C.D. Warner, et al., comp. The Library of the World’s Best Literature.
An Anthology in Thirty Volumes. 1917.
Conversation of the Herdsman Dhaniya and Buddha
By Indian Literature
I
I am free from anger, free from stubbornness,—so said the Blessed One,—I am abiding for one night near the banks of the [great] Mahī river; my house has no cover, the fire [of passion] is extinguished—then rain if thou wilt, O sky!
Here are no gadflies,—so said the herdsman Dhaniya,—the cows are roaming in meadows full of grass, and they can endure the rain—then rain if thou wilt, O sky!
I have made a well-built raft,—so said the Blessed One,—I have crossed over, I have reached the further bank, I have overcome the torrent [of passions]; I need the raft no more—then rain if thou wilt, O sky!
My wife is obedient, she is not wanton,—so said the herdsman Dhaniya,—she has lived with me long and is winning; no wickedness have I heard of her—then rain if thou wilt, O sky!
My mind is obedient, delivered [from evil],—so said the Blessed One,—it has been cultivated long and is well subdued; there is no longer anything wicked in me—then rain if thou wilt, O sky!
I support myself by my own earnings,—so said the herdsman Dhaniya,—and my children are around me and healthy; I hear no wickedness of them—then rain if thou wilt, O sky!
I am the servant of none,—so said the Blessed One,—with what I have gained I wander about in all the world; I have no need to serve—then rain if thou wilt, O sky!
I have cows, I have calves,—so said the herdsman Dhaniya,—cows in calf and heifers also; and I have a bull as lord over the cows—then rain if thou wilt, O sky!
I have no cows, I have no calves,—so said the Blessed One,—no cows in calf, and no heifers; and I have no bull as a lord over the cows—then rain if thou wilt, O sky!
The stakes are driven in and cannot be shaken,—so said the herdsman Dhaniya,—the ropes are made of holy-grass, new and well made; the cows will not be able to break them—then rain if thou wilt, O sky!
Like a bull I have rent the bonds,—so said the Blessed One,—like an elephant I have broken through the ropes, I shall not be born again—then rain if thou wilt, O sky!
Then the rain poured down and filled both sea and land. And hearing the sky raining, Dhaniya said: Not small to us the gain in that we have seen the Blessed Lord; in thee we take refuge, thou endowed with [wisdom’s] eye; be thou our master, O great sage! My wife and myself are obedient to thee. If we lead a pure life we shall overcome birth and death, and put an end to pain.
He that has sons has delight in sons,—so said the Evil One,—he that has cows has delight in cows, for substance is the delight of man; but he that has no substance has no delight.
He that has sons has care with his sons,—so said the Blessed One,—he that has cows has likewise care with his cows, for substance is [the cause of] care; but he that has no substance has no care.