Brahmanical PrinciplesBrāhmaṇadhammikasutta

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 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.Atha kho sambahulā kosalakā brāhmaṇamahāsālā jiṇṇā vuḍḍhā mahallakā addhagatā vayoanuppattā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodiṁsu. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, they sat down to one side and said to the Buddha:Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te brāhmaṇamahāsālā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: “Worthy Gotama, are the ancient principles of the brahmins exhibited these days among brahmins?”“sandissanti nu kho, bho gotama, etarahi brāhmaṇā porāṇānaṁ brāhmaṇānaṁ brāhmaṇadhamme”ti? “No, brahmins, they are not.”“Na kho, brāhmaṇā, sandissanti etarahi brāhmaṇā porāṇānaṁ brāhmaṇānaṁ brāhmaṇadhamme”ti. “If you wouldn’t mind, Worthy Gotama, please teach us the ancient principles of the brahmins.”“Sādhu no bhavaṁ gotamo porāṇānaṁ brāhmaṇānaṁ brāhmaṇadhammaṁ bhāsatu, sace bhoto gotamassa agarū”ti. “Well then, brahmins, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”“Tena hi, brāhmaṇā, suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti. “Yes, worthy sir,” they replied.“Evaṁ, bho”ti kho te brāhmaṇamahāsālā bhagavato paccassosuṁ. The Buddha said this:Bhagavā etadavoca:

“The ancient seers used to be“Isayo pubbakā āsuṁ, restrained and austere.saññatattā tapassino; Having given up the five sensual stimuli,Pañca kāmaguṇe hitvā, they lived for their own true good.attadatthamacārisuṁ.

Brahmins used to own no cattle,Na pasū brāhmaṇānāsuṁ, nor gold coin or grain.na hiraññaṁ na dhāniyaṁ; Chanting was their money and grain,Sajjhāyadhanadhaññāsuṁ, which they guarded as a gift from god.brahmaṁ nidhimapālayuṁ.

Food was prepared for themYaṁ nesaṁ pakataṁ āsi, and left beside their doors.dvārabhattaṁ upaṭṭhitaṁ; People believed that food prepared in faithSaddhāpakatamesānaṁ, should be given to them.dātave tadamaññisuṁ.

With colorful clothes,Nānārattehi vatthehi, lodgings and houses,sayanehāvasathehi ca; prosperous nations and countriesPhītā janapadā raṭṭhā, honored those brahmins.te namassiṁsu brāhmaṇe.

Brahmins used to be inviolable andAvajjhā brāhmaṇā āsuṁ, invincible, protected by principle.ajeyyā dhammarakkhitā; No one ever turned them awayNa ne koci nivāresi, from the doors of families.kuladvāresu sabbaso.

For forty-eight yearsAṭṭhacattālīsaṁ vassāni, they led the spiritual life.(komāra) Brahmacariyaṁ cariṁsu te; The brahmins of old pursuedVijjācaraṇapariyeṭṭhiṁ, their quest for knowledge and conduct.Acaruṁ brāhmaṇā pure.

Brahmins never transgressed with another,Na brāhmaṇā aññamagamuṁ, nor did they purchase a wife.napi bhariyaṁ kiṇiṁsu te; They lived together in love,Sampiyeneva saṁvāsaṁ, joining together by mutual consent.saṅgantvā samarocayuṁ.

Brahmins never approached their wives for sexAññatra tamhā samayā, during the time outsideutuveramaṇiṁ pati; the fertile phase of the menstrual cycleAntarā methunaṁ dhammaṁ, after menstruation.nāssu gacchanti brāhmaṇā.

They praised chastity and morality,Brahmacariyañca sīlañca, integrity, tenderness, and fervor,ajjavaṁ maddavaṁ tapaṁ; gentleness and harmlessness,Soraccaṁ avihiṁsañca, and also patience.khantiñcāpi avaṇṇayuṁ.

He who was supreme among them,Yo nesaṁ paramo āsi, godlike, staunchly vigorous,Brahmā daḷhaparakkamo; did not engage in sexSa vāpi methunaṁ dhammaṁ, even in a dream.Supinantepi nāgamā.

Training in line with their duties,Tassa vattamanusikkhantā, many smart people hereIdheke viññujātikā; praised chastity and morality,Brahmacariyañca sīlañca, and also patience.Khantiñcāpi avaṇṇayuṁ.

They begged for rice,Taṇḍulaṁ sayanaṁ vatthaṁ, bedding, clothes, ghee, and oil.Sappitelañca yāciya; Having collected them legitimately,Dhammena samodhānetvā, they arranged a sacrifice.Tato yaññamakappayuṁ.

But they slew no cowsUpaṭṭhitasmiṁ yaññasmiṁ, while serving at the sacrifice.Nāssu gāvo haniṁsu te; Like a mother, father, or brother,Yathā mātā pitā bhātā, or some other relative,Aññe vāpi ca ñātakā; cows are our best friends,Gāvo no paramā mittā, the fonts of medicine.Yāsu jāyanti osadhā.

They give food and strength,Annadā baladā cetā, and beauty and happiness.Vaṇṇadā sukhadā tathā; Knowing these benefits,Etamatthavasaṁ ñatvā, they slew no cows.Nāssu gāvo haniṁsu te.

The brahmins were delicate and tall,Sukhumālā mahākāyā, beautiful and glorious.Vaṇṇavanto yasassino; They were keen on all the dutiesBrāhmaṇā sehi dhammehi, according to their teachings.Kiccākiccesu ussukā; So long as they continued in the world,Yāva loke avattiṁsu, people flourished happily.Sukhamedhitthayaṁ pajā.

But perversion crept into themTesaṁ āsi vipallāso, little by little when they sawDisvāna aṇuto aṇuṁ; the transformation of the kingRājino ca viyākāraṁ, and the ladies in all their finery.Nāriyo samalaṅkatā.

Their chariots were harnessed with thoroughbreds,Rathe cājaññasaṁyutte, well-made with bright canopies,Sukate cittasibbane; and their homes and housesNivesane nivese ca, were neatly divided section by section.Vibhatte bhāgaso mite.

They were lavished with herds of cattle,Gomaṇḍalaparibyūḷhaṁ, and furnished with bevies of lovely ladies.Nārīvaragaṇāyutaṁ; This extravagant human wealthUḷāraṁ mānusaṁ bhogaṁ, was coveted by the brahmins.Abhijjhāyiṁsu brāhmaṇā.

They compiled hymns to that end,Te tattha mante ganthetvā, approached King Okkāka and said,Okkākaṁ tadupāgamuṁ; ‘You have plenty of money and grain.Pahūtadhanadhaññosi, Sacrifice! For you have much treasure.Yajassu bahu te vittaṁ; Sacrifice! For you have much money.’Yajassu bahu te dhanaṁ.

Persuaded by the brahmins,Tato ca rājā saññatto, the king, chief of charioteers, performedBrāhmaṇehi rathesabho; horse sacrifice, human sacrifice,Assamedhaṁ purisamedhaṁ, the sacrifices of the ‘casting of the yoke-pin’, <j>the ‘royal soma drinking’, and the ‘unimpeded’.Sammāpāsaṁ vājapeyyaṁ niraggaḷaṁ; When he had carried out these sacrifices,Ete yāge yajitvāna, he gave riches to the brahmins.Brāhmaṇānamadā dhanaṁ.

There were cattle, bedding, and clothes,Gāvo sayanañca vatthañca, and ladies in all their finery;Nāriyo samalaṅkatā; chariots harnessed with thoroughbreds,Rathe cājaññasaṁyutte, well-made with bright canopies;Sukate cittasibbane.

and lovely homes,Nivesanāni rammāni, nicely divided section by section.Suvibhattāni bhāgaso; Having furnished them with different grains,Nānādhaññassa pūretvā, he gave riches to the brahmins.Brāhmaṇānamadā dhanaṁ.

When they got hold of that wealth,Te ca tattha dhanaṁ laddhā, they arranged to store it up.Sannidhiṁ samarocayuṁ; Falling under the sway of desire,Tesaṁ icchāvatiṇṇānaṁ, their craving grew and grew.Bhiyyo taṇhā pavaḍḍhatha; They compiled hymns to that end,Te tattha mante ganthetvā, approached King Okkāka once more and said,Okkākaṁ puna mupāgamuṁ.

‘Like water and earth,Yathā āpo ca pathavī ca, gold coin, riches, and grain,Hiraññaṁ dhanadhāniyaṁ; are cows for humankind,Evaṁ gāvo manussānaṁ, as they are essential for creatures.Parikkhāro so hi pāṇinaṁ; Sacrifice! For you have much treasure.Yajassu bahu te vittaṁ, Sacrifice! For you have much money.’Yajassu bahu te dhanaṁ.

Persuaded by the brahmins,Tato ca rājā saññatto, the king, chief of charioteers,Brāhmaṇehi rathesabho; had many hundred thousand cowsNekā satasahassiyo, slain at the sacrifice.Gāvo yaññe aghātayi.

Neither with feet nor with hornsNa pādā na visāṇena, do cows harm anyone at all.Nāssu hiṁsanti kenaci; Cows meek as lambsGāvo eḷakasamānā, supply buckets of milk.Soratā kumbhadūhanā; But taking them by the horns,Tā visāṇe gahetvāna, the king slew them with a sword.Rājā satthena ghātayi.

At that the gods and the ancestors,Tato devā pitaro ca, with Indra, the titans and monsters,Indo asurarakkhasā; roared out: ‘This is a crime against nature!’Adhammo iti pakkanduṁ, as the sword fell on the cows.Yaṁ satthaṁ nipatī gave.

There used to be three kinds of illness:Tayo rogā pure āsuṁ, greed, starvation, and old age.Icchā anasanaṁ jarā; But due to the slaughter of cows,Pasūnañca samārambhā, this grew to be ninety-eight.Aṭṭhānavutimāgamuṁ.

This crime of the rodsEso adhammo daṇḍānaṁ, is of ancient descent.Okkanto purāṇo ahu; Killing innocent creatures,Adūsikāyo haññanti, the sacrificers forsake righteousness.Dhammā dhaṁsanti yājakā.

And that is how this mean old practiceEvameso aṇudhammo, was criticized by sensible people.Porāṇo viññugarahito; Wherever they see such a thing,Yattha edisakaṁ passati, folk criticize the sacrificer.Yājakaṁ garahatī jano.

With righteousness gone,Evaṁ dhamme viyāpanne, peasants and menials were split,Vibhinnā suddavessikā; as were many aristocrats,Puthū vibhinnā khattiyā, and wives looked down on their husbands.Patiṁ bhariyāvamaññatha.

Aristocrats and brahmins only by kin,Khattiyā brahmabandhū ca, and others protected by their clan,Ye caññe gottarakkhitā; neglecting their genealogy,Jātivādaṁ nirākatvā, fell under the sway of sensual pleasures.”Kāmānaṁ vasamanvagun”ti.

When he had spoken, those well-to-do brahmins said to the Buddha,Evaṁ vutte, te brāhmaṇamahāsālā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: “Excellent, worthy Gotama! Excellent! …“abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe… From this day forth, may the worthy Gotama remember us as lay followers who have gone for refuge for life.”upāsake no bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupete saraṇaṁ gate”ti.