25.6 The Story about the Brahmin Pañcaggadāyaka
Pañcaggadāyakabrāhmaṇavatthu

“The one who does not have fondness,” [30.252] {4.98} this Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to a Brahmin Pañcaggadāyaka.

When the grain was ripe, we are told, he gave the first-fruits of the field; when it was threshed, he gave the first-fruits of the threshing-floor; when it was put into the tubs, he gave the first-fruits of the tubs; when it was put into a pot, he gave the first-fruits of a pot; when it was heaped upon the dish, he gave the first-fruits of the dish. Thus did he give the five gifts of the first-fruits, tasting not a morsel himself until he had given to whoever was present. For this reason he came to be called Pañcaggadāyaka (Giver of the Five First-Fruits).

The Teacher, perceiving that the Brahmin and his wife possessed the supporting conditions for the attainment of the three fruitions, went and stood at the door of the Brahmin’s house at meal-time. The Brahmin sat eating in front of the door, facing the interior of the house, and therefore did not see the Teacher as he stood at the door.

But the Brahmin’s wife, as she served her husband with food, saw the Teacher and thought to herself: “This Brahmin, after giving the five gifts of the first-fruits, is eating his meal, and now comes the ascetic Gotama and stands at his door. If the Brahmin sees him, he will take his own food and give it to him, and I shall not be able to cook any more for him.” So turning her back on the Teacher, she stood behind her husband, stooping over so as to conceal the Teacher from the view of her husband, as if thinking to cover the full moon with her hand.

Thus did she stand, watching the Teacher with half an eye and wondering to herself: “Has he gone or not?” The Teacher remained standing where he was. The Brahmin’s wife refrained from saying: “Pass on,” for fear that her husband would hear. After a while, however, she stepped back and said in a very low tone of voice: “Pass on.” – “I will not go,” thought the Teacher and shook his head. {4.99} When the Buddha, the Teacher of the World, thinking: “I will not go,” shook his head, the Brahmin’s wife was not able to contain herself, and broke out into a loud laugh.

At that moment the Teacher sent forth a radiant image of himself [30.253] in the direction of the house. The Brahmin, seated as he was with his back to the Teacher, at the same moment heard the sound of his wife’s laughter, saw the reflection of the six-colored rays of light, and beheld the Teacher. For the Buddhas, whether it be in the village or in the forest, never depart without manifesting themselves to those who possess the supporting conditions. When the Brahmin saw the Teacher, he said to his wife: “Wife, I am ruined! When the prince came and stood at the door of my house, you should have informed me. By failing to do so you have committed a grievous fault.”

And taking the dish of food, of which he had eaten half, he went to the Teacher and said: “Dear Gotama, after giving the five gifts of first-fruits, I am eating my meal. The food which was prepared for me, I divided into two portions, and one of these portions I have eaten; will you accept this food at my hands?” The Teacher, instead of saying: “I have no use for the food which you have leftover,” said: “Brahmin, both the first portion is proper for me; also, when the giver divides his meal into two portions, the second portion; the last portion also is proper for me; for, Brahmin, we are like the Petas that subsist on food given to others.” So saying, he pronounced the following verse:

From the top, the middle or from the remainder,
when one living on food given by another
receives a rice-ball, it is not enough to praise
or disparage it – the wise sense he is a sage. {4.100}

The Brahmin, hearing these words, rejoiced inwardly and said: “How wonderful it is that the prince, the master of the directions, instead of saying: ‘I have no use for the leftovers of your food,’ should speak as he does!”

Remaining standing at the door, he asked the Teacher the following question: “Good Gotama, you call your own disciples bhikkhus. What is it that makes a bhikkhu?” The Teacher considered within himself: “How can I teach the Dhamma to do this man the most good?” Then he reflected: “In the dispensation of the Buddha Kassapa these two persons heard the discourse of those who dwelt on mind and body; I ought not to let this opportunity go to teach to them about the mind and body.” Accordingly he said: “Brahmin, a bhikkhu is one who is not attracted or fettered or bound by mind and body.” So saying, he pronounced the following verse:

367. Sabbaso nāmarūpasmiṁ yassa natthi mamāyitaṁ,
asatā ca na socati, sa ve bhikkhū ti vuccati.

The one who does not have fondness
at all for mind and body, who
grieves not for what does not exist,
he is surely called a bhikkhu. {4.101}

At the end of the teaching both husband and wife were established in the fruition of Non-returning, and those who had assembled also had benefit from the Dhamma teaching.

last updated: August 2024