SN 3.13 · Pali Canon (Tipiṭaka) – English & Pāli · Verses Across
Buddhism · Sutta Pitaka · Linked Discourses (Saṁyutta)
SN 3.13A Bucketful of Rice · Doṇapākasutta
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Buddhism · Sutta Pitaka · Linked Discourses (Saṁyutta)
SN 3.13
A Bucketful of Rice · Doṇapākasutta
EnglishEnglish
PāliPali
At Sāvatthī. Now at that time King Pasenadi of Kosala used to eat boiled rice by the bucketful. Then after eating King Pasenadi of Kosala went up to the Buddha, huffing and puffing. He bowed and sat down to one side.
Now at that time the student Sudassana was standing behind the king. Then King Pasenadi addressed him, “Please, dear Sudassana, memorize this verse in the Buddha’s presence and recite it to me whenever I am served a meal. I’ll set up a regular daily allowance of a hundred dollars for you.” “Yes, Your Majesty,” replied Sudassana. He memorized that verse in the Buddha’s presence, and then whenever the king was served a meal he would repeat it:
Then the king gradually got used to having at most a cup of rice. After some time King Pasenadi’s body slimmed right down. Stroking his limbs with his hands, at that time he expressed this heartfelt sentiment: “In both ways the Buddha has sympathy for me: in the good of this life and the good of lives to come.”