{"collection":"Khuddaka Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_snp3.9/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_snp3.9","id":"suttacentral_snp3.9","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/snp3.9/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Early Buddhist Texts","Khuddaka Nikaya"],"text":"So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying in a forest near Icch\u0101na\u1e45gala. Now at that time several very well-known well-to-do brahmins were residing in Icch\u0101na\u1e45gala. They included the brahmins Ca\u1e45k\u012b, T\u0101rukkha, Pokkharas\u0101ti, J\u0101nusso\u1e47i, Todeyya, and others. Then as the students V\u0101se\u1e6d\u1e6dha and Bh\u0101radv\u0101ja were going for a walk they began to discuss the question: \u201cHow do you become a brahmin?\u201d Bh\u0101radv\u0101ja said this: \u201cWhen you\u2019re well born on both your mother\u2019s and father\u2019s side, stemming from a clean vessel, with irrefutable and impeccable genealogy back to the seventh paternal generation\u2014 then you\u2019re a brahmin.\u201d V\u0101se\u1e6d\u1e6dha said this: \u201cWhen you\u2019re ethical and accomplished in doing your duties\u2014 then you\u2019re a brahmin.\u201d But neither was able to persuade the other. So V\u0101se\u1e6d\u1e6dha said to Bh\u0101radv\u0101ja, \u201cWorthy Bh\u0101radv\u0101ja, the ascetic Gotama\u2014a Sakyan, gone forth from a Sakyan family\u2014is staying in a forest near Icch\u0101na\u1e45gala. He has this good reputation: \u2018That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.\u2019 Come, let\u2019s go to see him and ask him about this matter. As he answers, so we\u2019ll remember it.\u201d \u201cYes, worthy sir,\u201d replied Bh\u0101radv\u0101ja. So they went to the Buddha and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, they sat down to one side, and V\u0101se\u1e6d\u1e6dha addressed the Buddha in verse: \u201cWe\u2019re both authorized masters of the three Vedas. I\u2019m a student of Pokkharas\u0101ti, and he of T\u0101rukkha. We\u2019re fully qualified in all the Vedic experts teach. As philologists and grammarians, we match our tutors in recitation. We have a dispute regarding genealogy. For Bh\u0101radv\u0101ja says that one is a brahmin due to birth, but I declare it\u2019s because of one\u2019s deeds. Oh Clear-eyed One, know this as our debate. Since neither of us was able to convince the other, we\u2019ve come to ask you, sir, renowned as the awakened one. As people honor with cupped palms the moon on the cusp of waxing, bowing, they revere Gotama in the world. We ask this of Gotama, the Eye arisen in the world: is one a brahmin due to birth, or else because of deeds? We don\u2019t know, please tell us, so we can recognize a brahmin.\u201d \u201cI shall explain to you,\u201d said the Buddha, \u201caccurately and in sequence, the taxonomy of living creatures, for species are indeed diverse. Know the grass and trees, though they lack self-awareness. They\u2019re defined by birth, for species are indeed diverse. Next there are bugs that crawl or fly, and so on, to ants and termites. They\u2019re defined by birth, for species are indeed diverse. Know the quadrupeds, too, both small and large. They\u2019re defined by birth, for species are indeed diverse. Know, too, the long-backed snakes, crawling on their bellies. They\u2019re defined by birth, for species are indeed diverse. Next know the fish, whose habitat is the water. They\u2019re defined by birth, for species are indeed diverse. Next know the birds, winged chariots in flight. They\u2019re defined by birth, for species are indeed diverse. While the differences between these species are defined by birth, the differences between humans are not defined by birth. Not by hair nor by head, not by ear nor by eye, not by mouth nor by nose, not by lips nor by eyebrow, not by shoulder nor by neck, not by belly nor by back, not by buttocks nor by breast, not by groin nor by genitals, not by hands nor by feet, not by fingers nor by nails, not by knees nor by thighs, not by color nor by voice: none of these are defined by birth as it is for other species. In specific human bodies you can\u2019t find such distinctions. The distinctions among humans are spoken of by convention. Anyone among humans who lives off keeping cattle: know them, V\u0101se\u1e6d\u1e6dha, as a farmer, not a brahmin. Anyone among humans who lives off various professions: know them, V\u0101se\u1e6d\u1e6dha, as a professional, not a brahmin. Anyone among humans who lives off trade: know them, V\u0101se\u1e6d\u1e6dha, as a trader, not a brahmin. Anyone among humans who lives off serving others: know them, V\u0101se\u1e6d\u1e6dha, as a servant, not a brahmin. Anyone among humans who lives off stealing: know them, V\u0101se\u1e6d\u1e6dha, as a bandit, not a brahmin. Anyone among humans who lives off archery: know them, V\u0101se\u1e6d\u1e6dha, as a warrior, not a brahmin. Anyone among humans who lives off priesthood: know them, V\u0101se\u1e6d\u1e6dha, as a sacrificer, not a brahmin. Anyone among humans who taxes village and nation, know them, V\u0101se\u1e6d\u1e6dha, as a ruler, not a brahmin. I don\u2019t call someone a brahmin after the mother\u2019s womb they\u2019re born from. If they still have attachments, they\u2019re just someone who says \u2018worthy\u2019. Having nothing, taking nothing: that\u2019s who I declare a brahmin. Having cut off all fetters they have no anxiety; they\u2019ve slipped their chains and are detached: that\u2019s who I declare a brahmin. They\u2019ve cut the strap and harness, the halter and bridle too; with cross-bar lifted, they\u2019re awakened: that\u2019s who I declare a brahmin. Abuse, killing, caging: they endure these without anger. Patience is their powerful army: that\u2019s who I declare a brahmin. Not irritable or pretentious, dutiful in precepts and observances, tamed, bearing their final body: that\u2019s who I declare a brahmin. Like water from a lotus leaf, like a mustard seed off the point of a pin, sensual pleasures slip off them: that\u2019s who I declare a brahmin. They understand for themselves the end of suffering in this life; with burden put down, detached: that\u2019s who I declare a brahmin. Deep in wisdom, intelligent, expert in the path and what is not the path; arrived at the highest goal: that\u2019s who I declare a brahmin. Mixing with neither householders nor the homeless; a migrant with no bastion, few in wishes: that\u2019s who I declare a brahmin. They\u2019ve laid aside violence against creatures firm and frail; not killing or making others kill: that\u2019s who I declare a brahmin. Not fighting among those who fight, quenched among those who have taken up arms, not grasping among those who grasp: that\u2019s who I declare a brahmin. They\u2019ve discarded greed and hate, along with conceit and contempt, like a mustard seed off the point of a pin: that\u2019s who I declare a brahmin. The words they utter are polished, informative, and true, and don\u2019t offend anyone: that\u2019s who I declare a brahmin. They don\u2019t steal anything in the world, long or short, tiny or huge, beautiful or ugly: that\u2019s who I declare a brahmin. They have no hope for this world or the next; with no need for hope, detached: that\u2019s who I declare a brahmin. They have no clinging, knowledge has freed them of indecision, they\u2019ve arrived at the objective, freedom from death: that\u2019s who I declare a brahmin. They\u2019ve escaped clinging to both good and bad deeds; sorrowless, stainless, pure: that\u2019s who I declare a brahmin. Pure as the spotless moon, clear and unclouded, they\u2019ve ended relish for rebirth: that\u2019s who I declare a brahmin. They\u2019ve got past this grueling swamp of delusion, transmigration. Meditating in stillness, free of indecision, they have crossed over to the far shore. They\u2019re quenched by not grasping: that\u2019s who I declare a brahmin. They\u2019ve given up sensual pleasures, and have gone forth from lay life; they\u2019ve ended rebirth in the sensual realm: that\u2019s who I declare a brahmin. They\u2019ve given up craving, and have gone forth from lay life; they\u2019ve ended craving to be reborn: that\u2019s who I declare a brahmin. They\u2019ve thrown off the human yoke, and slipped out of the heavenly yoke; unyoked from all yokes: that\u2019s who I declare a brahmin. Giving up desire and discontent, they\u2019re cooled and free of attachments; a hero, master of the whole world: that\u2019s who I declare a brahmin. They know the passing away and rebirth of all beings; unattached, holy, awakened: that\u2019s who I declare a brahmin. Gods, centaurs, and humans don\u2019t know their destiny; the perfected ones with defilements ended: that\u2019s who I declare a brahmin. They have nothing before or after, or even in between. Having nothing, taking nothing: that\u2019s who I declare a brahmin. Captain of the herd, excellent hero, great seer and victor; unstirred, washed, awakened: that\u2019s who I declare a brahmin. They who know their past lives, see heaven and places of loss, and have attained the ending of rebirth, that\u2019s who I declare a brahmin. For name and clan are formulated as mere convention in the world. Produced by mutual agreement, they\u2019re formulated in each case. For a long time this misconception has prejudiced those who don\u2019t understand. Ignorant, they declare that one is a brahmin by birth. You\u2019re not a brahmin by birth, nor by birth a non-brahmin. You\u2019re a brahmin by your deeds, and by deeds a non-brahmin. You\u2019re a farmer by your deeds, by deeds you\u2019re a professional; you\u2019re a trader by your deeds, by deeds are you a servant; you\u2019re a bandit by your deeds, by deeds you\u2019re a warrior; you\u2019re a sacrificer by your deeds, by deeds you\u2019re a ruler. In this way the astute regard deeds in accord with truth. Seeing dependent origination, they\u2019re expert in deeds and their results. Deeds make the world go on, deeds make people go on; sentient beings are bound by deeds, like a moving chariot\u2019s linchpin. By fervor and spiritual practice, by restraint and by self-control: that\u2019s how to become a brahmin, this is the supreme brahmin. Accomplished in the three knowledges, peaceful, with rebirth ended, know them, V\u0101se\u1e6d\u1e6dha, as the Divinity and Sakka to the wise.\u201d When he had spoken, V\u0101se\u1e6d\u1e6dha and Bh\u0101radv\u0101ja said to him, \u201cExcellent, worthy Gotama! Excellent! \u2026 From this day forth, may the worthy Gotama remember us as lay followers who have gone for refuge for life.\u201d","title":"With V\u0101se\u1e6d\u1e6dha","tradition":"Khuddaka Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":1642}