34.



Herdsman:

"Boiled is my rice, milked are my cows,
Along the bank of the river
Grand I dwell with equals;
Covered my hut, kindled my fire:
So if thou wilt, rain, O god!"

Buddha:

"Free from anger, free from stubbornness am I,
Along the bank of the river
Grand I dwell for a single night;
Uncovered my hut, extinguished my fire:
So if thou wilt, rain, O god!"

Herdsman:

"Fireflies and mosquitoes are non-existent;
In marshy land overgrown with grass my cattle roam;
Even should rain come, they could stand it:
So if thou wilt, rain, O god!"

Buddha:

"I have fashioned a swimming-girdle of twisted grass;
It was put together with care.
I have crossed and gone to the farther shore,
Having overcome the flood.
I need the girdle no more:
So if thou wilt, rain, O god!"

Herdsman:

"My wife is obedient, not wanton;
Long has she lived with me; she is dear to my heart;
I hear no evil at all of her: So if thou wilt, rain, O god!"

Buddha:

"My thoughts are obedient, completely delivered,
In the course of a long period of time
Developed to perfection, well-tamed;
Moreover evil is not found in me:
So if thou wilt, rain, O god!"

Herdsman:

"On ray earnings I support myself,
And my children are healthy, one and all;
I hear no evil at all of them:
So if thou wilt, rain, O god!"

Buddha:

"I am nobody's hireling;
With what I have acquired I go all over the world;
I need no hire:
So if thou wilt, rain, O god!"

Herdsman:

"I have cows, I have calves,
I have also young cows for breeding,
And I also have a bull for lord of the herd:
So if thou wilt, rain, O god!"

Buddha:

"I have no cows, I have no calves,
Nor have I young cows for breeding,
Nor have I here a bull for lord of the herd:
So if thou wilt, rain, O god!"

Herdsman:

"The stakes are driven in, unshakable;
The ropes of munja-grass are new, in good condition;
Not even calves will be able to burst them:
So if thou wilt, rain, O god!"

Buddha:

"Like a bull I have burst the Bonds,
As an elephant sunders a galoci-creeper;
I shall not again enter the couch of the womb:
So if thou wilt, rain, O god!

"Filling both marshy land and dry,
A mighty cloud rained down straightway.
Hearing the god raining,
Dhaniya spoke these words:"

Herdsman:

"It is indeed our very great privilege
To have seen the Exalted One;
We come to thee for Refuge,
O Far-seeing One!
Be thou our Teacher, O Mighty Sage!

"Both my wife and I will be obedient,
We will live the Holy Life under the Happy One,
We will go to the farther shore of Birth and Death,
We will make an end of Suffering."

Evil One:

"He that has sons rejoices in sons,
The cowherd likewise rejoices in cows,
For increase is the joy of a man,
Nor does he rejoice who is without increase."

Buddha:

"He that has sons rejoices in sons,
The cowherd likewise rejoices in cows,
For increase is the sorrow of a man,
Nor does he sorrow who is without increase."