{"collection":"Samyutta Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_sn7.10/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_sn7.10","id":"suttacentral_sn7.10","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/sn7.10/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Early Buddhist Texts","Samyutta Nikaya"],"text":"At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Kosalans in a certain forest grove. Now at that time one of the brahmins of the Bh\u0101radv\u0101ja clan had lost fourteen oxen. While looking for them he went to that forest grove, where he saw the Buddha sitting down cross-legged, his body set straight, and mindfulness brought to the present. He went up to the Buddha, and recited these verses in the Buddha\u2019s presence: \u201cThis ascetic mustn\u2019t have fourteen oxen missing for the past six days: that\u2019s why this ascetic is happy. This ascetic mustn\u2019t have a field of sesame ruined, with just one or two leaves: that\u2019s why this ascetic is happy. This ascetic mustn\u2019t have rats in a vacant barn dancing merrily: that\u2019s why this ascetic is happy. This ascetic mustn\u2019t have carpets that for seven months have been infested with fleas: that\u2019s why this ascetic is happy. This ascetic mustn\u2019t have seven widowed daughters with one or two children each: that\u2019s why this ascetic is happy. This ascetic mustn\u2019t have a wife with sallow, blotchy skin to wake him with a kick: that\u2019s why this ascetic is happy. This ascetic mustn\u2019t have creditors knocking at dawn, demanding, \u2018Pay up! Pay up!\u2019: that\u2019s why this ascetic is happy.\u201d \u201cYou\u2019re right, brahmin, I don\u2019t have fourteen oxen missing for the past six days: that\u2019s why I\u2019m happy, brahmin. You\u2019re right, brahmin, I don\u2019t have a field of sesame ruined, with just one or two leaves: that\u2019s why I\u2019m happy, brahmin. You\u2019re right, brahmin, I don\u2019t have rats in a vacant barn dancing merrily: that\u2019s why I\u2019m happy, brahmin. You\u2019re right, brahmin, I don\u2019t have carpets that for seven months have been infested with fleas: that\u2019s why I\u2019m happy, brahmin. You\u2019re right, brahmin, I don\u2019t have seven widowed daughters with one or two children each: that\u2019s why I\u2019m happy, brahmin. You\u2019re right, brahmin, I don\u2019t have a wife with blotchy, pockmarked skin to wake me up with a kick: that\u2019s why I\u2019m happy, brahmin. You\u2019re right, brahmin, I don\u2019t have creditors knocking at dawn, warning, \u2018Pay up! Pay up!\u2019: that\u2019s why I\u2019m happy, brahmin.\u201d When he had spoken, the brahmin said to the Buddha, \u201cExcellent, worthy Gotama! Excellent! \u2026 As if he were righting the overturned, or revealing the hidden, or pointing out the path to the lost, or lighting a lamp in the dark so people with clear eyes can see what\u2019s there, worthy Gotama has made the teaching clear in many ways. I go for refuge to the worthy Gotama, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Sa\u1e45gha. May I receive the going forth, the ordination in the worthy Gotama\u2019s presence?\u201d And the brahmin received the going forth, the ordination in the Buddha\u2019s presence. Not long after his ordination, Venerable Bh\u0101radv\u0101ja, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, soon realized the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life. He lived having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness. He understood: \u201cRebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is nothing further for this place.\u201d And Venerable Bh\u0101radv\u0101ja became one of the perfected.","title":"Many Daughters","tradition":"Samyutta Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":541}