The Buddha observes the King Pasenadi as huffing and puffing and advises him on moderation in eating.
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthi.
Tena kho pana samayena rājā pasenadi kosalo doṇapākakuraṁ bhuñjati. Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo bhuttāvī mahassāsī yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.
Now at that time King Pasenadi of Kosala was accustomed to eating rice by the bucket. Then, after his meal, King Pasenadi of Kosala approached the Buddha, huffing and |puffing::breathing heavily|. He bowed and then sat down to one side.
Atha kho bhagavā rājānaṁ pasenadiṁ kosalaṁ bhuttāviṁ mahassāsiṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:
Observing that King Pasenadi was huffing and puffing after his meal, the Buddha, on that occasion, recited this verse:
“Manujassa sadā satīmato,
Mattaṁ jānato laddhabhojane;
Tanukassa bhavanti vedanā,
Saṇikaṁ jīrati āyupālayan”ti.
“When a man is always mindful,
knowing moderation in eating,
his discomfort fades,
and he ages slowly, taking care of his life.”
Tena kho pana samayena sudassano māṇavo rañño pasenadissa kosalassa piṭṭhito ṭhito hoti. Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo sudassanaṁ māṇavaṁ āmantesi: “ehi tvaṁ, tāta sudassana, bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ pariyāpuṇitvā mama bhattābhihāre bhattābhihāre bhāsa. Ahañca te devasikaṁ kahāpaṇasataṁ kahāpaṇasataṁ niccaṁ bhikkhaṁ pavattayissāmī”ti.
Now at that time the young brahmin Sudassana was standing behind the king. King Pasenadi then addressed him: “Please, dear Sudassana, memorize this verse in the Blessed One’s presence and recite it to me whenever I am presented with a meal. I’ll set up a regular daily allowance of a hundred |kahāpaṇas::currency at the time| for you.”
“Evaṁ, devā”ti kho sudassano māṇavo rañño pasenadissa kosalassa paṭissutvā bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ pariyāpuṇitvā rañño pasenadissa kosalassa bhattābhihāre sudaṁ bhāsati:
“Yes, Your Majesty,” replied Sudassana. He thoroughly learned the verse in the Blessed One’s presence and recited it whenever the king was presented with a meal:
“Manujassa sadā satīmato,
Mattaṁ jānato laddhabhojane;
Tanukassa bhavanti vedanā,
Saṇikaṁ jīrati āyupālayan”ti.
“When a man is always mindful,
knowing moderation in eating,
his discomfort fades,
and he ages slowly, taking care of his life.”
Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo anupubbena nāḷikodanaparamatāya saṇṭhāsi. Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo aparena samayena susallikhitagatto pāṇinā gattāni anumajjanto tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:
Gradually, the king got used to having no more than a pint of rice. After some time, King Pasenadi’s body slimmed right down. Stroking his limbs with his hands, he then expressed this inspired utterance:
“ubhayena vata maṁ so bhagavā atthena anukampi— diṭṭhadhammikena ceva atthena samparāyikena cā”ti.
“Truly, the Buddha has shown compassion towards me in both ways: for the benefit in this life and for the future.”
At Sāvatthi.
Now at that time King Pasenadi of Kosala was accustomed to eating rice by the bucket. Then, after his meal, King Pasenadi of Kosala approached the Buddha, huffing and |puffing::breathing heavily|. He bowed and then sat down to one side.
Observing that King Pasenadi was huffing and puffing after his meal, the Buddha, on that occasion, recited this verse:
“When a man is always mindful,
knowing moderation in eating,
his discomfort fades,
and he ages slowly, taking care of his life.”
Now at that time the young brahmin Sudassana was standing behind the king. King Pasenadi then addressed him: “Please, dear Sudassana, memorize this verse in the Blessed One’s presence and recite it to me whenever I am presented with a meal. I’ll set up a regular daily allowance of a hundred |kahāpaṇas::currency at the time| for you.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” replied Sudassana. He thoroughly learned the verse in the Blessed One’s presence and recited it whenever the king was presented with a meal:
“When a man is always mindful,
knowing moderation in eating,
his discomfort fades,
and he ages slowly, taking care of his life.”
Gradually, the king got used to having no more than a pint of rice. After some time, King Pasenadi’s body slimmed right down. Stroking his limbs with his hands, he then expressed this inspired utterance:
“Truly, the Buddha has shown compassion towards me in both ways: for the benefit in this life and for the future.”
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
Tena kho pana samayena rājā pasenadi kosalo doṇapākakuraṁ bhuñjati. Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo bhuttāvī mahassāsī yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.
Atha kho bhagavā rājānaṁ pasenadiṁ kosalaṁ bhuttāviṁ mahassāsiṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:
“Manujassa sadā satīmato,
Mattaṁ jānato laddhabhojane;
Tanukassa bhavanti vedanā,
Saṇikaṁ jīrati āyupālayan”ti.
Tena kho pana samayena sudassano māṇavo rañño pasenadissa kosalassa piṭṭhito ṭhito hoti. Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo sudassanaṁ māṇavaṁ āmantesi: “ehi tvaṁ, tāta sudassana, bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ pariyāpuṇitvā mama bhattābhihāre bhattābhihāre bhāsa. Ahañca te devasikaṁ kahāpaṇasataṁ kahāpaṇasataṁ niccaṁ bhikkhaṁ pavattayissāmī”ti.
“Evaṁ, devā”ti kho sudassano māṇavo rañño pasenadissa kosalassa paṭissutvā bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ pariyāpuṇitvā rañño pasenadissa kosalassa bhattābhihāre sudaṁ bhāsati:
“Manujassa sadā satīmato,
Mattaṁ jānato laddhabhojane;
Tanukassa bhavanti vedanā,
Saṇikaṁ jīrati āyupālayan”ti.
Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo anupubbena nāḷikodanaparamatāya saṇṭhāsi. Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo aparena samayena susallikhitagatto pāṇinā gattāni anumajjanto tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:
“ubhayena vata maṁ so bhagavā atthena anukampi— diṭṭhadhammikena ceva atthena samparāyikena cā”ti.