Truths of the BrahminsBrāhmaṇasaccasutta

Once the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, on the Vulture’s Peak Mountain.Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati gijjhakūṭe pabbate.

Now at that time several very well-known wanderers were residing in their monastery on the bank of the Serpentine River. They included Annabhāra, Varadhara, Sakuludāyī, and other very well-known wanderers.Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā abhiññātā abhiññātā paribbājakā sippinikātīre paribbājakārāme paṭivasanti, seyyathidaṁ annabhāro varadharo sakuludāyī ca paribbājako aññe ca abhiññātā abhiññātā paribbājakā.

Then in the late afternoon, the Buddha came out of retreat and went to the monastery for the wanderers on the bank of the Serpentine River.Atha kho bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yena sippinikātīre paribbājakārāmo tenupasaṅkami.

Now at that time this discussion came up while those wanderers of other religions were sitting together,Tena kho pana samayena tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ sannisinnānaṁ sannipatitānaṁ ayamantarā kathā udapādi: “The truths of the brahmins are like this; the truths of the brahmins are like that.”“itipi brāhmaṇasaccāni, itipi brāhmaṇasaccānī”ti.

Then the Buddha went up to those wanderers, sat down on the seat spread out, and said to them,Atha kho bhagavā yena te paribbājakā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Nisajja kho bhagavā te paribbājake etadavoca: “Wanderers, what were you sitting talking about just now? What conversation was left unfinished?”“Kāya nuttha, paribbājakā, etarahi kathāya sannisinnā, kā ca pana vo antarākathā vippakatā”ti?

“Well, worthy Gotama, this discussion came up among us while we were sitting together:“Idha, bho gotama, amhākaṁ sannisinnānaṁ sannipatitānaṁ ayamantarākathā udapādi: ‘The truths of the brahmins are like this; the truths of the brahmins are like that.’”‘itipi brāhmaṇasaccāni, itipi brāhmaṇasaccānī’”ti.

“Wanderers, I declare these four truths of the brahmins, having realized them with my own insight.“Cattārimāni, paribbājakā, brāhmaṇasaccāni mayā sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā paveditāni. What four?Katamāni cattāri?

Take a brahmin who says:Idha, paribbājakā, brāhmaṇo evamāha: ‘No sentient beings should be killed.’‘sabbe pāṇā avajjhā’ti. In speaking like this, a brahmin speaks the truth, not lies.Iti vadaṁ brāhmaṇo saccaṁ āha, no musā. But they don’t think of themselves as an ‘ascetic’ or ‘brahmin’ because of that. Nor do they think ‘I’m better’ or ‘I’m equal’ or ‘I’m worse’.So tena na samaṇoti maññati, na brāhmaṇoti maññati, na seyyohamasmīti maññati, na sadisohamasmīti maññati, na hīnohamasmīti maññati. Rather, they simply practice out of kindness and sympathy for living creatures, having had insight into the truth of that.Api ca yadeva tattha saccaṁ tadabhiññāya pāṇānaṁyeva anuddayāya anukampāya paṭipanno hoti.

Take another brahmin who says:Puna caparaṁ, paribbājakā, brāhmaṇo evamāha: ‘All sensual pleasures are impermanent, suffering, and perishable.’‘sabbe kāmā aniccā dukkhā vipariṇāmadhammā’ti. Saying this, a brahmin speaks the truth, not lies.Iti vadaṁ brāhmaṇo saccamāha, no musā. But they don’t think of themselves as an ‘ascetic’ or ‘brahmin’ because of that. Nor do they think ‘I’m better’ or ‘I’m equal’ or ‘I’m worse’.So tena na samaṇoti maññati, na brāhmaṇoti maññati, na seyyohamasmīti maññati, na sadisohamasmīti maññati, na hīnohamasmīti maññati. Rather, they simply practice for disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding sensual pleasures, having had insight into the truth of that.Api ca yadeva tattha saccaṁ tadabhiññāya kāmānaṁyeva nibbidāya virāgāya nirodhāya paṭipanno hoti.

Take another brahmin who says:Puna caparaṁ, paribbājakā, brāhmaṇo evamāha: ‘All states of existence are impermanent, suffering, and perishable.’ … They simply practice for disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding future lives, having had insight into the truth of that.‘sabbe bhavā aniccā …pe… tadabhiññāya bhavānaṁyeva nibbidāya virāgāya nirodhāya paṭipanno hoti.

Take another brahmin who says:Puna caparaṁ, paribbājakā, brāhmaṇo evamāha: ‘I don’t belong to anyone anywhere. And nothing belongs to me anywhere.’‘nāhaṁ kvacani kassaci kiñcanatasmiṁ na ca mama kvacani katthaci kiñcanatatthī’ti. In speaking like this, a brahmin speaks the truth, not lies.Iti vadaṁ brāhmaṇo saccaṁ āha, no musā. But they don’t think of themselves as an ‘ascetic’ or ‘brahmin’ because of that. Nor do they think ‘I’m better’ or ‘I’m equal’ or ‘I’m worse’.So tena na samaṇoti maññati, na brāhmaṇoti maññati, na seyyohamasmīti maññati, na sadisohamasmīti maññati, na hīnohamasmīti maññati. Rather, they simply practice the path of nothingness, having had insight into the truth of that.Api ca yadeva tattha saccaṁ tadabhiññāya ākiñcaññaṁyeva paṭipadaṁ paṭipanno hoti.

These are the four truths of the brahmins that I declare, having realized them with my own insight.”Imāni kho, paribbājakā, cattāri brāhmaṇasaccāni mayā sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā paveditānī”ti.