Brāhmaṇasaccasutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.185

Numbered Discourses 4.185

19. Brāhmaṇavagga

19. Brahmins

Brāhmaṇasaccasutta

Truths of the Brahmins

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati gijjhakūṭe pabbate.

Once the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, on the Vulture’s Peak Mountain.

Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā abhiññātā abhiññātā paribbājakā sippinikātīre paribbājakārāme paṭivasanti, seyyathidaṁ annabhāro varadharo sakuludāyī ca paribbājako aññe ca abhiññātā abhiññātā paribbājakā.

Now at that time several very well-known wanderers were residing in their monastery on the bank of the Serpentine River. They included Annabhāra, Varadhara, Sakuludāyī, and other very well-known wanderers.

Atha kho bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yena sippinikātīre paribbājakārāmo tenupasaṅkami.

Then in the late afternoon, the Buddha came out of retreat and went to the monastery for the wanderers on the bank of the Serpentine River.

Tena kho pana samayena tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ sannisinnānaṁ sannipatitānaṁ ayamantarā kathā udapādi:

Now at that time this discussion came up while those wanderers of other religions were sitting together,

“itipi brāhmaṇasaccāni, itipi brāhmaṇasaccānī”ti.

“The truths of the brahmins are like this; the truths of the brahmins are like that.”

Atha kho bhagavā yena te paribbājakā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Nisajja kho bhagavā te paribbājake etadavoca:

Then the Buddha went up to those wanderers, sat down on the seat spread out, and said to them,

“Kāya nuttha, paribbājakā, etarahi kathāya sannisinnā, kā ca pana vo antarākathā vippakatā”ti?

“Wanderers, what were you sitting talking about just now? What conversation was left unfinished?”

“Idha, bho gotama, amhākaṁ sannisinnānaṁ sannipatitānaṁ ayamantarākathā udapādi:

“Well, worthy Gotama, this discussion came up among us while we were sitting together:

‘itipi brāhmaṇasaccāni, itipi brāhmaṇasaccānī’”ti.

‘The truths of the brahmins are like this; the truths of the brahmins are like that.’”

“Cattārimāni, paribbājakā, brāhmaṇasaccāni mayā sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā paveditāni.

“Wanderers, I declare these four truths of the brahmins, having realized them with my own insight.

Katamāni cattāri?

What four?

Idha, paribbājakā, brāhmaṇo evamāha:

Take a brahmin who says:

‘sabbe pāṇā avajjhā’ti.

‘No sentient beings should be killed.’

Iti vadaṁ brāhmaṇo saccaṁ āha, no musā.

In speaking like this, a brahmin speaks the truth, not lies.

So tena na samaṇoti maññati, na brāhmaṇoti maññati, na seyyohamasmīti maññati, na sadisohamasmīti maññati, na hīnohamasmīti maññati.

But they don’t think of themselves as an ‘ascetic’ or ‘brahmin’ because of that. Nor do they think ‘I’m better’ or ‘I’m equal’ or ‘I’m worse’.

Api ca yadeva tattha saccaṁ tadabhiññāya pāṇānaṁyeva anuddayāya anukampāya paṭipanno hoti.

Rather, they simply practice out of kindness and sympathy for living creatures, having had insight into the truth of that.

Puna caparaṁ, paribbājakā, brāhmaṇo evamāha:

Take another brahmin who says:

‘sabbe kāmā aniccā dukkhā vipariṇāmadhammā’ti.

‘All sensual pleasures are impermanent, suffering, and perishable.’

Iti vadaṁ brāhmaṇo saccamāha, no musā.

Saying this, a brahmin speaks the truth, not lies.

So tena na samaṇoti maññati, na brāhmaṇoti maññati, na seyyohamasmīti maññati, na sadisohamasmīti maññati, na hīnohamasmīti maññati.

But they don’t think of themselves as an ‘ascetic’ or ‘brahmin’ because of that. Nor do they think ‘I’m better’ or ‘I’m equal’ or ‘I’m worse’.

Api ca yadeva tattha saccaṁ tadabhiññāya kāmānaṁyeva nibbidāya virāgāya nirodhāya paṭipanno hoti.

Rather, they simply practice for disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding sensual pleasures, having had insight into the truth of that.

Puna caparaṁ, paribbājakā, brāhmaṇo evamāha:

Take another brahmin who says:

‘sabbe bhavā aniccā …pe… tadabhiññāya bhavānaṁyeva nibbidāya virāgāya nirodhāya paṭipanno hoti.

‘All states of existence are impermanent, suffering, and perishable.’ … They simply practice for disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding future lives, having had insight into the truth of that.

Puna caparaṁ, paribbājakā, brāhmaṇo evamāha:

Take another brahmin who says:

‘nāhaṁ kvacani kassaci kiñcanatasmiṁ na ca mama kvacani katthaci kiñcanatatthī’ti.

‘I don’t belong to anyone anywhere. And nothing belongs to me anywhere.’

Iti vadaṁ brāhmaṇo saccaṁ āha, no musā.

In speaking like this, a brahmin speaks the truth, not lies.

So tena na samaṇoti maññati, na brāhmaṇoti maññati, na seyyohamasmīti maññati, na sadisohamasmīti maññati, na hīnohamasmīti maññati.

But they don’t think of themselves as an ‘ascetic’ or ‘brahmin’ because of that. Nor do they think ‘I’m better’ or ‘I’m equal’ or ‘I’m worse’.

Api ca yadeva tattha saccaṁ tadabhiññāya ākiñcaññaṁyeva paṭipadaṁ paṭipanno hoti.

Rather, they simply practice the path of nothingness, having had insight into the truth of that.

Imāni kho, paribbājakā, cattāri brāhmaṇasaccāni mayā sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā paveditānī”ti.

These are the four truths of the brahmins that I declare, having realized them with my own insight.”

Pañcamaṁ.