The LowlifeVasalasutta

So I have heard.Evaṁ me sutaṁ— At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms.Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi. Now at that time in the brahmin Bhāradvāja the Fire-Worshiper’s home the sacred flame had been kindled and the oblation prepared.Tena kho pana samayena aggikabhāradvājassa brāhmaṇassa nivesane aggi pajjalito hoti āhuti paggahitā. Wandering indiscriminately for almsfood in Sāvatthī, the Buddha approached Bhāradvāja the Fire-Worshiper’s house.Atha kho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ sapadānaṁ piṇḍāya caramāno yena aggikabhāradvājassa brāhmaṇassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami.

Bhāradvāja the Fire-Worshiper saw the Buddha coming off in the distanceAddasā kho aggikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ. and said to him,Disvāna bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “Stop right there, shaveling!“tatreva, muṇḍaka; Right there, fake ascetic!tatreva, samaṇaka; Right there, lowlife!”tatreva, vasalaka, tiṭṭhāhī”ti.

When he said this, the Buddha said to him,Evaṁ vutte, bhagavā aggikabhāradvājaṁ brāhmaṇaṁ etadavoca: “But brahmin, do you know what is a lowlife or what are the qualities that make you a lowlife?”“jānāsi pana tvaṁ, brāhmaṇa, vasalaṁ vā vasalakaraṇe vā dhamme”ti? “No I do not, worthy Gotama.“Na khvāhaṁ, bho gotama, jānāmi vasalaṁ vā vasalakaraṇe vā dhamme; Please, worthy Gotama, teach me this matter so I can understand what is a lowlife or what are the qualities that make you a lowlife.”sādhu me bhavaṁ gotamo tathā dhammaṁ desetu, yathāhaṁ jāneyyaṁ vasalaṁ vā vasalakaraṇe vā dhamme”ti. “Well then, brahmin, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”“Tena hi, brāhmaṇa, suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi; bhāsissāmī”ti. “Yes, worthy sir,” Bhāradvāja the Fire-Worshiper replied.“Evaṁ, bho”ti kho aggikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavato paccassosi. The Buddha said this:Bhagavā etadavoca:

“Irritable and acrimonious,“Kodhano upanāhī ca, wicked and offensive,pāpamakkhī ca yo naro; a man deficient in view, deceitful:Vipannadiṭṭhi māyāvī, know him as a lowlife.taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

He harms living creaturesEkajaṁ vā dvijaṁ vāpi, born of womb or of egg,yodha pāṇaṁ vihiṁsati; and has no kindness for creatures:Yassa pāṇe dayā natthi, know him as a lowlife.taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

He destroys and devastatesYo hanti parirundhati, villages and towns,gāmāni nigamāni ca; a notorious oppressor:Niggāhako samaññāto, know him as a lowlife.taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

Whether in village or wilderness,Gāme vā yadi vā raññe, he steals what belongs to others,yaṁ paresaṁ mamāyitaṁ; taking what has not been given:Theyyā adinnamādeti, know him as a lowlife.taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

Having fallen into debt,Yo have iṇamādāya, when pressed to pay up he flees, sayingcujjamāno palāyati; ‘I don’t owe you anything!’:Na hi te iṇamatthīti, know him as a lowlife.taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

Wanting some item or other,Yo ve kiñcikkhakamyatā, he attacks a person in the streetpanthasmiṁ vajantaṁ janaṁ; and takes it:Hantvā kiñcikkhamādeti, know him as a lowlife.taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

For his own sake or the sake of another,Attahetu parahetu, or for the sake of wealth, a mandhanahetu ca yo naro; tells a lie when asked to bear witness:Sakkhipuṭṭho musā brūti, know him as a lowlife.taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

He is spied among the partnersYo ñātīnaṁ sakhīnaṁ vā, of relatives and friends,dāresu paṭidissati; by force or seduction:Sāhasā sampiyena vā, know him as a lowlife.taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

Though able, he does not look afterYo mātaraṁ pitaraṁ vā, his mother and fatherjiṇṇakaṁ gatayobbanaṁ; when elderly, past their prime:Pahu santo na bharati, know him as a lowlife.taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

He hits or verbally abusesYo mātaraṁ pitaraṁ vā, his mother or father,Bhātaraṁ bhaginiṁ sasuṁ; brother, sister, or mother-in-law:Hanti roseti vācāya, know him as a lowlife.Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

When asked about the good,Yo atthaṁ pucchito santo, he teaches what is bad,Anatthamanusāsati; giving secretive advice:Paṭicchannena manteti, know him as a lowlife.Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

Having done a bad deed, he wishes,Yo katvā pāpakaṁ kammaṁ, ‘May no one find me out!’Mā maṁ jaññāti icchati; His deeds are underhand:Yo paṭicchannakammanto, know him as a lowlife.Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

When visiting another familyYo ve parakulaṁ gantvā, he eats their delicious food,Bhutvāna sucibhojanaṁ; but does not return the honor:Āgataṁ nappaṭipūjeti, know him as a lowlife.Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

He deceives with liesYo brāhmaṇaṁ samaṇaṁ vā, ascetics and brahminsAññaṁ vāpi vanibbakaṁ; and other supplicants:Musāvādena vañceti, know him as a lowlife.Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

When time comes to offer a mealYo brāhmaṇaṁ samaṇaṁ vā, to brahmins or ascetics,Bhattakāle upaṭṭhite; he abuses them and does not give:Roseti vācā na ca deti, know him as a lowlife.Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

He talks about what never happened,Asataṁ yodha pabrūti, being wrapped up in delusion,Mohena paliguṇṭhito; chasing after some item or other:Kiñcikkhaṁ nijigīsāno, know him as a lowlife.Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

He extols himselfYo cattānaṁ samukkaṁse, and disparages others,Pare ca mavajānāti; brought down by his pride:Nihīno sena mānena, know him as a lowlife.Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

He’s a bully and a miser,Rosako kadariyo ca, of corrupt wishes, stingy, and devious,Pāpiccho maccharī saṭho; shameless, imprudent:Ahiriko anottappī, know him as a lowlife.Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

He insults the BuddhaYo buddhaṁ paribhāsati, or his disciple,Atha vā tassa sāvakaṁ; whether lay or renunciate:Paribbājaṁ gahaṭṭhaṁ vā, know him as a lowlife.Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

He claims to be a perfected one,Yo ve anarahaṁ santo, when he really is no such thing.Arahaṁ paṭijānāti; In the world with its divinities,Coro sabrahmake loke, that crook is truly the lowest lowlife.Eso kho vasalādhamo; These who are called lowlifesEte kho vasalā vuttā, I have revealed to you.Mayā yete pakāsitā.

You’re not a lowlife by birth,Na jaccā vasalo hoti, nor by birth are you a brahmin.Na jaccā hoti brāhmaṇo; You’re a lowlife by your deeds,Kammunā vasalo hoti, by deeds you’re a brahmin.Kammunā hoti brāhmaṇo.

And also you should knowTadamināpi jānātha, according to this example.Yathāmedaṁ nidassanaṁ; A corpse-worker’s son of the dog-eating casteCaṇḍālaputto sopāko, became renowned as Mātaṅga.Mātaṅgo iti vissuto.

Mātaṅga achieved the highest fameSo yasaṁ paramaṁ patto, so very hard to find.Mātaṅgo yaṁ sudullabhaṁ; Lots of aristocrats and brahminsĀgacchuṁ tassupaṭṭhānaṁ, came to serve him.Khattiyā brāhmaṇā bahū.

He ascended the stainless highwayDevayānaṁ abhiruyha, that leads to the heavens;Virajaṁ so mahāpathaṁ; having discarded sensual desire,Kāmarāgaṁ virājetvā, he was reborn in a realm of divinity.Brahmalokūpago ahu; His birth did not prevent himNa naṁ jāti nivāresi, from rebirth in the realm of divinity.Brahmalokūpapattiyā.

Those born in a brahmin familyAjjhāyakakule jātā, who recite as kinsmen of the hymns,Brāhmaṇā mantabandhavā; are often discoveredTe ca pāpesu kammesu, in the midst of wicked deeds.Abhiṇhamupadissare.

Blameworthy in this very life,Diṭṭheva dhamme gārayhā, and in lives to come, a bad destination.Samparāye ca duggati; Their birth does not prevent themNa ne jāti nivāreti, from blame or bad destiny.Duggatyā garahāya vā.

You’re not a lowlife by birth,Na jaccā vasalo hoti, nor by birth are you a brahmin.Na jaccā hoti brāhmaṇo; You’re a lowlife by your deeds,Kammunā vasalo hoti, by deeds you’re a brahmin.”Kammunā hoti brāhmaṇo”ti.

When he had spoken, the brahmin Bhāradvāja the Fire-Worshiper said to the Buddha,Evaṁ vutte, aggikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “Excellent, worthy Gotama! Excellent! …“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.