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Bràhmaua Vagga ¹
The Bràhmaua
(Text and Translation by Ven. Nàrada)

    A devotee, persuaded by his great faith, used to give alms in his house to the monks addressing them, "O Arahants". The monks in their modesty resented his form of address and discontinued their visits to his house. The devotee was sad and he went to the Buddha to inquire why the monks had ceased to accept his alms. The monks explained the matter. The Buddha said that the devotee had used that form of address only out of respect and that they should try to become Arahants by cleaving the stream of craving.

    Knowing that some monks who had come to visit the Buddha from very far away were ripe to realize Nibbàna, the Venerable Sàriputta approached the Buddha, and questioned Him about the two states which the Buddha always used to commend. In reply the Buddha uttered this verse.

    Màra, disguised as a man, approached the Buddha and questioned Him about the farther shore. The Buddha, recognising him, dismissed him saying that he had nothing to do with the farther shore and uttered this verse.

    A brahmin noted that the Buddha used to address His monks as "bràhmaua", and he thought that he too was entitled to the same form of address as he was a brahmin by birth. He questioned the Buddha about the matter. The Buddha replied that one did not become a bràhmaua by birth but by attaining his highest goal.

    The Venerable Ananda perceived a king in all his glory, a meditative monk seated in the hall, and the setting sun and the rising moon. Then he beheld the Buddha outshining them all in glory. When he mentioned his impressions of the different sights to the Buddha He uttered this verse.

    Once a certain brahmin struck the Venerable Sàriputta to test his patience. The latter did not get angry. Instead of retaliating, he pardoned him and also ate food in his house. Praising the Venerable Sàriputta for his outstanding patience, the Buddha explained the attitude of a real bràhmaua (Arahant).

    Some nuns would not observe the vinaya ceremonies with the Venerable Mahà Pajàpati Gotami since they doubted her authenticity as a bhikkhunã (nun). The Buddha explained matters and remarked that no doubts should be entertained with regard to a Passionless One who is restrained in the three doors (i.e., body, speech and mind).

    The Venerable Sàriputta, in reverencing his first teacher, the Venerable Assaji, from whom he had learnt the Dhamma, used to turn in the direction of Assaji's abode. Some monks misconstrued his action and reported to the Buddha that Sàriputta was reverencing the cardinal points. ¹⁸ The Buddha defended him and explained the attitude of a pupil towards his teacher.

    A brahmin by birth approached the Buddha and requested Him to address him as "bràhmaua" just as the monks were addressed. Thereupon the Buddha uttered this verse.

    The Buddha uttered this verse in connection with an ascetic who attempted to kill a lizard.

    The Venerable Kisà Gotamã, who was meditating alone in the forest, wearing dust-heap robes, came through the air to salute the Buddha. Seeing Sakka, King of the gods, she turned back after saluting. Sakka wished to know who she was. The Buddha uttered this verse in reply.

    A brahmin by birth wished the Buddha to address him as "bràhmaua". The Buddha uttered this verse in reply.

    The Buddha uttered this verse when the monks reported to the Buddha that the Venerable Uggasena, an Arahant, claimed that he had no fear.

    Two persons arguing about the comparative strength of their oxen tested them by loading their carts with sand and forcing the oxen to draw them. The carts would not stir an inch but instead the thongs and straps broke. The monks saw this and mentioned it to the Buddha. Thereupon He advised the monks to destroy the thongs and straps in their own minds.

    A certain wife used to ejaculate words of praise to the Buddha whenever the slightest mishap occurred. Her husband objected to her habit but she persisted. The provoked husband went to the Buddha and angrily put some questions to the Buddha. Hearing His reply, which was marked by great patience, the irate husband became a convert and entered the Order. His brothers came and abused the Buddha for converting him. The Buddha patiently endured their reproach and preached to them. They were also converted. When the monks extolled His patience the Buddha uttered this verse.

    The Venerable Sàriputta was reviled by his own mother as she resented his taking of the monastic life, but he was patient. Hearing of his patience, the Buddha uttered this verse in praise of him.

    When an Arahant bhikkhunã was raped by a former suitor of hers the monks began wondering whether Arahants are susceptible to sensual pleasures. The Buddha explained that Arahants are not so susceptible.

    Before the promulgation of the rule with regard to the ordination of slaves, a slave belonging to a brahmin ran away and entered the Order. Soon he attained Arahantship. The brahmin, seeing him when he went in quest of alms, held him by the hem of his robe. The Buddha remarked that the slave had laid the burden aside and uttered this verse.

    The Venerable Khemà bhikkhunã came to pay her respects to the Buddha and seeing Sakka King of the gods, saluted the Buddha and turned back. Sakka inquired of the Buddha who she was. The Buddha answered that she was a daughter of His who was very wise.

    Once a monk was dwelling in a cave. A goddess, who had her abode in the cave, made a false accusation against him in order to drive him away. The monk was not angered; on the contrary her words induced him to attain Arahantship. Later, he went to see the Buddha and mentioned the whole incident. The Buddha thereupon uttered this verse.

    A monk, who had attained Arahantship while dwelling in a forest, was on his way to see the Buddha. A woman who had quarrelled with her husband entered the same forest desiring to return to her parents' home. The husband, finding his wife missing, entered the forest in search of her. He saw the woman following the Arahant. The husband, suspecting the Arahant, beat him soundly in spite of the pleadings of his wife, who vouched for his innocence. Later, the Arahant saw the Buddha and mentioned the whole incident. Thereupon the Buddha uttered this verse.

    A female devotee expressed her desire to offer food at her house to five monks. Accordingly five Arahant novices went to her house for alms as invited. But as she desired to have five elderly bràhmauas (monks), she did not offer alms to the novices. Later she was convinced of their greatness, for although they were not served first they were not angry. The Buddha, hearing their story, uttered this verse.

    An Arahant advised his brother monk to leave the Order as he could not memorise a single verse even after four months. The monks thought that the Arahant had done so in anger. The Buddha explained that Arahants have no passions and that the Arahant concerned had been actuated by reverence for the Dhamma. ³²

    An Arahant was in the habit of addressing others with an epithet employed only in addressing outcastes. The monks took objection to his form of address and mentioned it to the Buddha. Thereupon the Buddha explained that the Arahant had not done so with evil intent but through force of habit from past lives, and on that occasion He uttered this verse.

    An Arahant mistaking a cloth lying on the ground for one abandoned by the owner, took it. The owner saw it and accused him of theft. The Arahant explained that he had not taken it with thievish intent and returned it. He told the other monks about the incident. The monks made fun of him. The Buddha explained that Arahants do not steal anything from others.

    The Venerable Sàriputta, at the termination of a rainy season which he had spent in a certain place with many other monks, advised them to bring the robes presented to the young monks and novices and went to see the Buddha. The monks, misconstruing his words, thought that he still harboured desires. The Buddha explained the attitude of the Venerable Sàriputta.

    The story is similar to the preceding one. This time the accusation was made against the Venerable Moggallàna.

    When the monks spoke in admiration of the great merit of the Venerable Revata the Buddha mentioned that he was beyond both good and evil.

    Owing to a meritorious act in a past birth a person possessed a light like unto the moon's disc, issuing from his navel. When he came to the presence of the Buddha it disappeared. He wished to know from the Buddha the cause of its disappearance. The Buddha promised to answer if he would enter the Order. Later, he became a monk and attained Arahantship. Thereupon the Buddha uttered this verse.

    This verse was uttered by the Buddha in connection with Arahant Sãvalã, who had to suffer long in the mother's womb.

    A courtesan tried to tempt a young monk who belonged to a wealthy family but failed. Praising him, the Buddha uttered this verse.

    A wealthy man retired from the world and attained Arahantship. The Buddha uttered this verse to show that the man no longer had any longing for wealth or wife.

    A monk, who had once been a dancer, said, when questioned by the other monks, that he had no more longing for dancing. Commenting on his change of life and his attainment to Arahantship, the Buddha uttered this verse.

    The story is similar to the preceding one.

    A man, named Vangãsa, was able to divine where a dead person had been reborn by tapping at the skull of the dead. Once he came to the Buddha and succeeded in divining the place and state of rebirth of several but failed in the case of an Arahant. He wished to know from the Buddha by what charm he would be able to tell the destiny of such persons. The Buddha replied that He would teach him the charm if he would enter the Order. With the object of learning the charm he became a monk. But before long he attained Arahantship. With reference to him the Buddha uttered these verses.

    A very devout young wife, with the permission of her husband (who had attained Anàgàmi, the third stage of Sainthood), became a nun and attained Arahantship. One day the husband approached her and put some difficult questions on the Dhamma with the object of testing her. She answered all the questions. When she was questioned on points beyond her scope she referred her husband to the Buddha. Hearing the answers given by the nun, the Buddha applauded her and uttered this verse.

    This verse was uttered by the Buddha in connection with the fearlessness of the Venerable Angulimàla.

    Once the Buddha was suffering from a rheumatic pain. A devotee prepared for Him some hot water for a bath. When the Buddha was cured of the pain he came to the Buddha and wished to know to what kind of person a gift should be given if it is to yield abundant fruit. In reply the Buddha uttered this verse.

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 Sotam - 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 (abhiññà).

6 Pàram - the six personal sense-fields; apàram - 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 âsãnam, 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 (guua), ignorance by the power of wisdom (paññà), demerit by the power of merit (puñña), unrighteousness by the power of righteousness (dhamma). (Commentary).

16 Having subdued all evil.

17 Here bràhmaua is used in the sense of an Arahant.

18 The adherents of certain cults worshipped the four cardinal points, the zenith and the nadir, e.g., Sigàla (of the Sigàlovàda Sutta).

19 The realization of the four Noble Truths.

20 Here Dhamma refers to the nine supramundane States - the four Paths, the four Fruits, and Nibbàna.

21 With the paraphernalia of the ascetics.

22 Robes made of cast-off rags.

23 Bho is a familiar form of address which even the Buddha used in addressing laymen. The term Bho-vàdi is applied to the Buddha as well.

24 Who has understood the four Noble Truths.

25 Devoted to religious austerity.

26 "Final body" because he, having destroyed the passions, would be reborn no more.

27 The burden of the Aggregates.

28 From all defilements.

29 Who knows the way to the woeful states, to the blissful states, and to Nibbàna.

30 Literally, towards beings.

31 Those who are attached to the Aggregates.

32 See v. 25.

33 Lust, hatred, delusion, pride, and false views.

34 Undisturbed by defilements.

35 Of lust and so forth.

36 Of passions.

37 That which veils the four Noble Truths.

38 The four floods - namely: sense-desires, becoming, false views, and ignorance.

39 That is, attachment to sense-desires.

40 Arati = dislike for forest life. (Commentary)

41 Upadhi - there are four kinds of upadhi - namely: the aggregates (khandha), the passions (kilesa), volitional activities (abhisaïkàra), and sense-desires (kàma).

42 That is, the world of Aggregates.

43 Sugatam = well-gone in practice, that is, to Nibbàna.

44 Buddham = he who has understood the four Noble Truths.

45 A class of celestial beings.

46 Usabham, fearless as a bull.

47 Mahesim, seeker of higher morality, concentration, and wisdom.

48 Vijitàvinam, the conqueror of passions.

49 Nahàtakam, he who has washed away all impurities.

50 Buddham, he who has understood the four Noble Truths.

51 Sagga, the six heavenly realms, the sixteen Rupa Realms, and the four Arupa Realms.

52 Apàya, the four woeful states.

53 Jàtikkhayam, i.e., Arahantship.

54 Abhiññàvosito, i.e., reached the culmination by comprehending that which should be comprehended, by discarding that which should be discarded, by realizing that which should be realized, and by developing that which should be developed. (Commentary)

55 Sabbavositavosànam, i.e., having lived the Holy Life which culminates in wisdom pertaining to the Path of Arahantship, the end of all passions.