26.25 The Story about the Elder Pilindavaccha

Dhp 408

Burlingame: The Force of Habit

Compare: Ud 3.6; AN-a 1.14.3.7; Dhp-a 18.9

Elder Pilindavaccha used to speak to everyone using abusive words which offended many of the bhikkhus; they asked the Buddha about it, and he understood that Elder Pilindavaccha was not angry, but was speaking like that habitually because he had been a Brahmin in five hundred previous existences; and then he spoke a verse about him.

Keywords: Reviling, Brahmins, Outcastes, Foremost Disciples

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“Whoever speaks a word of truth,” this Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Veḷuvana with reference to Elder Pilindavaccha.

It seems that this venerable elder was in the habit of accosting both laymen and bhikkhus with the epithet commonly applied only to outcastes. “Come, outcaste! Go, outcaste,” AJ: Ehi, vasali, yāhi, vasasli. he would say to everyone he met. {4.182} One day several bhikkhus complained about his conduct to the Teacher, saying: “Venerable Sir, venerable Pilindavaccha accosts the bhikkhus with an epithet applicable only to outcastes.” The Teacher caused him to be summoned before him. “Is it true, Vaccha,” said the Teacher, “that you accost the bhikkhus with an epithet applicable only to outcastes?” – “Yes, venerable Sir,” replied Pilindavaccha, “it is true.”

The Teacher called before his mind the previous abodes of that venerable elder and said to the bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus, be not offended with the bhikkhu Vaccha. Bhikkhus, it is not because Vaccha entertains feelings of hatred within him, that he accosts his brother bhikkhus with [30.301] an epithet applicable only to outcastes. The fact is, the bhikkhu Vaccha has passed through five hundred states of existence, and in everyone of these states of existence he was reborn in the family of a Brahmin. The use of this epithet has been habitual with him for such a long time that he now applies it to everyone he meets simply from the force of habit. He that has rid himself of the pollutants never makes use of words that are harsh and cruel, never makes use of words that cut hearers to the quick. It is solely from the force of habit that my son speaks thus.” So saying, he expounded the Dhamma, pronouncing the following verse:

408. Akakkasaṁ viññapaniṁ giraṁ saccaṁ udīraye,
yāya nābhisaje kañci, tam-ahaṁ brūmi brāhmaṇaṁ.

Whoever speaks a word of truth
that is informed and is not coarse,
through which no one would be angry,
that one I say is a Brahmin.