Snp 2.7

Brāhmaṇadhammikasutta

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Atha kho sambahulā kosalakā brāhmaṇamahāsālā jiṇṇā vuḍḍhā mahallakā addhagatā vayoanuppattā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodiṁsu. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te brāhmaṇamahāsālā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: “sandissanti nu kho, bho gotama, etarahi brāhmaṇā porāṇānaṁ brāhmaṇānaṁ brāhmaṇadhamme”ti? “Na kho, brāhmaṇā, sandissanti etarahi brāhmaṇā porāṇānaṁ brāhmaṇānaṁ brāhmaṇadhamme”ti. “Sādhu no bhavaṁ gotamo porāṇānaṁ brāhmaṇānaṁ brāhmaṇadhammaṁ bhāsatu, sace bhoto gotamassa agarū”ti. “Tena hi, brāhmaṇā, suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti. “Evaṁ, bho”ti kho te brāhmaṇamahāsālā bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:

Brahmanical Principles

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then several old and well-to-do brahmins of Kosala—elderly and senior, who were advanced in years and had reached the final stage of life—went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, they sat down to one side and said to the Buddha: “Worthy Gotama, are the ancient principles of the brahmins exhibited these days among brahmins?” “No, brahmins, they are not.” “If you wouldn’t mind, Worthy Gotama, please teach us the ancient principles of the brahmins.” “Well then, brahmins, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.” “Yes, worthy sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

“Isayo pubbakā āsuṁ, saññatattā tapassino; Pañca kāmaguṇe hitvā, attadatthamacārisuṁ.

“The ancient seers used to be restrained and austere. Having given up the five sensual stimuli, they lived for their own true good.

Na pasū brāhmaṇānāsuṁ, na hiraññaṁ na dhāniyaṁ; Sajjhāyadhanadhaññāsuṁ, brahmaṁ nidhimapālayuṁ.

Brahmins used to own no cattle, nor gold coin or grain. Chanting was their money and grain, which they guarded as a gift from god.

Yaṁ nesaṁ pakataṁ āsi, dvārabhattaṁ upaṭṭhitaṁ; Saddhāpakatamesānaṁ, dātave tadamaññisuṁ.

Food was prepared for them and left beside their doors. People believed that food prepared in faith should be given to them.

Nānārattehi vatthehi, sayanehāvasathehi ca; Phītā janapadā raṭṭhā, te namassiṁsu brāhmaṇe.

With colorful clothes, lodgings and houses, prosperous nations and countries honored those brahmins.

Avajjhā brāhmaṇā āsuṁ, ajeyyā dhammarakkhitā; Na ne koci nivāresi, kuladvāresu sabbaso.

Brahmins used to be inviolable and invincible, protected by principle. No one ever turned them away from the doors of families.

Aṭṭhacattālīsaṁ vassāni, (komāra) Brahmacariyaṁ cariṁsu te; Vijjācaraṇapariyeṭṭhiṁ, Acaruṁ brāhmaṇā pure.

For forty-eight years they led the spiritual life. The brahmins of old pursued their quest for knowledge and conduct.

Na brāhmaṇā aññamagamuṁ, napi bhariyaṁ kiṇiṁsu te; Sampiyeneva saṁvāsaṁ, saṅgantvā samarocayuṁ.

Brahmins never transgressed with another, nor did they purchase a wife. They lived together in love, joining together by mutual consent.

Aññatra tamhā samayā, utuveramaṇiṁ pati; Antarā methunaṁ dhammaṁ, nāssu gacchanti brāhmaṇā.

Brahmins never approached their wives for sex during the time outside the fertile phase of the menstrual cycle after menstruation.

Brahmacariyañca sīlañca, ajjavaṁ maddavaṁ tapaṁ; Soraccaṁ avihiṁsañca, khantiñcāpi avaṇṇayuṁ.

They praised chastity and morality, integrity, tenderness, and fervor, gentleness and harmlessness, and also patience.

Yo nesaṁ paramo āsi, Brahmā daḷhaparakkamo; Sa vāpi methunaṁ dhammaṁ, Supinantepi nāgamā.

He who was supreme among them, godlike, staunchly vigorous, did not engage in sex even in a dream.

Tassa vattamanusikkhantā, Idheke viññujātikā; Brahmacariyañca sīlañca, Khantiñcāpi avaṇṇayuṁ.

Training in line with their duties, many smart people here praised chastity and morality, and also patience.

Taṇḍulaṁ sayanaṁ vatthaṁ, Sappitelañca yāciya; Dhammena samodhānetvā, Tato yaññamakappayuṁ.

They begged for rice, bedding, clothes, ghee, and oil. Having collected them legitimately, they arranged a sacrifice.

Upaṭṭhitasmiṁ yaññasmiṁ, Nāssu gāvo haniṁsu te; Yathā mātā pitā bhātā, Aññe vāpi ca ñātakā; Gāvo no paramā mittā, Yāsu jāyanti osadhā.

But they slew no cows while serving at the sacrifice. Like a mother, father, or brother, or some other relative, cows are our best friends, the fonts of medicine.

Annadā baladā cetā, Vaṇṇadā sukhadā tathā; Etamatthavasaṁ ñatvā, Nāssu gāvo haniṁsu te.

They give food and strength, and beauty and happiness. Knowing these benefits, they slew no cows.

Sukhumālā mahākāyā, Vaṇṇavanto yasassino; Brāhmaṇā sehi dhammehi, Kiccākiccesu ussukā; Yāva loke avattiṁsu, Sukhamedhitthayaṁ pajā.

The brahmins were delicate and tall, beautiful and glorious. They were keen on all the duties according to their teachings. So long as they continued in the world, people flourished happily.

Tesaṁ āsi vipallāso, Disvāna aṇuto aṇuṁ; Rājino ca viyākāraṁ, Nāriyo samalaṅkatā.

But perversion crept into them little by little when they saw the transformation of the king and the ladies in all their finery.

Rathe cājaññasaṁyutte, Sukate cittasibbane; Nivesane nivese ca, Vibhatte bhāgaso mite.

Their chariots were harnessed with thoroughbreds, well-made with bright canopies, and their homes and houses were neatly divided section by section.

Gomaṇḍalaparibyūḷhaṁ, Nārīvaragaṇāyutaṁ; Uḷāraṁ mānusaṁ bhogaṁ, Abhijjhāyiṁsu brāhmaṇā.

They were lavished with herds of cattle, and furnished with bevies of lovely ladies. This extravagant human wealth was coveted by the brahmins.

Te tattha mante ganthetvā, Okkākaṁ tadupāgamuṁ; Pahūtadhanadhaññosi, Yajassu bahu te vittaṁ; Yajassu bahu te dhanaṁ.

They compiled hymns to that end, approached King Okkāka and said, ‘You have plenty of money and grain. Sacrifice! For you have much treasure. Sacrifice! For you have much money.’

Tato ca rājā saññatto, Brāhmaṇehi rathesabho; Assamedhaṁ purisamedhaṁ, Sammāpāsaṁ vājapeyyaṁ niraggaḷaṁ; Ete yāge yajitvāna, Brāhmaṇānamadā dhanaṁ.

Persuaded by the brahmins, the king, chief of charioteers, performed horse sacrifice, human sacrifice, the sacrifices of the ‘casting of the yoke-pin’, the ‘royal soma drinking’, and the ‘unimpeded’. When he had carried out these sacrifices, he gave riches to the brahmins.

Gāvo sayanañca vatthañca, Nāriyo samalaṅkatā; Rathe cājaññasaṁyutte, Sukate cittasibbane.

There were cattle, bedding, and clothes, and ladies in all their finery; chariots harnessed with thoroughbreds, well-made with bright canopies;

Nivesanāni rammāni, Suvibhattāni bhāgaso; Nānādhaññassa pūretvā, Brāhmaṇānamadā dhanaṁ.

and lovely homes, nicely divided section by section. Having furnished them with different grains, he gave riches to the brahmins.

Te ca tattha dhanaṁ laddhā, Sannidhiṁ samarocayuṁ; Tesaṁ icchāvatiṇṇānaṁ, Bhiyyo taṇhā pavaḍḍhatha; Te tattha mante ganthetvā, Okkākaṁ puna mupāgamuṁ.

When they got hold of that wealth, they arranged to store it up. Falling under the sway of desire, their craving grew and grew. They compiled hymns to that end, approached King Okkāka once more and said,

Yathā āpo ca pathavī ca, Hiraññaṁ dhanadhāniyaṁ; Evaṁ gāvo manussānaṁ, Parikkhāro so hi pāṇinaṁ; Yajassu bahu te vittaṁ, Yajassu bahu te dhanaṁ.

‘Like water and earth, gold coin, riches, and grain, are cows for humankind, as they are essential for creatures. Sacrifice! For you have much treasure. Sacrifice! For you have much money.’

Tato ca rājā saññatto, Brāhmaṇehi rathesabho; Nekā satasahassiyo, Gāvo yaññe aghātayi.

Persuaded by the brahmins, the king, chief of charioteers, had many hundred thousand cows slain at the sacrifice.

Na pādā na visāṇena, Nāssu hiṁsanti kenaci; Gāvo eḷakasamānā, Soratā kumbhadūhanā; Tā visāṇe gahetvāna, Rājā satthena ghātayi.

Neither with feet nor with horns do cows harm anyone at all. Cows meek as lambs supply buckets of milk. But taking them by the horns, the king slew them with a sword.

Tato devā pitaro ca, Indo asurarakkhasā; Adhammo iti pakkanduṁ, Yaṁ satthaṁ nipatī gave.

At that the gods and the ancestors, with Indra, the titans and monsters, roared out: ‘This is a crime against nature!’ as the sword fell on the cows.

Tayo rogā pure āsuṁ, Icchā anasanaṁ jarā; Pasūnañca samārambhā, Aṭṭhānavutimāgamuṁ.

There used to be three kinds of illness: greed, starvation, and old age. But due to the slaughter of cows, this grew to be ninety-eight.

Eso adhammo daṇḍānaṁ, Okkanto purāṇo ahu; Adūsikāyo haññanti, Dhammā dhaṁsanti yājakā.

This crime of the rods is of ancient descent. Killing innocent creatures, the sacrificers forsake righteousness.

Evameso aṇudhammo, Porāṇo viññugarahito; Yattha edisakaṁ passati, Yājakaṁ garahatī jano.

And that is how this mean old practice was criticized by sensible people. Wherever they see such a thing, folk criticize the sacrificer.

Evaṁ dhamme viyāpanne, Vibhinnā suddavessikā; Puthū vibhinnā khattiyā, Patiṁ bhariyāvamaññatha.

With righteousness gone, peasants and menials were split, as were many aristocrats, and wives looked down on their husbands.

Khattiyā brahmabandhū ca, Ye caññe gottarakkhitā; Jātivādaṁ nirākatvā, Kāmānaṁ vasamanvagun”ti.

Aristocrats and brahmins only by kin, and others protected by their clan, neglecting their genealogy, fell under the sway of sensual pleasures.”

Evaṁ vutte, te brāhmaṇamahāsālā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: “abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe… upāsake no bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupete saraṇaṁ gate”ti.

When he had spoken, those well-to-do brahmins said to the Buddha, “Excellent, worthy Gotama! Excellent! … From this day forth, may the worthy Gotama remember us as lay followers who have gone for refuge for life.”