{"collection":"Anguttara Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_an4.185/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_an4.185","id":"suttacentral_an4.185","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/an4.185/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Anguttara Nikaya","Early Buddhist Texts"],"text":"Once the Buddha was staying near R\u0101jagaha, on the Vulture\u2019s Peak Mountain. Now at that time several very well-known wanderers were residing in their monastery on the bank of the Serpentine River. They included Annabh\u0101ra, Varadhara, Sakulud\u0101y\u012b, and other very well-known wanderers. Then in the late afternoon, the Buddha came out of retreat and went to the monastery for the wanderers on the bank of the Serpentine River. Now at that time this discussion came up while those wanderers of other religions were sitting together, \u201cThe truths of the brahmins are like this; the truths of the brahmins are like that.\u201d Then the Buddha went up to those wanderers, sat down on the seat spread out, and said to them, \u201cWanderers, what were you sitting talking about just now? What conversation was left unfinished?\u201d \u201cWell, worthy Gotama, this discussion came up among us while we were sitting together: \u2018The truths of the brahmins are like this; the truths of the brahmins are like that.\u2019\u201d \u201cWanderers, I declare these four truths of the brahmins, having realized them with my own insight. What four? Take a brahmin who says: \u2018No sentient beings should be killed.\u2019 In speaking like this, a brahmin speaks the truth, not lies. But they don\u2019t think of themselves as an \u2018ascetic\u2019 or \u2018brahmin\u2019 because of that. Nor do they think \u2018I\u2019m better\u2019 or \u2018I\u2019m equal\u2019 or \u2018I\u2019m worse\u2019. Rather, they simply practice out of kindness and sympathy for living creatures, having had insight into the truth of that. Take another brahmin who says: \u2018All sensual pleasures are impermanent, suffering, and perishable.\u2019 Saying this, a brahmin speaks the truth, not lies. But they don\u2019t think of themselves as an \u2018ascetic\u2019 or \u2018brahmin\u2019 because of that. Nor do they think \u2018I\u2019m better\u2019 or \u2018I\u2019m equal\u2019 or \u2018I\u2019m worse\u2019. Rather, they simply practice for disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding sensual pleasures, having had insight into the truth of that. Take another brahmin who says: \u2018All states of existence are impermanent, suffering, and perishable.\u2019 \u2026 They simply practice for disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding future lives, having had insight into the truth of that. Take another brahmin who says: \u2018I don\u2019t belong to anyone anywhere. And nothing belongs to me anywhere.\u2019 In speaking like this, a brahmin speaks the truth, not lies. But they don\u2019t think of themselves as an \u2018ascetic\u2019 or \u2018brahmin\u2019 because of that. Nor do they think \u2018I\u2019m better\u2019 or \u2018I\u2019m equal\u2019 or \u2018I\u2019m worse\u2019. Rather, they simply practice the path of nothingness, having had insight into the truth of that. These are the four truths of the brahmins that I declare, having realized them with my own insight.\u201d","title":"Truths of the Brahmins","tradition":"Anguttara Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":440}