26.6 The Story about a Certain One Gone Forth
Aññatarapabbajitavatthu

Dhp 388

CST4: Aññatarabrāhmaṇapabbajitavatthu

Burlingame: What Is a Monk?

A Brahmin who ordained in an outside sect noticed that the Buddha referred to his disciples as ones who had gone forth, and thought he should apply the title to him also; the Buddha explained that he used the word not of one who had left home, but only of one who had driven out the defilements, and then he spoke a verse.

Keywords: Brahmins

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“Warding wickedness one’s called a Brahmin,” this Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to a certain bhikkhu.

The story is told of a certain Brahmin that went forth under a teacher other than the Buddha, and having so done, thought to himself: “The ascetic Gotama says of his own disciples that they have gone forth, {4.145} I too have gone forth, and he ought to apply that title to me too.” So he approached the Teacher and asked him about the matter. The Teacher said: “It is not alone for the reason which you have given me that I say someone has gone forth. But it is because the defilements and impurities have gone forth from him that a man is called one who has gone forth.” So saying, he pronounced the following verse:

388. Bāhitapāpo ti brāhmaṇo,
samacariyā samaṇo ti vuccati,
pabbājayam-attano malaṁ
tasmā pabbajito ti vuccati.

Warding wickedness one’s called a Brahmin,
an austere one is called an ascetic,
because of driving forth all stain from oneself
one is said to be one who has gone forth.

At the end of the teaching that Brahmin was established in the fruition of Stream-entry, and those who had assembled also had benefit from the Dhamma teaching.

 

last updated: August 2024