26.1 The Story about the Brahmin Pasādabahula

Dhp 383

Burlingame: Brahmin Great-Joy

The Brahmin Pasādabahula heard the Buddha teach and became a devotee; he used to invite bhikkhus to his house for meals and would always address them as Arahat, which nobody was happy about; the Buddha advised him with a verse to strive to become an Arahat himself.

Keywords: Offerings, Faith

“Strive and cut off the stream,” [30.276] {4.138} this Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to Brahmin Pasādabahula (Great Confidence).

It seems that this Brahmin once heard the Fortunate One teach the Dhamma, and was so confident in his mind that he thereafter gave food regularly to sixteen bhikkhus at his house. When the bhikkhus came, he would take their bowls and say: “May the reverend Arahats draw near! May the reverend Arahats sit down!” No matter whom he addressed, he greeted all of the bhikkhus with the title “Arahats.” Now those of the bhikkhus who had not yet attained Stream-entry thought to themselves: “This lay disciple thinks that there are Arahats among us,” and those who had attained Arahatship thought to themselves: “This lay disciple does not know that we have attained Arahatship.” The result was that all of the bhikkhus became dissatisfied and stopped going to his house.

This made the lay disciple very sad and sorrowful. “Why pray do the noble bhikkhus no longer come to my house?” he thought. So he went to the monastery, worshipped the Teacher, and told him what had happened. Then the Teacher addressed the bhikkhus and asked them: “Bhikkhus, what does this mean?” The bhikkhus told him what had happened. The Teacher said: “But, bhikkhus, do you not like to have him greet you as ‘Arahats’?” – “No, venerable Sir, we do not like it.” – “Nevertheless, bhikkhus, this is only an expression of the confidence which men feel; {4.139} and no fault can be found with an expression of confidence. Now the love of the Brahmin for the Arahats is boundless. Therefore it is proper that you too should sever the stream of craving and be satisfied with nothing less than the attainment of Arahatship.” So saying, he taught the Dhamma by pronouncing the following verse:

383. Chinda sotaṁ parakkamma, kāme panuda, brāhmaṇa,
saṅkhārānaṁ khayaṁ ñatvā, akataññūsi, brāhmaṇa.

Strive and cut off the stream, remove
desire, Brahmin, knowing the
destruction of the conditioned,
know that which is not made, Brahmin.