The Discourse about Bhaddiya (UD2.10)

Thus I heard: At one time the Gracious One was dwelling near Anupiyā, in the Mango Wood. Then at that time venerable Bhaddiya, Kāḷigodhā’s son, having gone to the wilderness, to the root of a tree, to an empty place, was frequently uttering this exclamation: “Ah, happiness! Ah, happiness!”

Many monks heard that when venerable Bhaddiya, Kāḷigodhā’s son, had gone to the wilderness, to the root of a tree, to an empty place, was frequently uttering this exclamation: “Ah, happiness! Ah, happiness!” And after hearing this, it occured to them:

“Undoubtedly, friends, venerable Bhaddiya, Kāḷigodhā’s son, has no great delight living the spiritual life, and remembering the royal happiness he had formerly in the home life, having gone to the wilderness, to the root of a tree, to an empty place, he is frequently uttering this exclamation: ‘Ah, happiness! Ah, happiness!’ ”

Then many monks went to the Gracious One, and after going and worshipping the Gracious One, they sat down on one side. While sat on one side those monks said this to the Gracious One:

“Venerable Bhaddiya, reverend Sir, Kāḷigodhā’s son, having gone to the wilderness, to the root of a tree, to an empty place, is frequently uttering this exclamation: ‘Ah, happiness! Ah, happiness!’ Undoubtedly, reverend Sir, venerable Bhaddiya, Kāḷigodhā’s son, has no great delight living the spiritual life, and remembering the royal happiness he had formerly in the home life, having gone to the wilderness, to the root of a tree, to an empty place, he is frequently uttering this exclamation: ‘Ah, happiness! Ah, happiness!’ ”

Then the Gracious One addressed a certain monk, saying: “Please go, monk, and with my word address the monk Bhaddiya, saying: ‘The Teacher, friend Bhaddiya, calls you.’ ”

“Yes, reverend Sir,” said that monk, and after replying to the Gracious One, he went to venerable Bhaddiya, Kāḷigodhā’s son, and after going, he said this to venerable Bhaddiya, Kāḷigodhā’s son: “The Teacher, friend Bhaddiya, calls you.”

“Yes, friend,” said venerable Bhaddiya, Kāḷigodhā’s son, and after replying to that monk, he went to the Gracious One, after going and worshipping the Gracious One, he sat down on one side. While sat on one side the Gracious One said this to venerable Bhaddiya, Kāḷigodhā’s son:

“Is it true, as it seems, Bhaddiya, that you, having gone to the wilderness, to the root of a tree, to an empty place, frequently utter this exclamation: ‘Ah, happiness! Ah, happiness!’?”

“Yes, reverend Sir.”

“But, Bhaddiya, seeing what reason did you, having gone to the wilderness, to the root of a tree, to an empty place, frequently utter this exclamation: ‘Ah, happiness! Ah, happiness!’?”

“Formerly, reverend Sir, while I was in the home life ruling the country, the inside of the inner quarters was well appointed with guards, and the outside of the inner quarters was well appointed with guards, and inside the city it was well appointed with guards, and outside the city it was well appointed with guards, and inside the country it was well appointed with guards, and outside the country it was well appointed with guards. Although, reverend Sir, I was being guarded and protected in this way, I lived fearful, anxious, distrustful, and afraid. But at present, reverend Sir, having gone to the wilderness, to the root of a tree, to an empty place, I live solitary, fearless, unanxious, trusting, unafraid, unconcerned, not horrified, quite secure, with a mind that has become confident like a free-born animal. It is seeing this reason, reverend Sir, that I, having gone to the wilderness, to the root of a tree, to an empty place, am frequently uttering this exclamation: ‘Ah, happiness! Ah, happiness!’ ”

Then the Gracious One, having understood the significance of it, on that occasion uttered this exalted utterance:

“For he who has no agitations inside the mind,
Who has thus completely transcended continuity of existence,
The devas are unable to see
He who is without fear, happy, and griefless.”

Translated by Bhikkhu Ānandajoti from the Buddha Jayanthi Tripitaka text. Version 2.2, revised February 2008.

The text and translation, together with detailed notes and discussions, may be found in multiple formats on the translator’s website, Ancient Buddhist Texts.

Used by kind permission of Bhikkhu Ānandajoti.

The original translation was released under the following licence: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Bhikkhu Sujato.