8.4 The Story about the Brahmin Who Asked about Loss
Anatthapucchakabrāhmaṇavatthu
Dhp 104-105
Burlingame: Gain and Loss
A Brahmin admitted to earning his living through gambling, and the Buddha explained that gains in this way are no true gains, but those who overcame themselves are truly victorious, and then he gave him a teaching.
Keywords: Self-Conquest
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“Conquest over self is better,” this Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to a Brahmin who asked about loss.
It seems that this Brahmin considered within himself: “Does the Sambuddha know gain alone or does he know loss also? I will ask him.” Accordingly he approached the Teacher and asked him: “Venerable Sir, tell me, I pray you, do you know gain alone, and not loss?” – “Brahmin, I know both gain and loss.” – “Well then, tell me about loss.” At once the Teacher pronounced the following verse:
Sleeping after sunrise, lazy,
ferocious, drunk for a long time,
journeying to one who’s alone,
consorting with other men’s wives,
if you seek these things, Brahmin,
there will surely be loss for you.
When the Brahmin heard this, he applauded the Teacher, saying: “Well said, well said, teacher of a group, leader of a group! You know indeed both gain and loss.”
Then the Teacher considered within himself what motive actuated the Brahmin, and asked him: “Brahmin, how do you make your living?” – “By gambling, dear Gotama.” – “But which wins, you or the other man?” – “Sometimes I win and sometimes the other man wins.”
Then said the Teacher: “Brahmin, a trifling matter is the victory of him who defeats another; there is no superior advantage in such a victory. But he who overcomes his pollutants and so conquers self, wins a better victory, for such a victory no one can turn into defeat.” So saying, he joined the connection, and teaching the Dhamma, pronounced the following verses:
104-105. Attā have jitaṁ seyyo yā cāyaṁ itarā pajā,
attadantassa posassa, niccaṁ saññatacārino,
neva devo na gandhabbo, na Māro saha Brahmunā,
jitaṁ apajitaṁ kayirā tathārūpassa jantuno.
Conquest over self is better
than that over other people,
for the one who conquers himself,
who lives constantly well-restrained,
neither Devas, Gandhabbas, nor
Māra together with Brahmas,
can turn conquest into defeat
for a person who is like this.
At the end of the teaching many reached the fruition of Stream-entry and so on.
