ud4.3:0.1Heartfelt Sayings 4.3
ud4.3:0.2The Cowherd
ud4.3:1.1So I have heard.
ud4.3:1.2At one time the Buddha was wandering in the land of the Kosalans together with a large Saṅgha of mendicants.
ud4.3:1.3And then the Buddha left the road, went to the root of a certain tree, and sat down on the seat spread out.
ud4.3:2.1Then a certain cowherd went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side.
ud4.3:2.2The Buddha educated, encouraged, fired up, and inspired him with a Dhamma talk.
ud4.3:3.1Then the cowherd said to the Buddha,
ud4.3:3.2“Sir, would the Buddha, together with the mendicant Saṅgha, please accept tomorrow’s meal from me?”
ud4.3:3.3The Buddha consented with silence.
ud4.3:3.4Then, knowing that the Buddha had consented, the cowherd rose from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving.
ud4.3:4.1And when the night had passed the cowherd had plenty of thick milk-rice prepared in his own home, with fresh ghee. Then he had the Buddha informed of the time, saying,
ud4.3:4.2“Sir, it’s time. The meal is ready.”
ud4.3:5.1The Buddha robed up, took his bowl and robe and, together with the Saṅgha of monks, went to the house of that cowherd, where he sat down on the prepared seat in the dining hall.
ud4.3:5.2Then the cowherd served and satisfied the mendicant Saṅgha headed by the Buddha with his own hands with a thick milk-rice and fresh ghee.
ud4.3:5.3When the Buddha had eaten and washed his hand and bowl, the cowherd took a low seat and sat to one side.
ud4.3:5.4The Buddha then educated, encouraged, fired up, and inspired him with a teaching, after which he got up and left.
ud4.3:5.5But soon after the Buddha had left, the cowherd was killed by a certain man in the gap between village perimeters.
ud4.3:6.1Then several mendicants went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened.
ud4.3:7.1Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:
ud4.3:8.1“A wrongly directed mind
ud4.3:8.2would do you more harm
ud4.3:8.3than a hater to the hated,
ud4.3:8.4or an enemy to their foe.”