BEING A BRAHMIN BY KAMMA
[706]
When he had sat down properly, the young brahmin Vāseṭṭha asked the Blessed One with these verses:
“We two are masters of the three Vedas,
authorized by our teachers,
and we declare of ourselves
that we have completed study.
I
am a pupil of the brahmin Pokkharasāti;
this young man
is a pupil of the brahmin Tāruka.
We two are ones who have mastered
the verses recited by brahmins
who know the three Vedas.
We two
make accurate interpretations
according to the ancient verses—
exactly like our teachers
who recite the mantras.
O Gotama,
we two have been disputing
concerning ‘class’ (jāti — birth/class).
The young brahmin Bhāradvāja says:
“A person is called a brahmin because of class (jāti — birth).”
But I say:
“A person is called a brahmin because of kamma (kamma — action, deed).”
O One-with-the-Vision,
may the Blessed One know this:
we two cannot convince one another.
Therefore we have come
to ask the Blessed One,
the Perfectly Awakened One,
who has manifested in the world
in just such a manner.
People, when they approach
with joined palms in reverence,
would worship the Blessed Gotama
throughout the entire world
just as they would the full moon.
Therefore, O Gotama,
O Eye arisen in the world,
I ask this of you:
Is a person called a brahmin
because of class (jāti — birth)?
Or is it because of kamma (kamma — act, deed)?
Please tell us two
who do not know—
so that we may know
the person who is a brahmin.”
[707]
The Blessed One replied:
“O Vāseṭṭha,
I shall declare to you
the classification of the ‘classes’ (jāti — species/class)
of all beings,
in proper sequence,
suitable for you both—
for they each have different classes (jāti — species)
from one another.
First, you should know
the classes of grasses (tiṇa-jāti — grass-class)
and trees (rukka-jāti — tree-class).
Though they cannot declare anything,
their kind is determined by their class (jāti — species),
for they have distinct classes.
Next, you should know
grasshoppers,
butterflies,
up to black ants
and red ants.
The kind (species) of these beings
is also determined by their class (jāti — species),
for they have distinct classes.
Next, you should know
the four-footed animals,
both small and large.
Their type is also determined by their class (jāti — species),
for they have distinct classes.
Next, you should know
the “belly-footed” creatures (reptiles, snails),
the “breast-moving” creatures,
the “long-backed” creatures.
Their type is also determined by their class (jāti — species),
for they have distinct classes.
Next, you should know
the fish,
the water-born beings,
the beings who wander seeking food in water.
Their type is also determined by their class (jāti — species),
for they have distinct classes.
Next, you should know
the birds,
the beings that go by wings,
the beings that go through the air.
Their type is also determined by their class (jāti — species),
for they have distinct classes.
Just as among these creatures
the kinds determined by class (jāti — species)
are many and varied—
so it is NOT
with human beings.
The “type determined by class”
in humans
is not like that
found in other species.
It is not (in humans) because of:
- hair
- head
- ears
- eyes
- face
- nose
- lips
- eyebrows
- neck
- shoulders
- belly
- back
- hips
- chest
- private parts,
- hands
- feet
- fingers
- nails
- shins
- legs
- complexion
- voice
The distinctive bodily marks
which exist in the other species
do not exist in humans.
Among humans,
they are simply called differently
by different names.
O Vāseṭṭha,
in human society:
Whoever
supports his life
by caring for cattle—
know this:
that one is a farmer,
not a brahmin.
Whoever
supports his life
by many kinds of crafts—
know this:
that one is an artisan,
not a brahmin.
Whoever
supports his life
by serving others—
know this:
that one is a servant,
not a brahmin.
Whoever
supports his life
by taking what is not given—
know this:
that one is a thief,
not a brahmin.
Whoever
supports his life
by weaponry—
know this:
that one is a soldier,
not a brahmin.
Whoever
supports his life
by ritual-priest work—
know this:
that one is a ritual officiant,
not a brahmin.
Whoever
governs a village or a town—
know this:
that one is a king,
not a brahmin.
And I
do not call a person
a brahmin
because of any birth (jāti — birth)
or because he is born
from any kind of mother.
Even if people say,
“He is a venerable gentleman,”
still that one
may remain full of defilements.
I call that person
a brahmin
who has no defilements,
no agitation,
no clinging.
Whoever has cut off
all saṃyojana (saṃyojana — fetters),
and trembles not—
I call that one
who has passed beyond the defilements,
unafflicted by all defilements,
a brahmin.
Whoever has cut off
anger (upanāha — ill-will) like a twisted strap,
craving (taṇhā — craving) like a leather thong,
and view (diṭṭhi — wrong-view) like a binding cord—
together with all the latent tendencies to views
(diṭṭhānusaya — latent view-bias)
like knots—
and has pulled out
ignorance (avijjā — ignorance)
like a pin that locks a yoke:
that awakened one (buddha — awakened)
I call a brahmin.
Whoever does not injure,
who endures abuse,
beatings,
and imprisonment,
and has patience (khanti — patience/endurance)
as his strength—
I call him a brahmin.
Whoever is without anger,
well restrained,
possessed of moral discipline (sīla — virtue),
free from defilements like soot,
trained,
and with a body established in its final life—
I call him a brahmin.
Whoever is not stuck to sensual pleasures (kāma — sensuality),
like water on a lotus leaf,
or a mustard seed
on the point of a needle—
I call him a brahmin.
Whoever knows the Dhamma
leading to his own complete release from suffering,
here in this very life,
and has laid down the burden (bhāra — burden of the aggregates)
and done his task—
I call him a brahmin.
Whoever has deep wisdom (paññā — wisdom)
concerning profound objects,
skilled in the means (upāya — method, technique)
that are the way
and not-the-way,
and reaches the highest benefit—
I call him a brahmin.
Whoever does not mingle
with householders
or with renunciants,
who wanders without attachment (anālaya — non-clinging),
not longing for anything—
I call him a brahmin.
Whoever lays down violence (āvajjana / daṇḍa — violence/weapon)
toward all beings—
whether trembling or firm—
who neither kills nor causes others to kill—
I call him a brahmin.
Whoever does not return anger for anger,
who quells the violence in himself,
in the midst of those who cling or do not cling—
that one, freed from clinging,
I call a brahmin.
Whoever has let fall
lust (rāga — lust),
hatred (dosa — hatred),
conceit (māna — conceit),
and hypocrisy (makkha — deceit)
like a mustard seed
shaken off a sharp point—
I call him a brahmin.
Whoever utters truthful speech
that harms none,
that gives no offense to others—
I call him a brahmin.
Whoever takes nothing
—not long or short,
small or large,
beautiful or ugly—
that is not given by the owner—
I call him a brahmin.
Whoever has no hope (āsa — hope/expectation)
either for this world
or for the next—
free from expectation,
one who has nothing to put together—
I call him a brahmin.
Whoever has no attachment (alobha — non-greed),
no doubt (kaṅkha — doubt)
because he knows fully,
having attained the Dhamma
that sinks down into the Deathless—
I call him a brahmin.
Whoever has crossed over
both states of bondage—
merit (puñña — merit)
and demerit (apuñña — demerit)—
not sorrowing,
stainless,
pure—
I call him a brahmin.
Whoever is without stain,
pure and clear
like the moon unstained,
rejoicing in the end of becoming—
I call him a brahmin.
Whoever has crossed over
ignorance (avijjā — ignorance)
like a slippery path
or a difficult swamp,
which makes beings wander and stray,
and has reached the far shore,
steadfast in meditation,
without wavering,
free of doubt,
with clinging destroyed—
I call him a brahmin.
Whoever has cut off sensual desire (kāma — sensuality),
has gone forth (pabbajita — one who has left home),
and who wanders detached
within this world—
him, who has ended sensuality
and ended the cycle of becoming,
I call a brahmin.
Whoever has cut off craving (taṇhā — craving/desire)
at the root,
has gone forth,
wandering unattached in this world—
him, who has ended craving
and ended the cycle of becoming,
I call a brahmin.
Whoever has abandoned
the sensual realms of humans,
and gone beyond
the sensual realms of devas,
and is free from all “ties” of defilement (saṃyojana — fetter)—
I call him a brahmin.
Whoever has abandoned
both delight (nandi — delight)
and aversion (paṭigha — aversion),
is cooled (sīta — cooled/calm),
with no “fuel” (upadhi — fuel of existence)
covering the whole world,
and is courageous—
I call him a brahmin.
Whoever knows
the passing-away (cuti — passing / death)
and arising (upapatti — rebirth)
of all beings
in every way,
and goes unobstructed,
knower, awakened—
I call him a brahmin.
The devas,
the gandhabbas,
and human beings
do not know the path of that one—
whose outflows (āsava — taints, corruptions)
are exhausted.
I call that one
an arahant (arahant — perfected one),
a brahmin.
Whoever has no “agitations” (kilesa — defilements)
in front,
behind,
or in the middle—
without any defilements,
without clinging—
I call him a brahmin.
Whoever is noble (ariya — noble),
heroic (vīra — heroic),
mighty (mahābalin — powerful),
seeker of great virtue,
fully victorious,
unshaken,
washed clean,
fully awakened—
I call him a brahmin.
Whoever knows
by direct knowledge
the recollection of former lives (pubbenivāsānussati ñāṇa — knowledge of past lives),
sees heaven and hell,
and has attained
the ending of the cycle of birth—
him, I call a brahmin.
Names
and clan designations
that are assigned
are merely worldly conventions (vohāra — convention),
arising according to naming
established at that time.
The view (diṭṭhi — view)
that lies sleeping long
in the hearts of beings who do not know—
when beings do not know,
they insist:
“A person is a brahmin because of birth (jāti — birth).”
But:
A person is not called “low” because of birth,
and a person is not called “brahmin” because of birth.
In truth:
- one is called “low” because of kamma (kamma — action)
- one is called “brahmin” because of kamma
- a farmer because of kamma
- an artisan because of kamma
- a merchant because of kamma
- a servant because of kamma
- even a thief because of kamma
- a soldier because of kamma
- a priest (purohita — ritual priest) because of kamma
- even a king because of kamma
The wise,
who possess the vision of dependent arising (paṭicca-samuppāda — dependent arising),
skilled in kamma and vipāka (vipāka — result),
see actions clearly
as they really are:
“The world proceeds by kamma.
The community of beings proceeds by kamma.
Beings are bound to kamma
just as the moving chariot
is fixed by its axle-pin.”
A person is called a brahmin
because of this excellent kamma (kamma — action, deed):
- tapas (tapa — austerity, ardor)
- brahma-cariya (brahma-cariya — holy life)
- saññama (saññama — restraint)
- dama (dama — self-control)
These four kinds of kamma
are the highest kamma
of the brahma-beings (brahma — Brahmā-gods).
They cause
the one who practices them
to become complete
in the three knowledges
(tevijjā — threefold knowledge:
- recollection of past lives,
- knowledge of beings’ rebirth,
- destruction of the taints).
They bring one
to the quelling of defilements,
and the ending of new existence (bhava — becoming).
O Vāseṭṭha,
you should understand thus:
Such a person is called:
- a brahma (brahma — Brahmā-being)
- a Sakka (Sakka — ruler of the devas)
- among the wise who truly know.
[708]
When the Blessed One had spoken thus,
the young brahmins Vāseṭṭha and Bhāradvāja
said to the Blessed One:
“O Blessed Gotama,
excellent, sir!
O Blessed One,
excellent, sir!
The Blessed One has made the Dhamma clear
in many ways—
just as one might turn upright
what had been overturned,
or reveal
what was concealed,
or show the way
to one who was lost,
or hold up a lamp in the dark
so that those with eyes
might see forms.
In just the same way
the Blessed One has made the Dhamma clear.
Therefore,
we two
go for refuge
to the Blessed Gotama,
to the Dhamma,
and to the Saṅgha of monks.
May the Blessed One remember us
as lay followers (upāsaka — lay disciple)
who have gone for refuge
for life,
from today onward.”
I will preserve the exact literal phrasing.)
Whoever has abandoned all harm (ahiṃsā — non-violence),
is harmless among beings that tremble or are firm,
and neither kills nor causes others to kill—
him I call a brahmin.
Whoever among the angry
does not become angry,
who calms the violence of others,
settled in peace,
free of grasping—
him I call a brahmin.
Whoever has dropped
lust (rāga — lust),
hatred (dosa — hatred),
conceit (māna — conceit),
and arrogance (makkha — disdain)
as a mustard seed
falls from the point of a needle—
him I call a brahmin.
Whoever speaks truthful speech,
instructive,
blameless,
that offends no one—
him I call a brahmin.
Whoever takes nothing
that is not given—
long or short,
small or large,
beautiful or ugly—
him I call a brahmin.
Whoever has no hopes (āsa — expectation, hope)
for this world
or for the next,
who is free of longing—
him I call a brahmin.
Whoever has no attachment (alobha — non-clinging),
no doubt (kaṅkha — doubt)
because he knows completely,
and has plunged into the Deathless (amata — the deathless)—
him I call a brahmin.
Whoever has gone beyond
both merit (puñña — merit)
and demerit (apuñña — demerit),
who is without sorrow,
stainless,
pure—
him I call a brahmin.
Whoever is pure,
bright,
undefiled
like the full moon,
delighting in the end of becoming—
him I call a brahmin.
Whoever has crossed over
ignorance (avijjā — ignorance)—
difficult to escape,
slippery like a swamp—
has reached the far shore,
is firm in meditation,
not wavering,
without doubt,
with clinging destroyed—
him I call a brahmin.
Whoever has abandoned sensual desire (kāma — sensuality)
completely,
has gone forth,
wanders unattached in this world—
having ended sensual desire
and ended becoming—
him I call a brahmin.
Whoever has cut craving (taṇhā — craving)
at the root,
has gone forth,
wanders unattached in this world—
having ended craving
and ended becoming—
him I call a brahmin.
Whoever has abandoned
the sensual pleasures of humans,
has surpassed
the sensual pleasures of devas,
free from every bond (saṃyojana — fetter)—
him I call a brahmin.
Whoever has abandoned
both delight (nandi — delight)
and aversion (paṭigha — irritation, resistance),
is cooled (sīta — cooled),
unbound by any “fuel” (upadhi — substrate of clinging),
courageous and strong—
him I call a brahmin.
Whoever knows
the passing away (cuti — death/ending)
and arising (upapatti — rebirth)
of beings
in every way,
unobstructed,
knower and awakened—
him I call a brahmin.
The devas,
the gandhabbas,
and human beings
do not know the path of that one
whose outflows (āsava — taints) are destroyed.
That one is an arahant (arahant — perfected one),
and him I call a brahmin.
Whoever has no agitation (kilesa — defilement)
before, behind, or between—
who is free from defilements,
free from clinging—
him I call a brahmin.
Whoever is heroic (vīra — hero),
noble (ariya — noble),
great in power,
seeker of great virtue,
supreme in victory,
unshaken,
purified,
fully awakened—
him I call a brahmin.
Whoever knows the knowledge
of recalling past lives (pubbenivāsānussati-ñāṇa),
sees heaven and hell,
and has attained the ending of birth—
him I call a brahmin.
Names and clans in the world
—these are merely conventional terms (vohāra — convention)
arising according to names agreed upon at that time.
But the fixed view
(diṭṭhi — view) lodged long
in the hearts of beings who do not know—
when beings do not know,
they keep saying:
“A person is a brahmin because of birth (jāti — birth).”
But this is not so.
A person is not called “wicked” because of birth.
A person is not called “brahmin” because of birth.
In truth:
- a person is “wicked” because of kamma (kamma — deed)
- a person is “brahmin” because of kamma
- a farmer because of kamma
- an artisan because of kamma
- a merchant because of kamma
- a servant because of kamma
- a thief because of kamma
- a soldier because of kamma
- a priest because of kamma
- a king because of kamma
The wise,
who understand dependent arising
(paṭicca-samuppāda — dependent origination),
skilled in kamma and vipāka
(kamma — action; vipāka — result),
see kamma clearly
as it really is:
“The world proceeds because of kamma.
The community of beings proceeds because of kamma.
Beings are bound to kamma
just as a moving chariot
is fixed by its axle-pin.”
A person is called a brahmin
because of this superior kamma:
- tapa (tapas — austerity, ardor)
- brahma-cariya (brahma-cariya — holy life / celibate life)
- saññama (saññama — restraint)
- dama (dama — self-control)
These four kammas
are the highest kammas
of the Brahmā beings.
They bring to fulfillment
the three knowledges
(tevijjā — threefold higher knowledge),
they calm the defilements,
and they bring the end of further becoming.
O Vāseṭṭha,
know this:
Such a one
is a brahma among men,
a Sakka among beings,
among the wise who truly see.
The brahmin youths’ declaration of refuge
When the Blessed One had spoken thus,
the young brahmins Vāseṭṭha and Bhāradvāja
said to the Blessed One:
“O Blessed Gotama, excellent, sir!
O Blessed One, excellent, sir!
The Blessed One has made the Dhamma clear
in many ways—
as one might set upright what was overturned,
reveal what was hidden,
show the path to one who is lost,
or hold up a lamp in the dark
so that those with eyes
may see forms.
Even so, the Blessed One has made the Dhamma clear.
Therefore, we two
go for refuge
to the Blessed Gotama,
to the Dhamma,
and to the Saṅgha of monks.
May the Blessed One remember us
as lay disciples (upāsaka — lay follower)
who have gone for refuge
for life,
from today onward.”
SHORT PĀLI GLOSSARY
jāti — birth; species; class; (here) the mistaken belief “brahmin by birth.”
kamma — action; deed; moral volition that produces results.
vipāka — result of kamma; fruition.
brahma / brāhmaṇa — (here) a purified person; one free from defilements (NOT a birth-class).
saṃyojana — fetter; mental bond tying to saṃsāra.
taṇhā — craving; thirst for sense-objects, existence, or nonexistence.
diṭṭhi — view; especially wrong-view; fixed opinion.
diṭṭhānusaya — latent tendency to views; deep-rooted bias.
avijjā — ignorance; non-knowing of the Four Noble Truths.
upanāha — resentment; ill-will; stored anger.
rāga — lust; greed; desire.
dosa — hatred; aversion.
māna — conceit; superiority/inferiority bias.
makkha — derision, contempt; belittling others.
sīla — moral virtue; ethical discipline.
khanti — patience; forbearance.
dama — self-control; taming of the senses.
saññama — restraint; guarding body, speech, and mind.
tapa / tapas — austerity; ardor; heat of effort.
brahma-cariya — holy life; complete purity; celibate life.
nandi — delight; taking pleasure in any object.
paṭigha — irritation; resistance; aversion.
upadhi — “fuel”; substratum for rebirth; possessions; defilements.
āsava — taints; deep defilements (sensuality, becoming, views, ignorance).
vīra — hero; one possessing spiritual courage.
arahant — perfected one; free from all taints.
pubbenivāsānussati-ñāṇa — knowledge of past lives.
cuti — passing away; death-moment.
upapatti — rebirth; arising in a new existence.
amatā / amata-dhamma — the Deathless; Nibbāna.
upāsaka — lay disciple; one who goes to the Triple Refuge.
vohāra — conventional designation; worldly label; mere naming.