Verses in which the rancher Dhaniya boasts of his worldly security and the Buddha counters with the safety of one who has quelled anger and found shelter in the Dhamma, culminating in both going for refuge.

SNP 1.2 The Wealthy Rancher

(iti dhaniyo gopo)

Anutīre mahiyā samānavāso;
Channā kuṭi āhito gini,
Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

(iti bhagavā)

Anutīre mahiyekarattivāso;
Vivaṭā kuṭi nibbuto gini,
Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

(iti dhaniyo gopo)

Kacche rūḷhatiṇe caranti gāvo;
Vuṭṭhimpi saheyyumāgataṁ,
Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

(iti bhagavā)

Tiṇṇo pāragato vineyya oghaṁ;
Attho bhisiyā na vijjati,
Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

(iti dhaniyo gopo)

Dīgharattaṁ saṁvāsiyā manāpā;
Tassā na suṇāmi kiñci pāpaṁ,
Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

(iti bhagavā)

Dīgharattaṁ paribhāvitaṁ sudantaṁ;
Pāpaṁ pana me na vijjati,
Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

(iti dhaniyo gopo)

Puttā ca me samāniyā arogā;
Tesaṁ na suṇāmi kiñci pāpaṁ,
Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

(iti bhagavā)

Nibbiṭṭhena carāmi sabbaloke;
Attho bhatiyā na vijjati,
Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

(iti dhaniyo gopo)

Godharaṇiyo paveṇiyopi atthi;
Usabhopi gavampatīdha atthi,
Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

(iti bhagavā)

Godharaṇiyo paveṇiyopi natthi;
Usabhopi gavampatīdha natthi,
Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

(iti dhaniyo gopo)

Dāmā muñjamayā navā susaṇṭhānā;
Na hi sakkhinti dhenupāpi chettuṁ,
Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

(iti bhagavā)

Nāgo pūtilataṁva dālayitvā;
Nāhaṁ punupessaṁ gabbhaseyyaṁ,
Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

Ninnañca thalañca pūrayanto,
Mahāmegho pavassi tāvadeva;
Sutvā devassa vassato,
Imamatthaṁ dhaniyo abhāsatha.

“Lābhā vata no anappakā,
Ye mayaṁ bhagavantaṁ addasāma;
Saraṇaṁ taṁ upema cakkhuma,
Satthā no hohi tuvaṁ mahāmuni.

Gopī ca ahañca assavā,
Brahmacariyaṁ sugate carāmase;
Jātimaraṇassa pāragū,
Dukkhassantakarā bhavāmase”.

(iti māro pāpimā)

Gomā gohi tatheva nandati;
Upadhī hi narassa nandanā,
Na hi so nandati yo nirūpadhi”.

(iti bhagavā)

Gomā gohi tatheva socati;
Upadhī hi narassa socanā,
Na hi so socati yo nirūpadhī”ti.

Dhaniyasuttaṁ dutiyaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Pakkodano duddhakhīrohamasmi,

“I’ve boiled my rice and drawn my milk,”

(iti dhaniyo gopo)

said Dhaniya the rancher,

Anutīre mahiyā samānavāso;

“I stay with my family along the bank of the Mahī.

Channā kuṭi āhito gini,

My hut is roofed, my sacred fire kindled:

Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

so rain forth, heavens, if you wish.”

“Akkodhano vigatakhilohamasmi,

“I boil not with anger and have drawn out hard-heartedness,”

(iti bhagavā)

said the Buddha,

Anutīre mahiyekarattivāso;

“I stay for one night along the bank of the Mahī.

Vivaṭā kuṭi nibbuto gini,

My hut is wide open, my fire is quenched:

Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

so rain forth, heavens, if you wish.”

“Andhakamakasā na vijjare,

“No gadflies or mosquitoes are found,”

(iti dhaniyo gopo)

said Dhaniya,

Kacche rūḷhatiṇe caranti gāvo;

“cows graze on the lush meadow grass.

Vuṭṭhimpi saheyyumāgataṁ,

They get by even when the rain comes:

Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

so rain forth, heavens, if you wish.”

“Baddhāsi bhisī susaṅkhatā,

“I bound a raft and prepared it well,”

(iti bhagavā)

said the Buddha,

Tiṇṇo pāragato vineyya oghaṁ;

“and with it I crossed over, went to the far shore, and dispelled the flood.

Attho bhisiyā na vijjati,

Now I have no need for a raft:

Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

so rain forth, heavens, if you wish.”

“Gopī mama assavā alolā,

“My wife is obedient, not wanton,”

(iti dhaniyo gopo)

said Dhaniya,

Dīgharattaṁ saṁvāsiyā manāpā;

“long have we lived together happily.

Tassā na suṇāmi kiñci pāpaṁ,

I hear nothing bad about her:

Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

so rain forth, heavens, if you wish.”

“Cittaṁ mama assavaṁ vimuttaṁ,

“My mind is obedient and freed,”

(iti bhagavā)

said the Buddha,

Dīgharattaṁ paribhāvitaṁ sudantaṁ;

“long nurtured and well-tamed.

Pāpaṁ pana me na vijjati,

Nothing bad is found in me:

Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

so rain forth, heavens, if you wish.”

“Attavetanabhatohamasmi,

“I am self-employed,”

(iti dhaniyo gopo)

said Dhaniya,

Puttā ca me samāniyā arogā;

“and my healthy children likewise.

Tesaṁ na suṇāmi kiñci pāpaṁ,

I hear nothing bad about them:

Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

so rain forth, heavens, if you wish.”

“Nāhaṁ bhatakosmi kassaci,

“I am no-one’s lackey,”

(iti bhagavā)

said the Buddha,

Nibbiṭṭhena carāmi sabbaloke;

“with what I have earned I wander the world.

Attho bhatiyā na vijjati,

I have no need for wages:

Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

so rain forth, heavens, if you wish.”

“Atthi vasā atthi dhenupā,

“I have heifers and sucklings,”

(iti dhaniyo gopo)

said Dhaniya,

Godharaṇiyo paveṇiyopi atthi;

“cows in calf and breeding cows.

Usabhopi gavampatīdha atthi,

I’ve also got a bull, captain of the herd here:

Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

so rain forth, heavens, if you wish.”

“Natthi vasā natthi dhenupā,

“I have no heifers or sucklings,”

(iti bhagavā)

said the Buddha,

Godharaṇiyo paveṇiyopi natthi;

“no cows in calf or breeding cows.

Usabhopi gavampatīdha natthi,

I haven’t got a bull, captain of the herd here:

Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

so rain forth, heavens, if you wish.”

“Khilā nikhātā asampavedhī,

“The stakes are driven in, unshakable,”

(iti dhaniyo gopo)

said Dhaniya,

Dāmā muñjamayā navā susaṇṭhānā;

“The grass halters are new and well-woven,

Na hi sakkhinti dhenupāpi chettuṁ,

not even the sucklings can break them:

Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

so rain forth, heavens, if you wish.”

“Usabhoriva chetva bandhanāni,

“Like a bull I broke the bonds,”

(iti bhagavā)

said the Buddha,

Nāgo pūtilataṁva dālayitvā;

“like an elephant I snapped the vine.

Nāhaṁ punupessaṁ gabbhaseyyaṁ,

I will never lie in a womb again:

Atha ce patthayasī pavassa deva”.

so rain forth, heavens, if you wish.”

Ninnañca thalañca pūrayanto,

Right then a vast cloud rained forth,

Mahāmegho pavassi tāvadeva;

soaking the uplands and valleys.

Sutvā devassa vassato,

Hearing the heavens rain down,

Imamatthaṁ dhaniyo abhāsatha.

Dhaniya said this:

“Lābhā vata no anappakā,

“It is no small gain for us

Ye mayaṁ bhagavantaṁ addasāma;

that we have seen the Buddha.

Saraṇaṁ taṁ upema cakkhuma,

We come to you for refuge, Clear-eyed One.

Satthā no hohi tuvaṁ mahāmuni.

O great sage, please be our Teacher.

Gopī ca ahañca assavā,

My wife and I, obedient,

Brahmacariyaṁ sugate carāmase;

shall lead the spiritual life under the Holy One.

Jātimaraṇassa pāragū,

Gone beyond birth and death,

Dukkhassantakarā bhavāmase”.

we shall make an end of suffering.”

“Nandati puttehi puttimā,

“Children bring you delight!”

(iti māro pāpimā)

said Māra the Wicked,

Gomā gohi tatheva nandati;

“Cattle also bring you delight!

Upadhī hi narassa nandanā,

For attachments are a man’s delight;

Na hi so nandati yo nirūpadhi”.

without attachments there’s no delight.”

“Socati puttehi puttimā,

“Your children bring you sorrow,”

(iti bhagavā)

said the Buddha,

Gomā gohi tatheva socati;

“Your cattle also bring you sorrow.

Upadhī hi narassa socanā,

For attachments are a man’s sorrow;

Na hi so socati yo nirūpadhī”ti.

without attachments there are no sorrows.”

Dhaniyasuttaṁ dutiyaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

Anger

Anger

A burning surge of aversion that erupts against people or situations, scorching clarity and kindness. It distorts perception and drives speech and action toward harm.

Also known as: rage, wrath, fury, indignation
Pāli: kodha, kopa
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Delight

Delight

A mental quality of relishing and taking pleasure in what is experienced—especially in sensuality or the prospect of continued becoming. When it fastens onto gratification, it nourishes craving and keeps the mind circling around what it wants to experience again.

Also known as: relishing, enjoyment, taking pleasure
Pāli: nandi, ārāmatā
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Desire

Desire

A wholesome motivation, interest, or objective that acts as the starting point for effort and application of will.

Also known as: aspiration, interest, wish, having an objective, intention, impulse
Pāli: chanda
View all discourses →
Harm

Harm

Intention or action that causes injury or suffering to oneself or others. It arises from aversion and heedlessness and destroys trust and safety. The opposite of non-harm, it obscures compassion and leads to regret.

Also known as: injury causing behavior, destructiveness, bad, evil
Pāli: pāpaka
View all discourses →
Sorrow

Sorrow

Grief or sadness that follows loss or disappointment, dimming the mind’s natural brightness. It clouds clear perception.

Also known as: grief, sadness
Pāli: soka, socati
View all discourses →
Spiritual life

Spiritual life

A life of celibacy, contemplation, and ethical discipline lived for the sake of liberation; oriented toward inner development rather than sensual pleasures

Also known as: abstinence, celibacy, chastity, holy life, sexual restraint
Pāli: brahmacariya
View all discourses →

Last updated on July 27, 2026