An AlmsmanBhikkhakasutta

At Sāvatthī.Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Then a brahmin almsman went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him.Atha kho bhikkhako brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi.

When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha,Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho bhikkhako brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “Worthy Gotama, both you and I are almsmen. What, then, is the difference between us?”“ahampi kho, bho gotama, bhikkhako, bhavampi bhikkhako, idha no kiṁ nānākaraṇan”ti?

“You don’t become an almsman“Na tena bhikkhako hoti, just by begging alms from others.yāvatā bhikkhate pare; One who has undertaken domestic dutiesVissaṁ dhammaṁ samādāya, has not yet become a mendicant.bhikkhu hoti na tāvatā.

But one living a spiritual lifeYodha puññañca pāpañca, who has banished both merit and evil,bāhitvā brahmacariyaṁ; and wanders having appraised the world,Saṅkhāya loke carati, is said to be a mendicant.”sa ve bhikkhūti vuccatī”ti.

When he had spoken, the brahmin almsman said to the Buddha,Evaṁ vutte, bhikkhako brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “Excellent, worthy Gotama! Excellent! …“abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe… From this day forth, may the worthy Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.