26.13 The Story about One Brahmin
Ekabrāhmaṇavatthu
Dhp 396
Burlingame: What is a Brahman?
Compare: Dhp-a 6.10
A Brahmin by birth noticed that the Buddha referred to his disciples as Brahmins, and thought he should apply the title to him also; the Buddha explained that he used the word not because of matted hair, family or birth, but only of one who was unattached, and then he spoke a verse.
Keywords: Brahmins
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“I do not call one a Brahmin,”
It seems that this Brahmin one day said to himself: “The ascetic Gotama calls his own disciples Brahmins. Now I was reborn in the womb of a Brahmin mother; therefore he ought to apply this title to me too.” So he approached the Teacher and asked him about the matter.
The Teacher said to the Brahmin: “I do not call a man a Brahmin merely because he received a new existence in the womb of a Brahmin mother. But he that is without worldly possessions, he that grasps not after the things of this world, him alone I call a Brahmin.” So saying, he pronounced the following verse:
396. Na cāhaṁ brāhmaṇaṁ brūmi yonijaṁ mattisambhavaṁ,
bhovādī nāma so hoti sace hoti sakiñcano;
akiñcanaṁ anādānaṁ, tam-ahaṁ brūmi brāhmaṇaṁ.
I do not call one a Brahmin
because of being born from a
certain womb, that one is just one
who says ‘bho’ if he is attached;
having nothing and unattached,
that one I say is a Brahmin.
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.