Pakkodano duddhakhīrohamasmi, (iti dhaniyo gopo) Anutīre mahiyā samānavāso; Channā kuṭi āhito gini, Atha ce patthayasī pavassa devadevaLiteralmente, «ser resplandeciente»: un habitante de los reinos celestiales (ver sagga y sugati). Los tres términos deva, devatā y devaputta son sinónimos.Ver en el glosario”.

“I’ve boiled my rice and drawn my milk,”*This verse evidently refers to his completion of a daily household (Sanskrit gṛhya) rite involving offering of cooked food (Sanskrit pākayajña), guaranteeing abundant cattle and offspring (Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 1.8.1.9).“Pakkodano duddhakhīrohamasmi, said Dhaniya the rancher,*Dhaniya means “wealthy man”, and gopa, while it literally means “cowherd”, here refers to someone who owns and manages a substantial cattle estate, i.e. a “rancher”.(iti dhaniyo gopo) “I stay with my family along the bank of the Mahī.*This is the modern Kosi River, known as the “sorrow of Bihar” due to its capricious and dangerous floods. The town of Mahishi near its banks is still subject to flooding.Anutīre mahiyā samānavāso; My hut is roofed, my sacred fire kindled:*“My fire kindled” (āhito gini, cf. Sanskrit āhitāgni) refers to one who has set up his fire altar.Channā kuṭi āhito gini, so rain forth, heavens, if you wish.”*Through his offering he invokes the god of thunder and rain (Indra or Pajjuna, Sanskrit Parjanya) to bless the land with life-giving waters (per eg. Atharva Veda 4.15).Atha ce patthayasī pavassa devadevaLiteralmente, «ser resplandeciente»: un habitante de los reinos celestiales (ver sagga y sugati). Los tres términos deva, devatā y devaputta son sinónimos.Ver en el glosario”.

“I boil not with anger and have drawn out hard-heartedness,”*The verse first puns pakkodano (“boiled rice”) with akkodhano (“without anger”), then khīra (“milk”) with khila (“hard-heartedness”).said the BuddhaBuddhaEl nombre dado a quien redescubre por sí mismo el sendero liberador del Dhamma, tras un largo período de haber sido olvidado por el mundo. Según la tradición, una larga línea de Buddhas se extiende hasta el pasado distante. El Buddha más reciente nació como Siddhattha Gotama en la India alrededor del año 500 a.e.c. Un joven bien educado y acomodado, renunció a su familia y su herencia principesca en la flor de la vida para buscar la verdadera libertad y el fin del sufrimiento (dukkha). Después de siete años de austeridades en el bosque, redescubrió el «camino medio» y alcanzó su meta, convirtiéndose en el Buddha.Ver en el glosario, “I stay for one night along the bank of the Mahī. My hut is wide open, my fire is quenched:*The Buddha directly counters the kindled Vedic fire with Nibbāna as the quenching of the flame.so rain forth, heavens, if you wish.”

“Akkodhano vigatakhilohamasmi,*vigatakhilohamasmi → vigatakhīlo hamasmi (bj, pts-vp-pli1)(iti bhagavā) Anutīre mahiyekarattivāso; Vivaṭā kuṭi nibbuto gini, Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

“I boil not with anger and have drawn out hard-heartedness,”*The verse first puns pakkodano (“boiled rice”) with akkodhano (“without anger”), then khīra (“milk”) with khila (“hard-heartedness”).“Akkodhano vigatakhilohamasmi,*vigatakhilohamasmi → vigatakhīlo hamasmi (bj, pts-vp-pli1)said the BuddhaBuddhaEl nombre dado a quien redescubre por sí mismo el sendero liberador del Dhamma, tras un largo período de haber sido olvidado por el mundo. Según la tradición, una larga línea de Buddhas se extiende hasta el pasado distante. El Buddha más reciente nació como Siddhattha Gotama en la India alrededor del año 500 a.e.c. Un joven bien educado y acomodado, renunció a su familia y su herencia principesca en la flor de la vida para buscar la verdadera libertad y el fin del sufrimiento (dukkha). Después de siete años de austeridades en el bosque, redescubrió el «camino medio» y alcanzó su meta, convirtiéndose en el Buddha.Ver en el glosario, (iti bhagavā) “I stay for one night along the bank of the Mahī. Anutīre mahiyekarattivāso; My hut is wide open, my fire is quenched:*The Buddha directly counters the kindled Vedic fire with Nibbāna as the quenching of the flame.Vivaṭā kuṭi nibbuto gini, so rain forth, heavens, if you wish.” Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

“No gadflies or mosquitoes are found,” said Dhaniya, “cows graze on the lush meadow grass. They get by even when the rain comes: so rain forth, heavens, if you wish.”

“Andhakamakasā na vijjare, (iti dhaniyo gopo) Kacche rūḷhatiṇe caranti gāvo; Vuṭṭhimpi saheyyumāgataṁ, Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

“No gadflies or mosquitoes are found,” “Andhakamakasā na vijjare, said Dhaniya, (iti dhaniyo gopo) “cows graze on the lush meadow grass. Kacche rūḷhatiṇe caranti gāvo; They get by even when the rain comes: Vuṭṭhimpi saheyyumāgataṁ, so rain forth, heavens, if you wish.” Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

“I bound a raft and prepared it well,”*Compare the “well-prepared” reins at Rig Veda 1.38.12.said the Buddha,*Norman points out that this verse is not a proper response to the previous and suggests that a verse has been lost. I agree, but I disagree there is a contradiction in the sense. Rather, the verse tells a story over time. I translate to bring out the meaning.“and with it I crossed over, went to the far shore, and dispelled the flood. Now I have no need for a raft: so rain forth, heavens, if you wish.”

“Baddhāsi bhisī susaṅkhatā, (iti bhagavā) Tiṇṇo pāragato vineyya oghaṁ; Attho bhisiyā na vijjati, Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

“I bound a raft and prepared it well,”*Compare the “well-prepared” reins at Rig Veda 1.38.12.“Baddhāsi bhisī susaṅkhatā, said the Buddha,*Norman points out that this verse is not a proper response to the previous and suggests that a verse has been lost. I agree, but I disagree there is a contradiction in the sense. Rather, the verse tells a story over time. I translate to bring out the meaning.(iti bhagavā) “and with it I crossed over, went to the far shore, and dispelled the flood. Tiṇṇo pāragato vineyya oghaṁ; Now I have no need for a raft: Attho bhisiyā na vijjati, so rain forth, heavens, if you wish.” Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

“My wife is obedient, not wanton,” said Dhaniya, “long have we lived together happily. I hear nothing bad about her: so rain forth, heavens, if you wish.”

“Gopī mama assavā alolā, (iti dhaniyo gopo) Dīgharattaṁ saṁvāsiyā manāpā;*Dīgharattaṁ → dīgharatta (mr)Tassā na suṇāmi kiñci pāpaṁ, Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

“My wife is obedient, not wanton,” “Gopī mama assavā alolā, said Dhaniya, (iti dhaniyo gopo) “long have we lived together happily. Dīgharattaṁ saṁvāsiyā manāpā;*Dīgharattaṁ → dīgharatta (mr)I hear nothing bad about her: Tassā na suṇāmi kiñci pāpaṁ, so rain forth, heavens, if you wish.” Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

“My mind is obedient and freed,” said the Buddha, “long nurtured and well-tamed. Nothing bad is found in me: so rain forth, heavens, if you wish.”

“Cittaṁ mama assavaṁ vimuttaṁ, (iti bhagavā) Dīgharattaṁ paribhāvitaṁ sudantaṁ; Pāpaṁ pana me na vijjati, Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

“My mind is obedient and freed,” “Cittaṁ mama assavaṁ vimuttaṁ, said the Buddha, (iti bhagavā) “long nurtured and well-tamed. Dīgharattaṁ paribhāvitaṁ sudantaṁ; Nothing bad is found in me: Pāpaṁ pana me na vijjati, so rain forth, heavens, if you wish.” Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

“I am self-employed,” said Dhaniya, “and my healthy children likewise.*I’m not convinced by the commentary’s “not separated”. It doesn’t seem to occur in this meaning elsewhere, and lacks a connection with the opening line. Surely the whole verse must be about the children, which requires that there be a comparison made with the first line. The point is, I think, that the children follow the father and have become self-sufficient. This also echoes better with the Buddha’s response.I hear nothing bad about them: so rain forth, heavens, if you wish.”

“Attavetanabhatohamasmi, (iti dhaniyo gopo) Puttā ca me samāniyā arogā; Tesaṁ na suṇāmi kiñci pāpaṁ, Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

“I am self-employed,” “Attavetanabhatohamasmi, said Dhaniya, (iti dhaniyo gopo) “and my healthy children likewise.*I’m not convinced by the commentary’s “not separated”. It doesn’t seem to occur in this meaning elsewhere, and lacks a connection with the opening line. Surely the whole verse must be about the children, which requires that there be a comparison made with the first line. The point is, I think, that the children follow the father and have become self-sufficient. This also echoes better with the Buddha’s response.Puttā ca me samāniyā arogā; I hear nothing bad about them: Tesaṁ na suṇāmi kiñci pāpaṁ, so rain forth, heavens, if you wish.” Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

“I am no-one’s lackey,” said the Buddha, “with what I have earned I wander the world. I have no need for wages: so rain forth, heavens, if you wish.”

“Nāhaṁ bhatakosmi kassaci, (iti bhagavā) Nibbiṭṭhena carāmi sabbaloke; Attho bhatiyā na vijjati, Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

“I am no-one’s lackey,” “Nāhaṁ bhatakosmi kassaci, said the Buddha, (iti bhagavā) “with what I have earned I wander the world. Nibbiṭṭhena carāmi sabbaloke; I have no need for wages: Attho bhatiyā na vijjati, so rain forth, heavens, if you wish.” Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

“I have heifers and sucklings,” said Dhaniya, “cows in calf and breeding cows. I’ve also got a bull, captain of the herd here: so rain forth, heavens, if you wish.”

“Atthi vasā atthi dhenupā, (iti dhaniyo gopo) Godharaṇiyo paveṇiyopi atthi; Usabhopi gavampatīdha atthi, Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

“I have heifers and sucklings,” “Atthi vasā atthi dhenupā, said Dhaniya, (iti dhaniyo gopo) “cows in calf and breeding cows. Godharaṇiyo paveṇiyopi atthi; I’ve also got a bull, captain of the herd here: Usabhopi gavampatīdha atthi, so rain forth, heavens, if you wish.” Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

“I have no heifers or sucklings,” said the Buddha, “no cows in calf or breeding cows. I haven’t got a bull, captain of the herd here: so rain forth, heavens, if you wish.”

“Natthi vasā natthi dhenupā, (iti bhagavā) Godharaṇiyo paveṇiyopi natthi; Usabhopi gavampatīdha natthi, Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

“I have no heifers or sucklings,” “Natthi vasā natthi dhenupā, said the Buddha, (iti bhagavā) “no cows in calf or breeding cows. Godharaṇiyo paveṇiyopi natthi; I haven’t got a bull, captain of the herd here: Usabhopi gavampatīdha natthi, so rain forth, heavens, if you wish.” Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

“The stakes are driven in, unshakable,” said Dhaniya, “The grass halters are new and well-woven, not even the sucklings can break them: so rain forth, heavens, if you wish.”

“Khilā nikhātā asampavedhī, (iti dhaniyo gopo) Dāmā muñjamayā navā susaṇṭhānā; Na hi sakkhinti dhenupāpi chettuṁ,*chettuṁ → chetuṁ (mr)Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

“The stakes are driven in, unshakable,” “Khilā nikhātā asampavedhī, said Dhaniya, (iti dhaniyo gopo) “The grass halters are new and well-woven, Dāmā muñjamayā navā susaṇṭhānā; not even the sucklings can break them: Na hi sakkhinti dhenupāpi chettuṁ,*chettuṁ → chetuṁ (mr)so rain forth, heavens, if you wish.” Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

“Like a bull I broke the bonds,” said the Buddha, “like an elephant I snapped the vine. I will never lie in a womb again: so rain forth, heavens, if you wish.”

“Usabhoriva chetva bandhanāni,*chetva → chetvā (sya-all, mr)(iti bhagavā) Nāgo pūtilataṁva dālayitvā;*pūtilataṁva dālayitvā → pūtilataṁ va dāḷayitvā (bj); pūtilataṁ padālayitvā (mr)Nāhaṁ punupessaṁ gabbhaseyyaṁ,*punupessaṁ → puna upessaṁ (bj, sya-all, km, pts-vp-pli1); punupeyya (mr)Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

“Like a bull I broke the bonds,” “Usabhoriva chetva bandhanāni,*chetva → chetvā (sya-all, mr)said the Buddha, (iti bhagavā) “like an elephant I snapped the vine. Nāgo pūtilataṁva dālayitvā;*pūtilataṁva dālayitvā → pūtilataṁ va dāḷayitvā (bj); pūtilataṁ padālayitvā (mr)I will never lie in a womb again: Nāhaṁ punupessaṁ gabbhaseyyaṁ,*punupessaṁ → puna upessaṁ (bj, sya-all, km, pts-vp-pli1); punupeyya (mr)so rain forth, heavens, if you wish.” Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

Right then a vast cloud rained forth,*For all Dhaniya’s offerings, his capricious god deals out life-threatening flood instead of life-giving waters. It is not just that his supposed security turns out to be insecure, but that his religious devotions were misplaced, setting the stage for his conversion.soaking the uplands and valleys. Hearing the heavens rain down, Dhaniya said this:

Ninnañca thalañca pūrayanto, Mahāmegho pavassi tāvadeva; Sutvā devassa vassato, Imamatthaṁ dhaniyo abhāsatha.

Right then a vast cloud rained forth,*For all Dhaniya’s offerings, his capricious god deals out life-threatening flood instead of life-giving waters. It is not just that his supposed security turns out to be insecure, but that his religious devotions were misplaced, setting the stage for his conversion.Ninnañca thalañca pūrayanto, soaking the uplands and valleys. Mahāmegho pavassi tāvadeva; Hearing the heavens rain down, Sutvā devassa vassato, Dhaniya said this: Imamatthaṁ dhaniyo abhāsatha.

“It is no small gain for us that we have seen the Buddha. We come to you for refuge, Clear-eyed One. O great sage, please be our Teacher.

“Lābhā vata no anappakā, Ye mayaṁ bhagavantaṁ addasāma; Saraṇaṁ taṁ upema cakkhuma, Satthā no hohi tuvaṁ mahāmuni.

“It is no small gain for us “Lābhā vata no anappakā, that we have seen the Buddha. Ye mayaṁ bhagavantaṁ addasāma; We come to you for refuge, Clear-eyed One. Saraṇaṁ taṁ upema cakkhuma, O great sage, please be our Teacher. Satthā no hohi tuvaṁ mahāmuni.

My wife and I, obedient, shall lead the spiritual life under the Holy One.*Norman and Bodhi apparently read the middle form carāmase as imperative, but I take it as the present indicative in the sense of definite future.Gone beyond birth and death, we shall make an end of suffering.”

Gopī ca ahañca assavā, Brahmacariyaṁ sugate carāmase;*Brahmacariyaṁ → brahmacariya (mr)Jātimaraṇassa pāragū,*pāragū → pāragā (bj, sya-all, km, pts-vp-pli1)Dukkhassantakarā bhavāmase”.

My wife and I, obedient, Gopī ca ahañca assavā, shall lead the spiritual life under the Holy One.*Norman and Bodhi apparently read the middle form carāmase as imperative, but I take it as the present indicative in the sense of definite future.Brahmacariyaṁ sugate carāmase;*Brahmacariyaṁ → brahmacariya (mr)Gone beyond birth and death, Jātimaraṇassa pāragū,*pāragū → pāragā (bj, sya-all, km, pts-vp-pli1)we shall make an end of suffering.” Dukkhassantakarā bhavāmase”.

“Children bring you delight!” said MāraMāraLa personificación del mal y la tentación. En los textos tempranos, tratado tanto como una deidad del reino de los sentidos como una metáfora.Ver en el glosario the Wicked, “Cattle also bring you delight! For attachments are a man’s delight; without attachments there’s no delight.”

“Nandati puttehi puttimā, (iti māro pāpimā) Gomā gohi tatheva nandati;*Gomā → gomiko (bj, pts-vp-pli1); gopiko (sya-all, km); gopiyo (mr)Upadhī hi narassa nandanā, Na hi so nandati yo nirūpadhi”.

“Children bring you delight!” “Nandati puttehi puttimā, said MāraMāraLa personificación del mal y la tentación. En los textos tempranos, tratado tanto como una deidad del reino de los sentidos como una metáfora.Ver en el glosario the Wicked, (iti māro pāpimā) “Cattle also bring you delight! Gomā gohi tatheva nandati;*Gomā → gomiko (bj, pts-vp-pli1); gopiko (sya-all, km); gopiyo (mr)For attachments are a man’s delight; Upadhī hi narassa nandanā, without attachments there’s no delight.” Na hi so nandati yo nirūpadhi”.

“Your children bring you sorrow,” said the Buddha, “Your cattle also bring you sorrow. For attachments are a man’s sorrow; without attachments there are no sorrows.”

“Socati puttehi puttimā, (iti bhagavā) Gomā gohi tatheva socati;*Gomā → gopiko (sya-all); gopiyo (csp1ed)Upadhī hi narassa socanā, Na hi so socati yo nirūpadhī”ti.

“Your children bring you sorrow,” “Socati puttehi puttimā, said the Buddha, (iti bhagavā) “Your cattle also bring you sorrow. Gomā gohi tatheva socati;*Gomā → gopiko (sya-all); gopiyo (csp1ed)For attachments are a man’s sorrow; Upadhī hi narassa socanā, without attachments there are no sorrows.” Na hi so socati yo nirūpadhī”ti.