Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).
Ekaṁ samayaṁ aññataro bhikkhu kosalesu viharati aññatarasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe.
At one time one of the mendicants was staying in the land of the Kosalans in a certain forest grove.
Tena kho pana samayena so bhikkhu pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto pokkharaṇiṁ ogāhetvā padumaṁ upasiṅghati.
Now at that time, after the meal, on their return from almsround, that mendicant plunged into a lotus pond and sniffed a pink lotus.
Atha kho yā tasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe adhivatthā devatā tassa bhikkhuno anukampikā atthakāmā taṁ bhikkhuṁ saṁvejetukāmā yena so bhikkhu tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ bhikkhuṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:
The deity haunting that forest had sympathy for that mendicant, and wanted what’s best for them. So they approached that mendicant wanting to stir them up, and addressed them in verse:
“Yametaṁ vārijaṁ pupphaṁ,
“This water flower has not been given.
adinnaṁ upasiṅghasi;
When you sniff it,
Ekaṅgametaṁ theyyānaṁ,
this is one factor of theft.
gandhatthenosi mārisā”ti.
Good fellow, you are a thief of scent!”
“Na harāmi na bhañjāmi,
“I do not take, nor do I break;
ārā siṅghāmi vārijaṁ;
I sniff the water flower from afar.
Atha kena nu vaṇṇena,
So how do you explain why
gandhatthenoti vuccati.
you call me a thief of scent?
Yvāyaṁ bhisāni khanati,
Why don’t you accuse someone
puṇḍarīkāni bhañjati;
who does such vandalizing
Evaṁ ākiṇṇakammanto,
as digging up the roots,
kasmā eso na vuccatī”ti.
or breaking off the flowers?”
“Ākiṇṇaluddo puriso,
“I have nothing to say
dhāticelaṁva makkhito;
to a person who is a crude vandal,
Tasmiṁ me vacanaṁ natthi,
soiled like a used nappy.
tvañcārahāmi vattave.
You’re the one who deserves to be spoken to.
Anaṅgaṇassa posassa,
To the man who has not a blemish
niccaṁ sucigavesino;
who is always seeking purity,
Vālaggamattaṁ pāpassa,
even a hair-tip of evil
abbhāmattaṁva khāyatī”ti.
seems as big as a stormcloud.”
“Addhā maṁ yakkha jānāsi,
“Indeed, O spirit, you understand me,
atho me anukampasi;
and you empathize with me.
Punapi yakkha vajjāsi,
Please speak to me again,
yadā passasi edisan”ti.
whenever you see something like this.”
“Neva taṁ upajīvāma,
“We are no dependent of yours,
napi te bhatakāmhase;
nor are we your servant.
Tvameva bhikkhu jāneyya,
You yourself should know, mendicant,
yena gaccheyya suggatin”ti.
the way that leads to a good place.”
Atha kho so bhikkhu tāya devatāya saṁvejito saṁvegamāpādīti.
Impelled by that deity, that mendicant was struck with a sense of urgency.
Vanavaggo paṭhamo.
Tassuddānaṁ
Vivekaṁ upaṭṭhānañca,
Kassapagottena sambahulā;
Ānando anuruddho ca,
Nāgadattañca kulagharaṇī.
Vajjiputto ca vesālī,
Sajjhāyena ayoniso;
Majjhanhikālamhi pākatindriya—
Padumapupphena cuddasa bhaveti.
Vanasaṁyuttaṁ samattaṁ.
The Linked Discourses in the Forest are complete.
Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).
At one time one of the mendicants was staying in the land of the Kosalans in a certain forest grove.
Now at that time, after the meal, on their return from almsround, that mendicant plunged into a lotus pond and sniffed a pink lotus.
The deity haunting that forest had sympathy for that mendicant, and wanted what’s best for them. So they approached that mendicant wanting to stir them up, and addressed them in verse:
“This water flower has not been given.
When you sniff it,
this is one factor of theft.
Good fellow, you are a thief of scent!”
“I do not take, nor do I break;
I sniff the water flower from afar.
So how do you explain why
you call me a thief of scent?
Why don’t you accuse someone
who does such vandalizing
as digging up the roots,
or breaking off the flowers?”
“I have nothing to say
to a person who is a crude vandal,
soiled like a used nappy.
You’re the one who deserves to be spoken to.
To the man who has not a blemish
who is always seeking purity,
even a hair-tip of evil
seems as big as a stormcloud.”
“Indeed, O spirit, you understand me,
and you empathize with me.
Please speak to me again,
whenever you see something like this.”
“We are no dependent of yours,
nor are we your servant.
You yourself should know, mendicant,
the way that leads to a good place.”
Impelled by that deity, that mendicant was struck with a sense of urgency.
The Linked Discourses in the Forest are complete.
Ekaṁ samayaṁ aññataro bhikkhu kosalesu viharati aññatarasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe.
Tena kho pana samayena so bhikkhu pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto pokkharaṇiṁ ogāhetvā padumaṁ upasiṅghati.
Atha kho yā tasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe adhivatthā devatā tassa bhikkhuno anukampikā atthakāmā taṁ bhikkhuṁ saṁvejetukāmā yena so bhikkhu tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ bhikkhuṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:
“Yametaṁ vārijaṁ pupphaṁ,
adinnaṁ upasiṅghasi;
Ekaṅgametaṁ theyyānaṁ,
gandhatthenosi mārisā”ti.
“Na harāmi na bhañjāmi,
ārā siṅghāmi vārijaṁ;
Atha kena nu vaṇṇena,
gandhatthenoti vuccati.
Yvāyaṁ bhisāni khanati,
puṇḍarīkāni bhañjati;
Evaṁ ākiṇṇakammanto,
kasmā eso na vuccatī”ti.
“Ākiṇṇaluddo puriso,
dhāticelaṁva makkhito;
Tasmiṁ me vacanaṁ natthi,
tvañcārahāmi vattave.
Anaṅgaṇassa posassa,
niccaṁ sucigavesino;
Vālaggamattaṁ pāpassa,
abbhāmattaṁva khāyatī”ti.
“Addhā maṁ yakkha jānāsi,
atho me anukampasi;
Punapi yakkha vajjāsi,
yadā passasi edisan”ti.
“Neva taṁ upajīvāma,
napi te bhatakāmhase;
Tvameva bhikkhu jāneyya,
yena gaccheyya suggatin”ti.
Atha kho so bhikkhu tāya devatāya saṁvejito saṁvegamāpādīti.
Vanavaggo paṭhamo.
Tassuddānaṁ
Vivekaṁ upaṭṭhānañca,
Kassapagottena sambahulā;
Ānando anuruddho ca,
Nāgadattañca kulagharaṇī.
Vajjiputto ca vesālī,
Sajjhāyena ayoniso;
Majjhanhikālamhi pākatindriya—
Padumapupphena cuddasa bhaveti.
Vanasaṁyuttaṁ samattaṁ.