26.40 The Story about the Brahmin Devahita

Dhp 423

Burlingame: It Is the Giver That Makes the Gift

Compare: SN 7.2.3

When the Buddha was ill one time he asked for hot water from the Brahmin Devahita, who readily gave it; the Brahmin then asked to whom alms were best given, and the Buddha explained that his alms had great fruit, and then spoke the following verse about the true Brahmin.

Keywords: Brahmins, Offerings

“Whoever knows their former lives,” [30.339] this Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to a question asked by Brahmin Devahita.

For once upon a time the Fortunate One suffered from a disorder of the humors and sent Elder Upavāṇa to Brahmin Devahita for hot water. The elder went to the Brahmin, told him the Teacher was suffering from disorder of the humors, and asked him for hot water. When the Brahmin heard the Teacher’s request, his heart was filled with joy. “How fortunate for me,” he exclaimed, “that the Sambuddha should send to me for hot water!” The Brahmin gave the elder hot water and a jar of molasses, ordering one of his men to carry the hot water on a pingo. The elder caused the Teacher to bathe himself in hot water, and then, mixing the molasses with hot water, gave it to the Fortunate One to drink. The Teacher’s ailment immediately abated.

The Brahmin {4.233} thought to himself: “To whom should one give alms to obtain a great reward? I will ask the Teacher.” So he went to the Teacher and asked him about the matter, pronouncing the following verse:

To whom should one give offerings?
Given to whom is there great fruit?
How, for the one sacrificing
is the offering successful?

The Teacher said to the Brahmin: “The alms of such a Brahmin as this yield abundant fruit.” And proclaiming his conception of the true Brahmin, he pronounced the following verse:

423. Pubbenivāsaṁ yo vedī, saggāpāyañ-ca passati,
atho jātikkhayaṁ patto, abhiññāvosito muni,
sabbavositavosānaṁ, tam-ahaṁ brūmi brāhmaṇaṁ.

Whoever knows their former lives,
and sees heaven and Apāya,
and has attained birth’s destruction,
the sage, accomplished in knowledge,
who is accomplished in all things,
that one I say is a Brahmin. {4.234}

At the end of the teaching many reached the fruition of Stream-entry and so on. That Brahmin also, with confident mind, being established in the refuges, declared himself a lay disciple.