Bhikkhakasutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 7.20

Linked Discourses 7.20

2. Upāsakavagga

2. Lay Followers

Bhikkhakasutta

An Almsman

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthī.

Atha kho bhikkhako brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi.

Then a brahmin almsman went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him.

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho bhikkhako brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha,

“ahampi kho, bho gotama, bhikkhako, bhavampi bhikkhako, idha no kiṁ nānākaraṇan”ti?

“Worthy Gotama, both you and I are almsmen. What, then, is the difference between us?”

“Na tena bhikkhako hoti,

“You don’t become an almsman

yāvatā bhikkhate pare;

just by begging alms from others.

Vissaṁ dhammaṁ samādāya,

One who has undertaken domestic duties

bhikkhu hoti na tāvatā.

has not yet become a mendicant.

Yodha puññañca pāpañca,

But one living a spiritual life

bāhitvā brahmacariyaṁ;

who has banished both merit and evil,

Saṅkhāya loke carati,

and wanders having appraised the world,

sa ve bhikkhūti vuccatī”ti.

is said to be a mendicant.”

Evaṁ vutte, bhikkhako brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

When he had spoken, the brahmin almsman said to the Buddha,

“abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe…

“Excellent, worthy Gotama! Excellent! …

upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.

From this day forth, may the worthy Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”