Vasalasutta

Sutta Nipāta 1.7

Anthology of Discourses 1.7

Vasalasutta

The Lowlife

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi.

Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms.

Tena kho pana samayena aggikabhāradvājassa brāhmaṇassa nivesane aggi pajjalito hoti āhuti paggahitā.

Now at that time in the brahmin Bhāradvāja the Fire-Worshiper’s home the sacred flame had been kindled and the oblation prepared.

Atha kho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ sapadānaṁ piṇḍāya caramāno yena aggikabhāradvājassa brāhmaṇassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami.

Wandering indiscriminately for almsfood in Sāvatthī, the Buddha approached Bhāradvāja the Fire-Worshiper’s house.

Addasā kho aggikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ.

Bhāradvāja the Fire-Worshiper saw the Buddha coming off in the distance

Disvāna bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

and said to him,

“tatreva, muṇḍaka;

“Stop right there, shaveling!

tatreva, samaṇaka;

Right there, fake ascetic!

tatreva, vasalaka, tiṭṭhāhī”ti.

Right there, lowlife!”

Evaṁ vutte, bhagavā aggikabhāradvājaṁ brāhmaṇaṁ etadavoca:

When he said this, the Buddha said to him,

“jānāsi pana tvaṁ, brāhmaṇa, vasalaṁ vā vasalakaraṇe vā dhamme”ti?

“But brahmin, do you know what is a lowlife or what are the qualities that make you a lowlife?”

“Na khvāhaṁ, bho gotama, jānāmi vasalaṁ vā vasalakaraṇe vā dhamme;

“No I do not, worthy Gotama.

sādhu me bhavaṁ gotamo tathā dhammaṁ desetu, yathāhaṁ jāneyyaṁ vasalaṁ vā vasalakaraṇe vā dhamme”ti.

Please, worthy Gotama, teach me this matter so I can understand what is a lowlife or what are the qualities that make you a lowlife.”

“Tena hi, brāhmaṇa, suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi; bhāsissāmī”ti.

“Well then, brahmin, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

“Evaṁ, bho”ti kho aggikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavato paccassosi.

“Yes, worthy sir,” Bhāradvāja the Fire-Worshiper replied.

Bhagavā etadavoca:

The Buddha said this:

“Kodhano upanāhī ca,

“Irritable and acrimonious,

pāpamakkhī ca yo naro;

wicked and offensive,

Vipannadiṭṭhi māyāvī,

a man deficient in view, deceitful:

taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

know him as a lowlife.

Ekajaṁ vā dvijaṁ vāpi,

He harms living creatures

yodha pāṇaṁ vihiṁsati;

born of womb or of egg,

Yassa pāṇe dayā natthi,

and has no kindness for creatures:

taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

know him as a lowlife.

Yo hanti parirundhati,

He destroys and devastates

gāmāni nigamāni ca;

villages and towns,

Niggāhako samaññāto,

a notorious oppressor:

taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

know him as a lowlife.

Gāme vā yadi vā raññe,

Whether in village or wilderness,

yaṁ paresaṁ mamāyitaṁ;

he steals what belongs to others,

Theyyā adinnamādeti,

taking what has not been given:

taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

know him as a lowlife.

Yo have iṇamādāya,

Having fallen into debt,

cujjamāno palāyati;

when pressed to pay up he flees, saying

Na hi te iṇamatthīti,

‘I don’t owe you anything!’:

taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

know him as a lowlife.

Yo ve kiñcikkhakamyatā,

Wanting some item or other,

panthasmiṁ vajantaṁ janaṁ;

he attacks a person in the street

Hantvā kiñcikkhamādeti,

and takes it:

taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

know him as a lowlife.

Attahetu parahetu,

For his own sake or the sake of another,

dhanahetu ca yo naro;

or for the sake of wealth, a man

Sakkhipuṭṭho musā brūti,

tells a lie when asked to bear witness:

taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

know him as a lowlife.

Yo ñātīnaṁ sakhīnaṁ vā,

He is spied among the partners

dāresu paṭidissati;

of relatives and friends,

Sāhasā sampiyena vā,

by force or seduction:

taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

know him as a lowlife.

Yo mātaraṁ pitaraṁ vā,

Though able, he does not look after

jiṇṇakaṁ gatayobbanaṁ;

his mother and father

Pahu santo na bharati,

when elderly, past their prime:

taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

know him as a lowlife.

Yo mātaraṁ pitaraṁ vā,

He hits or verbally abuses

Bhātaraṁ bhaginiṁ sasuṁ;

his mother or father,

Hanti roseti vācāya,

brother, sister, or mother-in-law:

Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

know him as a lowlife.

Yo atthaṁ pucchito santo,

When asked about the good,

Anatthamanusāsati;

he teaches what is bad,

Paṭicchannena manteti,

giving secretive advice:

Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

know him as a lowlife.

Yo katvā pāpakaṁ kammaṁ,

Having done a bad deed, he wishes,

Mā maṁ jaññāti icchati;

‘May no one find me out!’

Yo paṭicchannakammanto,

His deeds are underhand:

Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

know him as a lowlife.

Yo ve parakulaṁ gantvā,

When visiting another family

Bhutvāna sucibhojanaṁ;

he eats their delicious food,

Āgataṁ nappaṭipūjeti,

but does not return the honor:

Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

know him as a lowlife.

Yo brāhmaṇaṁ samaṇaṁ vā,

He deceives with lies

Aññaṁ vāpi vanibbakaṁ;

ascetics and brahmins

Musāvādena vañceti,

and other supplicants:

Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

know him as a lowlife.

Yo brāhmaṇaṁ samaṇaṁ vā,

When time comes to offer a meal

Bhattakāle upaṭṭhite;

to brahmins or ascetics,

Roseti vācā na ca deti,

he abuses them and does not give:

Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

know him as a lowlife.

Asataṁ yodha pabrūti,

He talks about what never happened,

Mohena paliguṇṭhito;

being wrapped up in delusion,

Kiñcikkhaṁ nijigīsāno,

chasing after some item or other:

Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

know him as a lowlife.

Yo cattānaṁ samukkaṁse,

He extols himself

Pare ca mavajānāti;

and disparages others,

Nihīno sena mānena,

brought down by his pride:

Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

know him as a lowlife.

Rosako kadariyo ca,

He’s a bully and a miser,

Pāpiccho maccharī saṭho;

of corrupt wishes, stingy, and devious,

Ahiriko anottappī,

shameless, imprudent:

Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

know him as a lowlife.

Yo buddhaṁ paribhāsati,

He insults the Buddha

Atha vā tassa sāvakaṁ;

or his disciple,

Paribbājaṁ gahaṭṭhaṁ vā,

whether lay or renunciate:

Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

know him as a lowlife.

Yo ve anarahaṁ santo,

He claims to be a perfected one,

Arahaṁ paṭijānāti;

when he really is no such thing.

Coro sabrahmake loke,

In the world with its divinities,

Eso kho vasalādhamo;

that crook is truly the lowest lowlife.

Ete kho vasalā vuttā,

These who are called lowlifes

Mayā yete pakāsitā.

I have revealed to you.

Na jaccā vasalo hoti,

You’re not a lowlife by birth,

Na jaccā hoti brāhmaṇo;

nor by birth are you a brahmin.

Kammunā vasalo hoti,

You’re a lowlife by your deeds,

Kammunā hoti brāhmaṇo.

by deeds you’re a brahmin.

Tadamināpi jānātha,

And also you should know

Yathāmedaṁ nidassanaṁ;

according to this example.

Caṇḍālaputto sopāko,

A corpse-worker’s son of the dog-eating caste

Mātaṅgo iti vissuto.

became renowned as Mātaṅga.

So yasaṁ paramaṁ patto,

Mātaṅga achieved the highest fame

Mātaṅgo yaṁ sudullabhaṁ;

so very hard to find.

Āgacchuṁ tassupaṭṭhānaṁ,

Lots of aristocrats and brahmins

Khattiyā brāhmaṇā bahū.

came to serve him.

Devayānaṁ abhiruyha,

He ascended the stainless highway

Virajaṁ so mahāpathaṁ;

that leads to the heavens;

Kāmarāgaṁ virājetvā,

having discarded sensual desire,

Brahmalokūpago ahu;

he was reborn in a realm of divinity.

Na naṁ jāti nivāresi,

His birth did not prevent him

Brahmalokūpapattiyā.

from rebirth in the realm of divinity.

Ajjhāyakakule jātā,

Those born in a brahmin family

Brāhmaṇā mantabandhavā;

who recite as kinsmen of the hymns,

Te ca pāpesu kammesu,

are often discovered

Abhiṇhamupadissare.

in the midst of wicked deeds.

Diṭṭheva dhamme gārayhā,

Blameworthy in this very life,

Samparāye ca duggati;

and in lives to come, a bad destination.

Na ne jāti nivāreti,

Their birth does not prevent them

Duggatyā garahāya vā.

from blame or bad destiny.

Na jaccā vasalo hoti,

You’re not a lowlife by birth,

Na jaccā hoti brāhmaṇo;

nor by birth are you a brahmin.

Kammunā vasalo hoti,

You’re a lowlife by your deeds,

Kammunā hoti brāhmaṇo”ti.

by deeds you’re a brahmin.”

Evaṁ vutte, aggikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

When he had spoken, the brahmin Bhāradvāja the Fire-Worshiper said to the Buddha,

“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.”

Vasalasuttaṁ sattamaṁ.