Brahmanavagga - The Holy Man

1/3/2008
(verses 383-423)

1. Strive and cut off the stream (of craving). Discard, O Brahmana, sense-desires. Knowing the destruction of conditioned things, be, O Brahmana, a knower of the Unmade (Nibbana).

2. When in two states (insight and concentration) a Brahmana goes to the Farther Shore, then all the fetters of that ``one who knows'' pass away.

3. For whom there exists neither the hither nor the farther shore, nor both the hither and the farther shore, he who is undistressed and unbound, - him I call a Brahmana.

4. The sun shines by day; the moon is radiant by night. Armoured shines the warrior king. Meditating the Brahmana shines. But all day and night the Buddha shines in glory.

5. Because he has discarded evil, he is called a Brahmana; because he lives in peace, he is called a Samana; because he gives up the impurities, he is called a Pabbajita - recluse.

6. One should not strike a Brahmana, nor should a Brahmana vent (his wrath) on one who has struck him. Shame on him who strikes a Brahmana! More shame on him who gives vent (to his wrath)!

7. Unto a Brahmana that (non-retaliation) is of no small advantage. When the mind is weaned from things dear, whenever the intent to harm ceases, then and then only doth sorrow subside.

8. He who does no evil through body, speech, or mind, who is retrained in these three respects, - him I call a Brahmana.

9. If from anybody one should understand the Doctrine preached by the Fully Enlightened One, a devoutly should one revere him, as a Brahmana reveres the sacrificial fire.

9. Not by matted hair, nor by family, nor by birth does one become a Brahmana. But in whom there exist both truth and righteousness, pure is he, a Brahmana is he.

10. What is the use of your matted hair, O witless man? What is the use of your antelope skin garment? Within, you are full of passions; without, you embellish yourself.

11. The person who wears dust-heap robes, who is lean, whose veins stand out, who meditates alone in the forest, - him I call a Brahmana.

12. I do not call him a Brahmana merely because he is born of a (Brahmin) womb or sprung from a (Brahmin) mother. He is merely a ``Bhovadi'' (one addressed as ``Sir'') if he is with impediments. He who is free from impediments, free from clinging - him I call a Brahmana.

13. He who has cut off all fetters, who trembles not, who has gone beyond ties, who is unbound, - him I call a Brahmana.

14. He who has cut the strap (hatred), the thong (craving), and the rope (heresies), together with the appendages (latent tendencies), who has thrown up the cross-bar (ignorance), who is enlightened (Buddha), - him I call a Brahmana.

15. He who, without anger, endures reproach, flogging and punishments, whose power and the potent army is patience, - him I call a Brahmana.

16. He who is not wrathful, but is dutiful, virtuous, free from craving, self-controlled and bears his final body, - him I call a Brahmana.

17. Like water on a lotus leaf, like a mustard seed on the point of a needle, he who clings not to sensual pleasures, - him I call a Brahmana.

18. He who realizes here in this world the destruction of his sorrow, who has laid the burden aside and is emancipated, - him I call a Brahmana.

19. He whose knowledge is deep, who is wise, who is skilled in the right and wrong way, who has reached the highest goal, - him I call a Brahmana.

20. He who is not intimate either with householders or with the homeless ones, who wanders without an abode, who is without desires, - him I call a Brahmana.

21. He who has laid aside the cudgel in his dealings with beings, whether feeble or strong who neither harms nor kills, - him I call a Brahmana.

22. He who is friendly amongst the hostile, who is peaceful amongst the violent, who is unattached amongst the attached, - him I call a Brahmana.

23. In whom lust, hatred, pride, detraction are fallen off like a mustard seed from the point of a needle, - him I call a Brahmana.

24. He who utters gentle, instructive, true words, who by his speech gives offence to none, - him I call a Brahmana.

25. He who in this world takes nothing that is not given, be it long or short, small or great, fair or foul, - him I call a Brahmana.

26. He who has no desires, whether pertaining to this world or to the next, who is desireless and emancipated, - him I call a Brahmana.

27. He who has no longings, who, through knowledge, is free from doubts, who has gained a firm footing in the Deathless (Nibbana), - him I call a Brahmana.

28. Herein he who has transcended both good and bad and the ties as well, who is sorrowless, stainless, and pure, - him I call a Brahmana.

29. He who is spotless as the moon, who is pure, serene, and unperturbed, who has destroyed craving for becoming, - him I call a Brahmana.

30. He who has passed beyong this quagmire, this difficult path, the ocean of life (samsara), and delusion, who has crossed and gone beyond, who is meditative, free from craving and doubts, who clinging to naught, has attained Nibbana, - him I call a Brahmana.

31. He who in this world giving up sense-desires, would renounce worldly life and become a homeless one, he who has destroyed sense-desires and becoming, - him I call a Brahmana.

32. He who in this world giving up craving, would renounce worldly life and become a homeless one, he who has destroyed craving and becoming, - him I call a Brahmana.

33. He who, discarding human ties and transcending celestial ties, is completely delivered from all ties, - him I call a Brahmana.

34. He who has given up likes and dislikes, who is cooled and is without defilements, who has conquered the world, and is strenuous, - him I call a Brahmana.

35.He who in every way knows the death and rebirth of beings, who is non-attached, well-gone, and enlightened, - him I call a Brahmana.

36. He whose destiny neither gods nor Gandhabbas nor men know, who has destroyed all corruptions, and is far removed from passions (Arahant), - him I call a Brahmana.

37. He who has no clinging to aggregates that are past, future, or present, who is without clinging and grasping, - him I call a Brahmana.

38. The fearless, the noble, the hero, the great sage, the conqueror, the desireless, the cleanser (of defilements), the enlightened, - him I call a Brahmana.

39. That sage who knows his former abodes, who sees the blissful and the woeful states, who has reached the end of births, who, with superior wisdom, has perfected himself, who has completed (the holy life), and reached the end of all passions, - him I call a Brahmana.္