26.26 The Story about a Certain Elder

Dhp 409

Burlingame: The Monk Who Was Accused of Theft

A certain bhikkhu picked up a cloth one day thinking it was discarded, only to be accosted by its owner to whom he straightaway gave the cloth back; when the bhikkhus heard about it they teased him and reported it to the Buddha who confirmed he did not take what was not given as he was without attachments, and then spoke a verse about him.

Keywords: Discipline

“Whoever here does not take,” this Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to a certain elder. {4.183}

It seems that a certain Brahmin of wrong views who lived at Sāvatthī, for fear his outer cloth might catch the odor of his body, took it off, laid it aside, and sat down facing his house. Now a certain bhikkhu who was an Arahat, on his way to the monastery after breakfast, saw that cloth, and looking about and seeing no one, and therefore concluding that it had no owner, adopted it as a refuse-rag, and took it with him.

When the Brahmin saw him, he went up to him and abused him, saying: “Shaveling ascetic, you are taking my cloth.” – “Is this your cloth, Brahmin?” – “Yes, bhikkhu.” – “I saw no one about, and thinking it was a refuse-rag, took it with me; here it is.” So saying, the elder gave the Brahmin back his cloth. Then he went to the monastery and related the incident to the bhikkhus in detail.

When the bhikkhus heard his story, they made fun of him, saying: “Friend, is the cloth you took long or short, coarse or fine?” – “Friends,” replied the Elder, “never mind whether the cloth is long or short, coarse or fine; I have no attachment for it. I took it, supposing it to be a refuse-rag.” When the bhikkhus heard his reply, they reported the matter to Realised One, saying: “Venerable Sir, this bhikkhu says what [30.302] is not true and utters falsehood.”

The Teacher said: “No, bhikkhus, what this bhikkhu says is quite true; they that have rid themselves of the pollutants do not take what belongs to others.” So saying, he pronounced the following verse: {4.184}

409. Yodha dīghaṁ va rassaṁ vā aṇuṁ-thūlaṁ subhāsubhaṁ,
loke adinnaṁ nādiyati, tam-ahaṁ brūmi brāhmaṇaṁ.

Whoever here does not take what
is not given, long, short, small, large,
attractive or unattractive,
that one I say is a Brahmin.