“On such occasions, brahmins would feed first the one who was neither studious nor acute, but virtuous and of good character, Master Gotama; for how could what is given to one who is immoral and of bad character bring great fruit?”
17. “First, Assalāyana, you took your stand on birth, and after that you took your stand on scriptural learning, and after that you have come to take your stand on the very ground that purification is for all four castes, as I describe it.”
When this was said, the brahmin student Assalāyana sat silent and dismayed, with shoulders drooping and head down, glum, and without response. Knowing this, the Blessed One said to him:
18. “Once, Assalāyana, when seven brahmin seers were consulting together in leaf huts in the forest, this pernicious view arose in them: ‘Brahmins are the highest caste…[155]…heirs of Brahmā.’ Now the seer Devala the Dark heard this.874 Then he arranged his hair and beard, dressed in ochre-coloured garments, put on stout sandals, and taking a staff made of gold, he appeared in the courtyard of the seven brahmin seers. Then, while walking up and down the courtyard of the seven brahmin seers, the seer Devala the Dark spoke thus: ‘Where have those worthy brahmin seers gone? Where have those worthy brahmin seers gone?’ Then the seven brahmin seers thought: ‘Who is walking up and down in the courtyard of the seven brahmin seers like a village lout speaking thus: “Where have those worthy brahmin seers gone? Where have those worthy brahmin seers gone?” Let us curse him!’ Then the seven brahmin seers cursed the seer Devala the Dark thus: ‘Be ashes, vile one! Be ashes, vile one!’ But the more the seven brahmin seers cursed him, the more comely, beautiful, and handsome the seer Devala the Dark became. Then the seven brahmin seers thought: ‘Our asceticism is in vain, our holy life is fruitless; for formerly when we cursed anyone thus: “Be ashes, vile one! Be ashes, vile one!” he always became ashes; but the more we curse this one, the more comely, beautiful, and handsome he becomes.’
“‘Your asceticism is not in vain, sirs, your holy life is not fruitless. But, sirs, put away your hatred towards me.’ [156]
“‘We have put away our hatred towards you, sir. Who are you?’
“‘Have you heard of the seer Devala the Dark, sirs?’—‘Yes, sir.’—‘I am he, sirs.’
“Then the seven brahmin seers went to the seer Devala the Dark and paid homage to him. Then he said to them: ‘Sirs, I heard that while the seven brahmin seers were dwelling in leaf huts in the forest, this pernicious view arose in them: “Brahmins are the highest caste…heirs of Brahmā.”’—‘That is so, sir.’
“‘But, sirs, do you know if the mother who bore you went only with a brahmin and never with a non-brahmin?’—‘No, sir.’
“‘But, sirs, do you know if your mother’s mothers back to the seventh generation went only with brahmins and never with non-brahmins?’—‘No, sir.’
“‘But, sirs, do you know if the father who begot you went only with a brahmin woman and never with a non-brahmin woman?’—‘No, sir.’
“‘But, sirs, do you know if your father’s fathers back to the seventh generation went only with brahmin women and never with non-brahmin women?’—‘No, sir.’
“‘But, sirs, do you know how the descent of an embryo comes about?’
“‘Sir, we know how the descent of an embryo comes about. [157] Here, there is the union of the mother and father, and the mother is in season, and the gandhabba is present. Thus the descent of an embryo comes about through the union of these three things.’875
“‘Then, sirs, do you know for sure whether that gandhabba is a noble, or a brahmin, or a merchant, or a worker?’
“‘Sir, we do not know for sure whether that gandhabba is a noble, or a brahmin, or a merchant, or a worker.’
“‘That being so, sirs, then what are you?’
“‘That being so, sir, we do not know what we are.’
“Now, Assalāyana, even those seven brahmin seers, on being pressed and questioned and cross-questioned by the seer Devala the Dark on their own assertion about birth, were unable to support it. But how shall you, on being pressed and questioned and cross-questioned by me now on your assertion about birth, be able to support it? You, who rely on the teachers’ doctrines, are not [even fit to be] their spoon-holder Puṇṇa.”876
19. When this was said, the brahmin student Assalāyana said to the Blessed One: “Magnificent, Master Gotama! Magnificent, Master Gotama!...(as Sutta 91, §37)...From today let Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone to him for refuge for life.”
Ghoṭamukha Sutta
To Ghoṭamukha
1. THUS HAVE I HEARD. On one occasion the venerable Udena was living at Benares in the Khemiya Mango Grove.
2. Now on that occasion the brahmin Ghọamukha had arrived in Benares for some business or other. As he was [158] walking and wandering for exercise, he came to the Khemiya Mango Grove. At the time the venerable Udena was walking up and down in the open. Then the brahmin Ghoṭamukha went up to the venerable Udena and exchanged greetings with him. When this courteous and amiable talk was finished, still walking up and down with the venerable Udena, he said this: “Worthy recluse, there is no wanderers’ life that accords with the Dhamma: so it seems to me here, and that may be because I have not seen such venerable ones as yourself or [because I have not seen] the Dhamma here.”
3. When this was said, the venerable Udena stepped down from the walk and went into his dwelling, where he sat down on a seat made ready.877 And Ghoṭamukha too stepped down from the walk and went into the dwelling, where he stood at one side. Then the venerable Udena said to him: “There are seats, brahmin, sit down if you wish.”
“We did not sit down because we were waiting for Master Udena [to speak]. For how could one like myself presume to sit down on a seat without first being invited to do so?”
4. Then the brahmin Ghoṭamukha took a low seat, sat down at one side, and said to the venerable Udena: “Worthy recluse, there is no wanderers’ life that accords with the Dhamma: so it seems to me here, and that may be because I have not seen such venerable ones as yourself or [because I have not seen] the Dhamma here.”
“Brahmin, if you think any statement of mine is to be agreed with, then agree with it; if you think any statement of mine is to be argued against, then argue against it; and if you do not understand the meaning of any statement of mine, ask me to clarify it thus: ‘How is this, Master Udena? What is the meaning of this?’ In this way we can discuss this matter.”
“Master Udena, if I think any statement of Master Udena’s is to be agreed with, I shall agree with it; if I think any statement of his is to be argued against, I shall argue against it; and if I [159] do not understand the meaning of any statement of Master Udena’s, then I shall ask Master Udena to clarify it thus: ‘How is this Master Udena? What is the meaning of this?’ In this way let us discuss this matter.”
5–6. “Brahmin, there are four kinds of persons to be found existing in the world. What four?”...(as Sutta 51, §§5–6) [160]…
“But, Master Udena, the kind of person who does not torment himself or pursue the practice of torturing himself and who does not torment others or pursue the practice of torturing others; who, since he torments neither himself nor others, is here and now hungerless, extinguished, and cooled, and abides experiencing bliss, having himself become holy—he does not torment and torture either himself or others, both of whom desire pleasure and recoil from pain. That is why this kind of person satisfies my mind.”
7. “Brahmin, there are two kinds of assembly. What two? Here a certain assembly lusts after jewels and earrings and seeks wives and children, men and women slaves, fields and land, gold and silver. But here a certain assembly does not lust after jewels and earrings, but having abandoned wives and children, men and women slaves, fields and land, gold and silver, has gone forth from the home life into homelessness. Now there is this kind of person who does not torment himself or pursue the practice of torturing himself and who does n
ot torment others or pursue the practice of torturing others; who, since he torments neither himself nor others, is here and now hungerless, extinguished, and cooled, and abides experiencing bliss, having himself become holy. In which of the two kinds of assembly do you usually see this person, brahmin—in the assembly that lusts after jewels and earrings and seeks wives and children, men and women slaves, fields and land, gold and silver; or in the assembly that does not lust after jewels and earrings, but having abandoned wives and children…has gone forth from the home life into homelessness?”
[161] “I usually see this kind of person, Master Udena, in the assembly that does not lust after jewels and earrings, but having abandoned wives and children…has gone forth from the home life into homelessness.”
8. “But only just now, brahmin, we understood you to say: ‘Worthy recluse, there is no wanderers’ life that accords with the Dhamma: so it seems to me here, and that may be because I have not seen such venerable ones as yourself or [because I have not seen] the Dhamma here.’”
“Certainly, Master Udena, it was in order to learn that I spoke those words. There is a wanderers’ life that accords with the Dhamma; so it seems to me here, and may Master Udena remember me [to have spoken] thus. It would be good if, out of compassion, Master Udena would expound to me in detail those four kinds of persons he mentioned in brief.”
9. “Then, brahmin, listen and attend closely to what I shall say.”—“Yes, sir,” the brahmin Ghoṭamukha replied. The venerable Udena said this:
10–30. “Brahmin, what kind of person torments himself and pursues the practice of torturing himself? Here a certain person goes naked...(as Sutta 51, §§8–28) [162]…and abides experiencing bliss, having himself become holy.”
31. When this was said, the brahmin Ghoṭamukha said to the venerable Udena: “Magnificent, Master Udena! Magnificent, Master Udena! Master Udena has made the Dhamma clear in many ways, as though he were turning upright what had been overthrown, revealing what was hidden, showing the way to one who was lost, or holding up a lamp in the dark for those with eyesight to see forms. I go to Master Udena for refuge and to the Dhamma and to the Sangha of bhikkhus. From today let Master Udena remember me as a lay follower who has gone to him for refuge for life.”
32. “Do not go to me for refuge, brahmin. Go for refuge to that same Blessed One to whom I have gone for refuge.”
“Where is he living now, that Master Gotama, accomplished and fully enlightened, Master Udena?”
“That Blessed One, accomplished and fully enlightened, has attained final Nibbāna, brahmin.”
“If we heard that Master Gotama was within ten leagues, we would go ten leagues in order to see that Master Gotama, accomplished and fully enlightened. If we heard that Master Gotama was within twenty leagues…thirty leagues…forty leagues…fifty leagues…a hundred leagues, [163] we would go a hundred leagues in order to see that Master Gotama, accomplished and fully enlightened. But since that Master Gotama has attained to final Nibbāna, we go to that Master Gotama for refuge and to the Dhamma and to the Sangha of bhikkhus. From today let Master Udena remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.
33. “Now, Master Udena, the king of Anga gives me a daily donation. Let me give Master Udena one regular donation from that.”
“What kind of regular daily donation does the king of Anga give you, brahmin?”
“Five hundred kahāpaṇas, Master Udena.”878
“It is not allowable for us to accept gold and silver, brahmin.”
“If it is not allowable for Master Udena, I will have a monastery built for Master Udena.”
“If you desire to have a monastery built for me, brahmin, have an assembly hall built for the Sangha at Pāṭaliputta.”879
“I am still more satisfied and pleased that Master Udena suggests that I give a gift to the Sangha. So with this regular donation and another regular donation, I shall have an assembly hall built for the Sangha at Pāṭaliputta.”
Then with that regular donation [which he offered to Master Udena] and another regular donation [added to it], the brahmin Ghoṭamukha had an assembly hall built for the Sangha at Pāṭaliputta. And that is now known as the Ghoṭamukhī.
Cankī Sutta
With Cankī
[164] 1. THUS HAVE I HEARD.880 On one occasion the Blessed One was wandering in the Kosalan country with a large Sangha of bhikkhus, and eventually he arrived at a Kosalan brahmin village named Opasāda. There the Blessed One stayed in the Gods’ Grove,881 the Sāla-tree Grove to the north of Opasāda.
2. Now on that occasion the brahmin Cankī was ruling over Opasāda, a crown property abounding in living beings, rich in grasslands, woodlands, waterways, and grain, a royal endowment, a sacred grant given to him by King Pasenadi of Kosala.
3. The brahmin householders of Opasāda heard: “The recluse Gotama...(as Sutta 91, §3)...Now it is good see such arahants.”
4. Then the brahmin householders of Opasāda set forth from Opasāda in groups and bands and headed northwards to the Gods’ Grove, the Sāla-tree Grove.
5. Now on that occasion the brahmin Cankī had retired to the upper storey of his palace for his midday rest. Then he saw the brahmin householders of Opasāda setting forth from Opasāda in groups and bands and heading northwards to the Gods’ Grove, the Sāla-tree Grove. When he saw them, he asked his minister: “Good minister, why are the brahmin householders of Opasāda setting forth from Opasāda in groups and bands and heading northwards to the Gods’ Grove, the Sāla-tree Grove?”
6. “Sir, there is the recluse Gotama, the son of the Sakyans who went forth from a Sakyan clan, who has been wandering in the Kosalan country...(as Sutta 91, §3)...They are going to see that Master Gotama.”
“Then, good minister, go to the brahmin householders of Opasāda and tell them: ‘Sirs, the brahmin Cankī says this: “Please wait, sirs. The brahmin Cankī will also go to see the recluse Gotama.”’”
“Yes, sir,” the minister replied, [165] and he went to the brahmin householders of Opasāda and gave them the message.
7. Now on that occasion five hundred brahmins from various states were staying at Opasāda for some business or other. They heard: “The brahmin Cankī, it is said, is going to see the recluse Gotama.” Then they went to the brahmin Cankī and asked him: “Sir, is it true that you are going to see the recluse Gotama?”
“So it is, sirs. I am going to see the recluse Gotama.”
8. “Sir, do not go to see the recluse Gotama. It is not proper, Master Cankī, for you to go to see the recluse Gotama; rather, it is proper for the recluse Gotama to come to see you. For you, sir, are well born on both sides, of pure maternal and paternal descent seven generations back, unassailable and impeccable in respect of birth. Since that is so, Master Cankī, it is not proper for you to go to see the recluse Gotama; rather, it is proper for the recluse Gotama to come to see you. You, sir, are rich, with great wealth and great possessions. You, sir, are a master of the Three Vedas with their vocabularies, liturgy, phonology, and etymology, and the histories as a fifth; skilled in philology and grammar, you are fully versed in natural philosophy and in the marks of a Great Man. You, sir, are handsome, comely, and graceful, possessing supreme beauty of complexion, with sublime beauty and sublime presence, remarkable to behold. You, sir, are virtuous, mature in virtue, possessing mature virtue. You, sir, are a good speaker with a good delivery; [166] you speak words that are courteous, distinct, flawless, and communicate the meaning. You, sir, teach the teachers of many, and you teach the recitation of the hymns to three hundred brahmin students. You, sir, are honoured, respected, revered, venerated, and esteemed by King Pasenadi of Kosala. You, sir, are honoured, respected, revered, venerated, and esteemed by the brahmin Pokkharasāti.882 You, sir, rule over Opasāda, a crown property abounding in living beings...a sacred grant given to you by King Pasenadi of Kosala. Since this is so, Master Cankī, it is not proper for you to go to see the recluse Gota
ma; rather, it is proper for the recluse Gotama to come to see you.”
9. When this was said, the brahmin Cankī told those brahmins: “Now, sirs, hear from me why it is proper for me to go to see Master Gotama, and why it is not proper for Master Gotama to come to see me. Sirs, the recluse Gotama is well born on both sides, of pure maternal and paternal descent seven generations back, unassailable and impeccable in respect of birth. Since this is so, sirs, it is not proper for Master Gotama to come to see me; rather, it is proper for me to go to see Master Gotama. Sirs, the recluse Gotama went forth abandoning much gold and bullion stored away in vaults and in lofts. Sirs, the recluse Gotama went forth from the home life into homelessness while still young, a black-haired young man endowed with the blessing of youth, in the prime of life. Sirs, the recluse Gotama shaved off his hair and beard, put on the yellow robe, and went forth from the home life into homelessness though his mother and father wished otherwise and wept with tearful faces. Sirs, the recluse Gotama is handsome, comely, and graceful, possessing supreme beauty of complexion, [167] with sublime beauty and sublime presence, remarkable to behold. Sirs, the recluse Gotama is virtuous, with noble virtue, with wholesome virtue, possessing wholesome virtue. Sirs, the recluse Gotama is a good speaker with a good delivery; he speaks words that are courteous, distinct, flawless, and communicate the meaning. Sirs, the recluse Gotama is a teacher of the teachers of many. Sirs, the recluse Gotama is free from sensual lust and without personal vanity. Sirs, the recluse Gotama holds the doctrine of the moral efficacy of action, the doctrine of the moral efficacy of deeds; he does not seek any harm for the line of brahmins. Sirs, the recluse Gotama went forth from an aristocratic family, from one of the original noble families. Sirs, the recluse Gotama went forth from a rich family, from a family of great wealth and great possessions. Sirs, people come from remote kingdoms and remote districts to question the recluse Gotama. Sirs, many thousands of deities have gone for refuge for life to the recluse Gotama. Sirs, a good report of the recluse Gotama has been spread to this effect: ‘That Blessed One is accomplished, fully enlightened, perfect in true knowledge and conduct, sublime, knower of worlds, incomparable leader of persons to be tamed, teacher of gods and humans, enlightened, blessed.’ Sirs, the recluse Gotama possesses the thirty-two marks of a Great Man. Sirs, King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha and his wife and children have gone for refuge for life to the recluse Gotama. Sirs, King Pasenadi of Kosala and his wife and children have gone for refuge for life to the recluse Gotama. Sirs, the brahmin Pokkharasāti and his wife and children have gone for refuge for life to the recluse Gotama. Sirs, the recluse Gotama has arrived at Opasāda and is living at Opasāda in the Gods’ Grove, the Sāla-tree Grove to the north of Opasāda. Now any recluses or brahmins that come to our town are our guests, and guests should be honoured, respected, revered, and venerated by us. Since the recluse Gotama has arrived at Opasāda, he is our guest, and as our guest should be honoured, respected, revered, and venerated by us. [168] Since this is so, sirs, it is not proper for Master Gotama to come to see me; rather, it is proper for me to go to see Master Gotama.
The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha Page 85
