Evaṁ me sutaṁ—ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā anupiyāyaṁ viharati ambavane. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā bhaddiyo kāḷīgodhāya putto araññagatopi rukkhamūlagatopi suññāgāragatopi abhikkhaṇaṁ udānaṁ udānesi: “aho sukhaṁ, aho sukhan”ti.
Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at |Anupiya::name of a Mallan town [anupiya]|, in the mango grove. At that time, the venerable Bhaddiya, son of |Kāḷīgodhā::name of a Sakyan princess [kāḷīgodhā]|, whether he was in the forest, at the foot of a tree, or in an |empty dwelling::uninhabited place, a physical home devoid of a self, e.g. a hut, a cave, forest [suññāgāra]|, frequently uttered this exclamation: “Oh, what bliss! Oh, what bliss!”
Assosuṁ kho sambahulā bhikkhū āyasmato bhaddiyassa kāḷīgodhāya puttassa araññagatassapi rukkhamūlagatassapi suññāgāragatassapi abhikkhaṇaṁ udānaṁ udānentassa: “aho sukhaṁ, aho sukhan”ti. Sutvāna nesaṁ etadahosi: “nissaṁsayaṁ kho, āvuso, āyasmā bhaddiyo kāḷīgodhāya putto anabhirato brahmacariyaṁ carati, yaṁsa pubbe agāriyabhūtassa rajjasukhaṁ, so tamanussaramāno araññagatopi rukkhamūlagatopi suññāgāragatopi abhikkhaṇaṁ udānaṁ udānesi: ‘aho sukhaṁ, aho sukhan’”ti.
Now several bhikkhus heard the venerable Bhaddiya, son of Kāḷīgodhā, frequently uttering this exclamation, whether he was in the forest, at the foot of a tree, or in an empty dwelling: “Oh, what bliss! Oh, what bliss!” Hearing this, it occurred to them: “Surely, friends, the venerable Bhaddiya, son of Kāḷīgodhā, is dissatisfied with the |spiritual life::a life of celibacy, contemplation, and ethical discipline lived for the sake of liberation; oriented toward inner development rather than sensual pleasures [brahmacariya]|. Remembering the happiness of kingship that he formerly enjoyed as a householder, even while he is in the forest, at the foot of a tree, or in an empty dwelling, he frequently utters this exclamation: ‘Oh, what bliss! Oh, what bliss!’”
Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: “āyasmā, bhante, bhaddiyo kāḷīgodhāya putto araññagatopi rukkhamūlagatopi suññāgāragatopi abhikkhaṇaṁ udānaṁ udānesi: ‘aho sukhaṁ, aho sukhan’ti. Nissaṁsayaṁ kho, bhante, āyasmā bhaddiyo kāḷīgodhāya putto anabhirato brahmacariyaṁ carati. Yaṁsa pubbe agāriyabhūtassa rajjasukhaṁ, so tamanussaramāno araññagatopi rukkhamūlagatopi suññāgāragatopi abhikkhaṇaṁ udānaṁ udānesi: ‘aho sukhaṁ, aho sukhan’”ti.
Then several bhikkhus went to the Blessed One. After approaching and paying homage to him, they sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the bhikkhus said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, the venerable Bhaddiya, son of Kāḷīgodhā, frequently utters this exclamation whether he is in the forest, at the foot of a tree, or in an empty dwelling: ‘Oh, what bliss! Oh, what bliss!’ Surely, venerable sir, the venerable Bhaddiya, son of Kāḷīgodhā, is dissatisfied with the spiritual life. Remembering the happiness of kingship that he formerly enjoyed as a householder, even while he is in the forest, at the foot of a tree, or in an empty dwelling, he frequently utters this exclamation: ‘Oh, what bliss! Oh, what bliss!’”
Atha kho bhagavā aññataraṁ bhikkhuṁ āmantesi: “ehi tvaṁ, bhikkhu, mama vacanena bhaddiyaṁ bhikkhuṁ āmantehi: ‘satthā taṁ, āvuso bhaddiya, āmantetī’”ti.
Then the Blessed One addressed a certain bhikkhu: “Come, bhikkhu, in my name, call the bhikkhu Bhaddiya, saying: ‘The teacher calls you, friend Bhaddiya.’”
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho so bhikkhu bhagavato paṭissutvā yenāyasmā bhaddiyo kāḷīgodhāya putto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhaddiyaṁ kāḷīgodhāya puttaṁ etadavoca: “satthā taṁ, āvuso bhaddiya, āmantetī”ti. “Evamāvuso”ti kho āyasmā bhaddiyo kāḷīgodhāya putto tassa bhikkhuno paṭissutvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ bhaddiyaṁ kāḷīgodhāya puttaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:
“Yes, venerable sir,” that bhikkhu replied to the Blessed One. Then he went to the venerable Bhaddiya, son of Kāḷīgodhā, and said: “Friend Bhaddiya, the teacher calls you.” “Yes, friend,” the venerable Bhaddiya, son of Kāḷīgodhā, replied to that bhikkhu. He then went to the Blessed One, and after approaching and paying homage to him, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the Blessed One said to the venerable Bhaddiya, son of Kāḷīgodhā:
“Saccaṁ kira tvaṁ, bhaddiya, araññagatopi rukkhamūlagatopi suññāgāragatopi abhikkhaṇaṁ udānaṁ udānesi: ‘aho sukhaṁ, aho sukhan’”ti. “Evaṁ, bhante”ti.
“Is it true, Bhaddiya, that whether you are in the forest, at the foot of a tree, or in an empty dwelling, you frequently utter this exclamation: ‘Oh, what bliss! Oh, what bliss!’?” [Venerable Bhaddiya replied:] “Yes, venerable sir.”
“Kiṁ pana tvaṁ, bhaddiya, atthavasaṁ sampassamāno araññagatopi rukkhamūlagatopi suññāgāragatopi abhikkhaṇaṁ udānaṁ udānesi: ‘aho sukhaṁ, aho sukhan’”ti. “Pubbe me, bhante, agāriyabhūtassa rajjaṁ kārentassa antopi antepure rakkhā susaṁvihitā ahosi, bahipi antepure rakkhā susaṁvihitā ahosi, antopi nagare rakkhā susaṁvihitā ahosi, bahipi nagare rakkhā susaṁvihitā ahosi, antopi janapade rakkhā susaṁvihitā ahosi, bahipi janapade rakkhā susaṁvihitā ahosi. So kho ahaṁ, bhante, evaṁ rakkhito gopito santo bhīto ubbiggo ussaṅkī utrāsī vihāsiṁ. Etarahi kho panāhaṁ, bhante, araññagatopi rukkhamūlagatopi suññāgāragatopi eko abhīto anubbiggo anussaṅkī anutrāsī appossukko pannalomo paradattavutto, migabhūtena cetasā viharāmi. Imaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, atthavasaṁ sampassamāno araññagatopi rukkhamūlagatopi suññāgāragatopi abhikkhaṇaṁ udānaṁ udānesiṁ: ‘aho sukhaṁ, aho sukhan’”ti.
“But Bhaddiya, for what reason do you, whether in the forest, at the foot of a tree, or in an empty dwelling, frequently utter this exclamation: ‘Oh, what bliss! Oh, what bliss!’?” “Formerly, venerable sir, when I was a layman exercising kingship, I was guarded and well-protected inside the palace and outside the palace, guarded and well-protected inside the city and outside the city, guarded and well-protected inside the country and outside the country. Yet, even though I was thus guarded and protected, venerable sir, I lived fearful, agitated, suspicious, and alarmed. But now, venerable sir, whether I am in the forest, at the foot of a tree, or in an empty dwelling, I live alone—fearless, unagitated, without suspicion, without alarm, at ease, subdued, dependent on the generosity of others, and with a mind like a deer. It is for this reason, venerable sir, that whether I am in the forest, at the foot of a tree, or in an empty dwelling, I frequently utter this exclamation: ‘Oh, what bliss! Oh, what bliss!’”
Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:
Then, understanding the significance of this, the Blessed One at that time expressed this inspired utterance:
“Yassantarato na santi kopā,
Itibhavābhavatañca vītivatto;
Taṁ vigatabhayaṁ sukhiṁ asokaṁ,
Devā nānubhavanti dassanāyā”ti.
“In whom there is no |anger::indignance, wrath, rage, the mental quality of being disturbed, being shaken up [kopa]| within,
who has gone beyond |any state of existence::continued existence; such success and failure, gain and loss, eternity and annihilation, good and evil [bhavābhava]|;
That one, without fear, at ease, |sorrow-free::free from sadness [asoka]| —
even the gods cannot see such a one.”