Ud 7.9 - Ud 7:9 The Well | Udapāna Sutta
Translated by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu
Source: https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/KN/Ud/ud7_9.html
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Copyright: Copyright 2014 Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu, Revised edition 2017
License notice: Copyright 2014 Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu, Revised edition 2017 This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 Unported. To see a copy of this license visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. “Commercial” shall mean any sale, whether for commercial or non-profit purposes or entities. Questions about this book may be addressed to Metta Forest Monastery Valley Center, CA 92082-1409 U.S.A. Additional resources More Dhamma talks, books and translations by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu are available to download in digital audio and various ebook formats at dhammatalks.org. Printed copy A paperback copy of this book is available free of charge. To request one, write to: Book Request, Metta Forest Monastery, PO Box 1409, Valley Center, CA 92082 USA.
Attribution: From Handful of Leaves, Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu; https://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/Ebooks/SuttaPitaka_251113.epub. Copyright 2014 Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu, Revised edition 2017 This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 Unported. To see a copy of this license visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. “Commercial” shall mean any sale, whether for commercial or non-profit purposes or entities. Questions about this book may be addressed to Metta Forest Monastery Valley Center, CA 92082-1409 U.S.A. Additional resources More Dhamma talks, books and translations by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu are available to download in digital audio and various ebook formats at dhammatalks.org. Printed copy A paperback copy of this book is available free of charge. To request one, write to: Book Request, Metta Forest Monastery, PO Box 1409, Valley Center, CA 92082 USA.
Changes: Presentation only: original HTML markup reflowed into plain text; wording, numbering and source repetitions retained. No repetitions expanded.
Completeness: ABBREVIATED. Every source-unit character is preserved, including introductions, notes and verse structure. Thanissaro's collection-level note explicitly states that repetitions were cut: https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/about.html. This is evidence about the translation method, not an assertion that every individual unit contains an omission; no repetitions reconstructed.

Ud 7:9 The Well (Udapāna Sutta)

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was wandering among the Mallans, together with a large community of monks, and came to a brahman village of the Mallans named Thūna. The brahman householders of Thūna heard that “Gotama the Sakyan contemplative, gone forth from the Sakyan clan, is wandering among the Mallans together with a large community of monks, and has arrived at Thūna.” So they filled the well all the way to the brim with grass & chaff, [thinking], “Don’t let these shaven-headed contemplatives draw drinking water.”

Then the Blessed One, going down from the road, went to a certain tree, and on arrival sat down on a seat laid out. Seated, he said to Ven. Ānanda: “Please, Ānanda, fetch me some drinking water from that well.”

When this was said, Ven. Ānanda replied, “Just now, lord, the brahman householders of Thūna filled that well all the way to the brim with grass & chaff, [thinking], ‘Don’t let these shaven-headed contemplatives draw drinking water.’”

A second time, the Blessed One said to Ven. Ānanda: “Please, Ānanda, fetch me some drinking water from that well.”

A second time, Ven. Ānanda replied, “Just now, lord, the brahman householders of Thūna filled that well all the way to the brim with grass & chaff, [thinking], ‘Don’t let these shaven-headed contemplatives draw drinking water.’”

A third time, the Blessed One said to Ven. Ānanda: “Please, Ānanda, fetch me some drinking water from that well.”

Responding, “As you say, lord,” to the Blessed One, Ven. Ānanda–taking a bowl–went to the well. As he was approaching the well, it expelled all the grass & chaff from its mouth and stood filled to the brim–streaming, as it were–with pristine water, undisturbed & clear. The thought occurred to him, “How amazing! How astounding!–the great power & great might of the Tathāgata!–in that, while I was approaching the well, it expelled all the grass & chaff from its mouth and stood filled to the brim–streaming, as it were–with pristine water, undisturbed & clear.”

Taking drinking water in his bowl, he went to the Blessed One and on arrival said, “How amazing, lord! How astounding!–the great power & great might of the Tathāgata!–in that, while I was approaching the well, it expelled all the grass & chaff from its mouth and stood filled to the brim–streaming, as it were–with pristine water, undisturbed & clear. Drink the water, O Blessed One! Drink the water, O One-Well-Gone!”

Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:

What need for a well
if there were waters always?
Having cut craving
    by the root,
one would go about searching
    for what?