Buddhism · Sutta Pitaka · Minor Collection (Khuddaka)

Ud, part 69

The Well · Udapānasutta

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So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was wandering in the land of the Mallas together with a large Saṅgha of mendicants when he arrived at a brahmin town of the Mallas named Thūṇa. The brahmins and householders of Thūṇa heard: “It seems the ascetic Gotama—a Sakyan, gone forth from a Sakyan family—while wandering in the land of the Mallas has arrived at Thūṇa, together with a large Saṅgha of mendicants.” They filled the well with grass and hay right to the top, thinking, “Don’t let these shavelings, these fake ascetics drink the water.”

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā mallesu cārikaṁ caramāno mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ yena thūṇaṁ nāma mallānaṁ brāhmaṇagāmo tadavasari. Assosuṁ kho thūṇeyyakā brāhmaṇagahapatikā: “samaṇo khalu, bho, gotamo sakyaputto sakyakulā pabbajito mallesu cārikaṁ caramāno mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ thūṇaṁ anuppatto”ti. (…) Udapānaṁ tiṇassa ca bhusassa ca yāva mukhato pūresuṁ: “mā te muṇḍakā samaṇakā pānīyaṁ apaṁsū”ti.

And then the Buddha left the road, went to the root of a tree, and sat down on the seat spread out. When he was seated he said to Venerable Ānanda: “Go on then, Ānanda, fetch me some water from that well.”

Atha kho bhagavā maggā okkamma yena rukkhamūlaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Nisajja kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi: “iṅgha me tvaṁ, ānanda, etamhā udapānā pānīyaṁ āharā”ti.

When he said this, Venerable Ānanda said to the Buddha, “Just now, sir, the brahmins and householders of Thūṇa filled the well with grass and hay right to the top, thinking, ‘Don’t let these shavelings, these fake ascetics drink the water.’”

Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “idāni so, bhante, udapāno thūṇeyyakehi brāhmaṇagahapatikehi tiṇassa ca bhusassa ca yāva mukhato pūrito: ‘mā te muṇḍakā samaṇakā pānīyaṁ apaṁsū’”ti.

For a second time … For a third time, the Buddha said to Ānanda: “Go on then, Ānanda, fetch me some water from that well.” “Yes, sir,” replied Ānanda. Taking his bowl he went to the well. As he approached the well, all the grass and hay erupted out of the well-mouth. The water stood transparent, unclouded, and clear right up to the top, seeming to overflow.

Dutiyampi kho …pe… tatiyampi kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi: “iṅgha me tvaṁ, ānanda, etamhā udapānā pānīyaṁ āharā”ti. “Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā ānando bhagavato paṭissutvā pattaṁ gahetvā yena so udapāno tenupasaṅkami. Atha kho so udapāno āyasmante ānande upasaṅkamante sabbaṁ taṁ tiṇañca bhusañca mukhato ovamitvā acchassa udakassa anāvilassa vippasannassa yāva mukhato pūrito vissandanto maññe aṭṭhāsi.

Then Venerable Ānanda thought, “Oh lord, how incredible, how amazing! The Realized One has such psychic power and might! For when I approached this well, all the grass and hay erupted out of the well-mouth. The water stood transparent, unclouded, and clear right up to the top, seeming to overflow.” Gathering a bowl of drinking water he went back to the Buddha, and said to him, “It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing! The Realized One has such psychic power and might! For when I approached that well, all the grass and hay erupted out of the well-mouth. The water stood transparent, unclouded, and clear right up to the top, seeming to overflow. Drink the water, Blessed One! Drink the water, Holy One!”

Atha kho āyasmato ānandassa etadahosi: “acchariyaṁ vata bho, abbhutaṁ vata bho, tathāgatassa mahiddhikatā mahānubhāvatā. Ayañhi so udapāno mayi upasaṅkamante sabbaṁ taṁ tiṇañca bhusañca mukhato ovamitvā acchassa udakassa anāvilassa vippasannassa yāva mukhato pūrito vissandanto maññe ṭhito”ti. Pattena pānīyaṁ ādāya yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante, tathāgatassa mahiddhikatā mahānubhāvatā. Ayañhi so, bhante, udapāno mayi upasaṅkamante sabbaṁ taṁ tiṇañca bhusañca mukhato ovamitvā acchassa udakassa anāvilassa vippasannassa yāva mukhato pūrito vissandanto maññe aṭṭhāsi. Pivatu bhagavā pānīyaṁ, pivatu sugato pānīyan”ti.

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:

“What difference would a well make if water is there all the time? Having cut off craving at the root, who would go out on a quest?”

“Kiṁ kayirā udapānena, Āpā ce sabbadā siyuṁ; Taṇhāya mūlato chetvā, Kissa pariyesanaṁ care”ti. Navamaṁ.