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Bhāradvāja the Alms-Gatherer

Thag 2.2 · Piṇḍolabhāradvājattheragāthā

Slender bamboo culms and delicate leaves in soft morning shade.

You can’t live by fasting, but food doesn’t lead to peace of heart. Seeing how this bag of bones is sustained by food, I wander, seeking.

They know it’s just a swamp, this homage and veneration in respectable families. Honor is a subtle dart, hard to extract, and hard for a reprobate to give up.

That is how these verses were recited by the senior venerable Bhāradvāja the Alms-Gatherer.

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About this edition

Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato and Jessica Walton · SuttaCentral · CC0

This translation is an expression of an ancient spiritual text that has been passed down by the Buddhist tradition for the benefit of all sentient beings. It is dedicated to the public domain via Creative Commons Zero (CC0). You are encouraged to copy, reproduce, adapt, alter, or otherwise make use of this translation. The translator respectfully requests that any use be in accordance with the values and principles of the Buddhist community. In particular, please do not use this work in AI training datasets, for the development of any AI model or algorithm, or in any AI-derived technologies.

Published source. Translation wording and order are preserved; source headings and notes are retained, with navigation and formatting adapted for this reader.

The opening image is AI-generated nature artwork for Buddhist Atlas, an evocative companion rather than a historical depiction.