Dhammapada 26: The Bràhmaõa
(Bràhmaõavaggo
P1 P2 E1 383. Strive and cleave the stream. 2 Discard, O bràhmaõa, sense-desires. Knowing the destruction of conditioned things, be, O bràhmaõa, a knower of the Unmade 3 (Nibbàna).
P1 P2 E1 384. When in two states 4 a bràhmaõa goes to the Farther Shore, 5 then all the fetters of that "one who knows" pass away.
P1 P2 E1 385. For whom there exists neither the hither 6 nor the farther shore, nor both the hither and the farther shore, 7 he who is undistressed and unbound, 8 - him I call a bràhmaõa.
P1 P2 E1 386. He who is meditative, 9 stainless and secluded, 10 he who has done his duty and is free from corruptions, 11 he who has attained the Highest Goal 12 - him I call a bràhmaõa.
P1 P2 E1 387. The sun shines by day; the moon is radiant by night. Armoured shines the warrior king. 13 Meditating the bràhmaõa 14 shines. But all day and night the Buddha 15 shines in glory.
P1 P2 E1 388. Because he has discarded evil, he is called a bràhmaõa; because he lives in peace, 16 he is called a samana; because he gives up the impurities, he is called a pabbajita - recluse.
P1 P2 E1 389. One should not strike a bràhmaõa, 17 nor should a bràhmaõa vent (his wrath) on one who has struck him. Shame on him who strikes a bràhmaõa! More shame on him who gives vent (to his wrath)!
P1 P2 E1 390. Unto a bràhmaõa that (non-retaliation) is of no small advantage. When the mind is weaned from things dear, whenever the intent to harm ceases, then and then only doth sorrow subside.
P1 P2 E1 391. He that does no evil through body, speech or mind, who is restrained in these three respects - him I call a bràhmaõa.
P1 P2 E1 392. If from anybody one should understand the doctrine preached by the Fully Enlightened One, devoutly should one reverence him, as a brahmin reveres the sacrificial fire.
P1 P2 E1 393. Not by matted hair, nor by family, nor by birth does one become a bràhmaõa. But in whom there exist both truth 18 and righteousness, 19 pure is he, a bràhmaõa is he.
P1 P2 E1 394. What is the use of your matted hair, O witless man? What is the use of your antelope skin garment? Within, you are full of passions; without, you embellish yourself. 20
P1 P2 E1 395. The person who wears dust-heap robes, 21 who is lean, whose veins stand out, who meditates alone in the forest - him I call a bràhmaõa.
P1 P2 E1 396. I do not call him a bràhmaõa merely because he is born of a (brahmin) womb or sprung from a (brahmin) mother. He is merely a "Dear-addresser", 22 if he be with impediments. He who is free from impediments, free from clinging - him I call a bràhmaõa.
P1 P2 E1 397. He who has cut off all fetters, who trembles not, who has gone beyond ties, who is unbound - him I call a bràhmaõa.
P1 P2 E1 398. He who has cut the strap (hatred), the thong (craving), and the rope (heresies), together with the appendages (latent tendencies), who has thrown up the cross-bar (ignorance), who is enlightened 23 (Buddha) - him I call a bràhmaõa.
P1 P2 E1 399. He who, without anger, endures reproach, flogging and punishments, whose power and the potent army is patience - him I call a bràhmaõa.
P1 P2 E1 400. He who is not wrathful, but is dutiful, 24 virtuous, free from craving, self-controlled and bears his final body, 25 - him I call a bràhmaõa.
P1 P2 E1 401. Like water on a lotus leaf, like a mustard seed on the point of a needle, he who clings not to sensual pleasures - him I call a bràhmaõa.
P1 P2 E1 402. He who realizes here in this world the destruction of his sorrow, who has laid the burden 26 aside and is emacipated, 27 - him I call a bràhmaõa.
P1 P2 E1 403. He whose knowledge is deep, who is wise, who is skilled in the right and wrong way, 28 who has reached the highest goal - him I call a bràhmaõa.
P1 P2 E1 404. He who is not intimate either with householders or with the homeless ones, who wanders without an abode, who is without desires - him I call a bràhmaõa.
P1 P2 E1 405. He who has laid aside the cudgel in his dealings with beings, 29 whether feeble or strong, who neither harms nor kills - him I call a bràhmaõa.
P1 P2 E1 406. He who is friendly amongst the hostile, who is peaceful amongst the violent, who is unattached amongst the attached, 30 - him I call a bràhmaõa.
P1 P2 E1 407. In whom lust, hatred, pride, detraction are fallen off like a mustard seed from the point of a needle - him I call a bràhmaõa.
P1 P2 E1 408. He who utters gentle, instructive, true words, who by his speech gives offence to none - him I call a bràhmaõa.
P1 P2 E1 409. He who in this world takes nothing that is not given, be it long or short, small or great, fair or foul - him I call a bràhmaõa.
P1 P2 E1 410. He who has no longings, pertaining to this world or to the next, who is desireless and emancipated - him I call a bràhmaõa.
P1 P2 E1 411. He who has no longings, who, through knowledge, is free from doubts, who has gained a firm footing in the Deathless (Nibbàna) - him I call a bràhmaõa.
P1 P2 E1 412. Herein he who has transcended both good and bad and the ties 31 as well, who is sorrowless, stainless, and pure - him I call a bràhmaõa.
P1 P2 E1 413. He who is spotless as the moon, who is pure, serene, and unperturbed, 32 who has destroyed craving for becoming - him I call a bràhmaõa.
P1 P2 E1 414. He who has passed beyond this quagmire, 33 this difficult path, 34 the ocean of life (saüsàra), and delusion, 35 who has crossed 36 and gone beyond, who is meditative, free from craving and doubts, who, clinging to naught, has attained Nibbàna - him I call a bràhmaõa.
P1 P2 E1 415. He who in this world giving up sense-desires, would renounce worldly life and become a homeless one, he who has destroyed sense-desires and becoming - him I call a bràhmaõa.
P1 P2 E1 416. He who in this world giving up craving, would renounce worldly life and become a homeless one, he who has destroyed craving and becoming - him I call a bràhmaõa.
P1 P2 E1 417. He who, discarding human ties and transcending celestial ties, is completely delivered from all ties - him I call a bràhmaõa.
P1 P2 E1 418. He who has given up likes 37 and dislikes, 38 who is cooled and is without defilements, 39 who has conquered the world 40 and is strenuous - him I call a bràhmaõa.
P1 P2 E1 419. He who in every way knows the death and rebirth of beings, who is non-attached, well-gone, 41 and enlightened, 42 - him I call a bràhmaõa.
P1 P2 E1 420. He whose destiny neither gods nor gandhabbas 43 nor men know, who has destroyed all corruptions, and is far removed from passions (Arahant) - him I call a bràhmaõa.
P1 P2 E1 421. He who has no clinging to Aggregates that are past, future, or present, who is without clinging and grasping - him I call a bràhmaõa.
P1 P2 E1 422. The fearless, 44 the noble, the hero, the great sage, 45 the conqueror, 46 the desireless, the cleanser 47 (of defilements), the enlightened, 48 - him I call a bràhmaõa.
P1 P2 E1 423. That sage who knows his former abodes, who sees the blissful 49 and the woeful states, 50 who has reached the end of births, 51 who, with superior wisdom, has perfected himself, 52 who has completed 53 (the holy life), and reached the end of all passions - him I call a bràhmaõa.
End Notes
1 Though a racial term here it is applied either to a Buddha or an Arahant - to one who has completed the Way and has won Enlightenment.
2 Sotaü - stream of craving.
3 Nibbàna is not made of anything. It is unconditioned.
4 Concentration (samatha) and Insight (vipassanà).
5 That is, in acquiring higher intellect (abhi¤¤à).
6 Pàraü - the six personal sense-fields; apàraü - the six external sense-fields.
7 Not grasping anything as "me" and "mine".
8 Not connected with the passions.
9 He who practises concentration (samatha) and insight (vipassanà).
10 âsãnaü, living alone in the forest.
11 By realizing the four Truths and eradicating the fetters.
12 That is, Nibbàna.
13 Here Khattiya refers to a king.
14 That is, an Arahant.
15 The Buddha eclipses immorality by the power of morality (sãla), vice by the power of virtue (guõa), ignorance by the power of wisdom (pa¤¤à), demerit by the power of merit (pu¤¤a), unrighteousness by the power of righteousness (dhamma). (Commentary).
16 Having subdued all evil.
17 Here bràhmaõa is used in the sense of an Arahant.
18 The realization of the four Noble Truths.
19 Here Dhamma refers to the nine supramundane States - the four Paths, the four Fruits, and Nibbàna.
20 With the paraphernalia of the ascetics.
21 Robe, made of cast-off rags.
22 Bho is a familiar form of address which ever the Buddha used in addressing laymen. The term Bho-vàdi is applied to the Buddha as well.
23 Who has understood the four Noble Truths.
24 Devoted to religious austerity.
25 "Final body" because he, having destroyed the passions, would be reborn no more.
26 The burden of the Aggregates.
27 From all defilements.
28 Who knows the way to the woeful states, to the blissful states, and to Nibbàna.
29 Literally, towards beings.
30 Those who are attached to the Aggregates.
31 Lust, hatred, delusion, pride, and false views.
32 Undisturbed by defilements.
33 Of lust and so forth.
34 Of passions.
35 That which veils the four Noble Truths.
36 The four floods - namely: sense-desires, becoming, false views, and ignorance.
37 That is, attachment to sense-desires.
38 Arati = dislike for forest life. (Commentary)
39 Upadhi - there are four kinds of upadhi - namely: the aggregates (khandha), the passions (kilesa), volitional activities (abhisaïkàra), and sense-desires (kàma).
40 That is, the world of Aggregates.
41 Sugataü = well-gone in practice, that is, to Nibbàna.
42 Buddhaü = he who has understood the four Noble Truths.
43 A class of celestial beings.
44 Usabhaü, fearless as a bull.
45 Mahesiü, seeker of higher morality, concentration, and wisdom.
46 Vijitàvinaü, the conqueror of passions.
47 Nahàtakaü, he who has washed away all impurities.
48 Buddhaü, he who has understood the four Noble Truths.
49 Sagga, the six heavenly realms, the sixteen Råpa Realms, and the four Aråpa Realms.
50 Apàya, the four woeful states.
51 Jàtikkhayaü, i.e., Arahantship.
52 Abhi¤¤àvosito, i.e., reached the culmination by comprehending that which should be comprehended, by discarding that which should be discarded, by realzing that which should be realized, and by developing that which should be developed. (Commentary)
53 Sabbavositavosànaü, i.e., having lived the Holy Life which culminates in wisdom pertaining to the Path of Arahantship, the end of all passions.