At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground. Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe. The brahmin Bhāradvāja the Bitter heard a rumor that Assosi kho bilaṅgikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo: a brahmin of the Bhāradvāja clan had gone forth from the lay life to homelessness in the presence of the ascetic Gotama. Angry and displeased he went to the Buddha and stood silently to one side. “bhāradvājagotto kira brāhmaṇo samaṇassa gotamassa santike agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito”ti kupito anattamano yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā tuṇhībhūto ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi.

Then the Buddha, knowing Bhāradvāja the Bitter’s train of thought, addressed him in verse: Atha kho bhagavā bilaṅgikassa bhāradvājassa brāhmaṇassa cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya bilaṅgikaṁ bhāradvājaṁ brāhmaṇaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

“Whoever wrongs a man who has done no wrong, “Yo appaduṭṭhassa narassa dussati, a pure man who has not a blemish, Suddhassa posassa anaṅgaṇassa; the evil backfires on the fool, Tameva bālaṁ pacceti pāpaṁ, like fine dust thrown upwind.” Sukhumo rajo paṭivātaṁva khitto”ti.

When he said this, the brahmin Bhāradvāja the Bitter said to the Buddha, Evaṁ vutte, bilaṅgikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “Excellent, worthy Gotama! …” … “abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe… abbhaññāsi. And Venerable Bhāradvāja became one of the perfected. Aññataro ca panāyasmā bhāradvājo arahataṁ ahosīti.