The Discourse about the Pregnant Woman (UD2.6)

Thus I heard: At one time the Gracious One was dwelling near Sāvatthī, in Jeta’s Wood, at Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then at that time a certain wanderer’s young brāhmaṇa wife, was pregnant and about to give birth.

Then that female wanderer said this to that wanderer: “Please go, brāhmaṇa, and bring oil which can be used for my delivery.”

When that was said that wanderer said this to that female wanderer: “But from where, dear lady, can I bring oil?”

Then for a second time that female wanderer said this to that wanderer: “Please go, brāhmaṇa, and bring oil which can be used for my delivery.”

For a second time that wanderer said this to that female wanderer: “But from where, dear lady, can I bring oil?”

Then for a third time that female wanderer said this to that wanderer: “Please go, brāhmaṇa, and bring oil which can be used for my delivery.”

Then at that time at the Kosalan King Pasenadi’s storehouse to an ascetic or brāhmaṇa as much ghee or oil as was necessary was being given to drink, but not to carry away. Then it occured to that wanderer: “At the Kosalan King Pasenadi’s storehouse to an ascetic or brāhmaṇa as much ghee or oil as is necessary is being given to drink, but not to carry away. Well now, after going to the Kosalan King Pasenadi’s storehouse, drinking as much of the oil as is necessary, returning to the house, and throwing it up, I could give it to her, and that can be used for her delivery.”

Then that wanderer after going to the Kosalan King Pasenadi’s storehouse, drinking as much of the oil as was necessary, returning to the house, was not able to get it up nor down, and he was affected by painful, sharp, harsh, and bitter feelings, and he rolled around forwards and backwards.

Then the Gracious One, having dressed in the morning time, after picking up his bowl and robe, was entering Sāvatthī for alms. The Gracious One saw that wanderer affected by painful, sharp, harsh, and bitter feelings, and rolling around forwards and backwards. Then the Gracious One, having understood the significance of it, on that occasion uttered this exalted utterance:

“Happy indeed are those who have nothing,
The Perfect Ones are people who surely have nothing,
See how one who has something is troubled,
He is a person who is in a state of bondage in regard to other people.”

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.