26.35 The Story about the Elder, Formerly an Acrobat
Naṭapubbakattheravatthu

Dhp 417

CST4: Naṭaputtakattheravatthu, the Story about an Elder Who Was an Acrobat’s Son

Burlingame: The Monk Who Was Once a Mime

One bhikkhu who was previously an acrobat soon became an Arahat; when a troupe of acrobats passed through, the bhikkhus asked whether he still craved for his previous life, and he answered he did not; the bhikkhus asked the Buddha about it, who confirmed the bhikkhu had overcome all yokes, and spoke a verse.

Keywords: Acrobats

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“Abandoning the human yoke,” this Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Veḷuvana with reference to a certain bhikkhu who was once an acrobat.

It is said that a certain acrobat giving performances from place to place heard the Teacher teach the Dhamma, whereupon he went forth, and attained Arahatship. One day, as he [30.334] was entering the village for alms, in company with the Saṅgha of bhikkhus presided over by the Buddha, the bhikkhus saw a certain acrobat going through his performance. Thereupon they asked the bhikkhu who was once an acrobat: “Friend, yonder acrobat is going through the same kind of performance you used to go through; have you no longing for this sort of life?” – “No, friends,” replied the bhikkhu. The bhikkhus said to the Teacher: “Venerable Sir, this bhikkhu, having spoken what is not true, declares something false.”

When the Teacher heard them say this, he replied: “Bhikkhus, my son has passed beyond all bonds.” So saying, he pronounced the following verse:

417. Hitvā mānusakaṁ yogaṁ, dibbaṁ yogaṁ upaccagā,
sabbayogavisaṁyuttaṁ, tam-ahaṁ brūmi brāhmaṇaṁ.

Abandoning the human yoke,
overcoming the divine yoke,
being unattached to all yokes,
that one I say is a Brahmin. {4.225}

At the end of the teaching many reached the fruition of Stream-entry and so on.

 

last updated: August 2024