6. Brāhmaṇavagga

Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.59

Numbered Discourses 3.59

6. Brāhmaṇavagga

6. Brahmins

Jāṇussoṇisutta

With Jānussoṇi

Atha kho jāṇussoṇi brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ …pe… ekamantaṁ nisinno kho jāṇussoṇi brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Then the brahmin Jānussoṇi went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him. Seated to one side he said to the Buddha:

“yassassu, bho gotama, yañño vā saddhaṁ vā thālipāko vā deyyadhammaṁ vā, tevijjesu brāhmaṇesu dānaṁ dadeyyā”ti.

“Worthy Gotama, whoever has a sacrifice, an offering of food for ancestors, a dish of milk-rice prepared for an auspicious ceremony, or a gift to give, should give it to the brahmins who have mastered the three Vedic knowledges.”

“Yathā kathaṁ pana, brāhmaṇa, brāhmaṇā tevijjaṁ paññapentī”ti?

“But brahmin, how do the brahmins describe a brahmin who is proficient in the three Vedic knowledges?”

“Idha kho, bho gotama, brāhmaṇo ubhato sujāto hoti mātito ca pitito ca saṁsuddhagahaṇiko yāva sattamā pitāmahayugā akkhitto anupakkuṭṭho jātivādena, ajjhāyako mantadharo, tiṇṇaṁ vedānaṁ pāragū sanighaṇḍukeṭubhānaṁ sākkharappabhedānaṁ itihāsapañcamānaṁ, padako, veyyākaraṇo, lokāyatamahāpurisalakkhaṇesu anavayoti.

“Worthy Gotama, it’s when a brahmin is well born on both his mother’s and father’s side, of pure descent, with irrefutable and impeccable genealogy back to the seventh paternal generation. He recites and remembers the hymns, and has mastered the three Vedas, together with their vocabularies and ritual performance, their phonology and word classification, and the testaments as fifth. He knows them word-by-word, and their grammar. He is well versed in cosmology and the marks of a great man.

Evaṁ kho, bho gotama, brāhmaṇā tevijjaṁ paññapentī”ti.

That’s how the brahmins describe a brahmin who is proficient in the three Vedic knowledges.”

“Aññathā kho, brāhmaṇa, brāhmaṇā brāhmaṇaṁ tevijjaṁ paññapenti, aññathā ca pana ariyassa vinaye tevijjo hotī”ti.

“Brahmin, a master of three knowledges according to the brahmins is quite different from a master of the three knowledges in the training of the Noble One.”

“Yathā kathaṁ pana, bho gotama, ariyassa vinaye tevijjo hoti?

“But worthy Gotama, how is one a master of the three knowledges in the training of the Noble One?

Sādhu me bhavaṁ gotamo tathā dhammaṁ desetu yathā ariyassa vinaye tevijjo hotī”ti.

Worthy Gotama, please teach me this.”

“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 jāṇussoṇi brāhmaṇo bhagavato paccassosi.

“Yes, worthy sir,” Jānussoṇi replied.

Bhagavā etadavoca:

The Buddha said this:

“Idha pana, brāhmaṇa, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi …pe…

“Brahmin, it’s when a mendicant, quite secluded from sensual pleasures …

catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.

enters and remains in the fourth absorption.

So evaṁ samāhite citte parisuddhe pariyodāte anaṅgaṇe vigatūpakkilese mudubhūte kammaniye ṭhite āneñjappatte pubbenivāsānussatiñāṇāya cittaṁ abhininnāmeti.

When their mind has become immersed in samādhi like this—purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable—they extend it toward recollection of past lives.

So anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati, seyyathidaṁ—ekampi jātiṁ dvepi jātiyo …pe… iti sākāraṁ sauddesaṁ anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati.

They recollect many kinds of past lives, with features and details.

Ayamassa paṭhamā vijjā adhigatā hoti;

This is the first knowledge that they attain.

avijjā vihatā, vijjā uppannā; tamo vihato, āloko uppanno yathā taṁ appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato.

Ignorance is banished and knowledge has arisen; darkness is banished and light has arisen, as happens for a meditator who is diligent, keen, and resolute.

So evaṁ samāhite citte parisuddhe pariyodāte anaṅgaṇe vigatūpakkilese mudubhūte kammaniye ṭhite āneñjappatte sattānaṁ cutūpapātañāṇāya cittaṁ abhininnāmeti.

When their mind has become immersed in samādhi like this—purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable—they extend it toward knowledge of the death and rebirth of sentient beings.

So dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena …pe… yathākammūpage satte pajānāti.

With clairvoyance that is purified and surpasses the human, they understand how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds.

Ayamassa dutiyā vijjā adhigatā hoti;

This is the second knowledge that they attain.

avijjā vihatā, vijjā uppannā; tamo vihato, āloko uppanno yathā taṁ appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato.

Ignorance is banished and knowledge has arisen; darkness is banished and light has arisen, as happens for a meditator who is diligent, keen, and resolute.

So evaṁ samāhite citte parisuddhe pariyodāte anaṅgaṇe vigatūpakkilese mudubhūte kammaniye ṭhite āneñjappatte āsavānaṁ khayañāṇāya cittaṁ abhininnāmeti.

When their mind has become immersed in samādhi like this—purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable—they extend it toward knowledge of the ending of defilements.

So ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti;

They truly understand: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering’.

‘ime āsavā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti …pe… ‘ayaṁ āsavanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti.

They truly understand: ‘These are defilements’ … ‘This is the origin of defilements’ … ‘This is the cessation of defilements’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of defilements’.

Tassa evaṁ jānato evaṁ passato kāmāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccati, bhavāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccati, avijjāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccati;

Knowing and seeing like this, their mind is freed from the defilements of sensuality, desire to be reborn, and ignorance.

vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ hoti.

When they’re freed, they know they’re freed.

‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānāti.

They understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.’

Ayamassa tatiyā vijjā adhigatā hoti;

This is the third knowledge that they attain.

avijjā vihatā, vijjā uppannā; tamo vihato, āloko uppanno yathā taṁ appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharatoti.

Ignorance is banished and knowledge has arisen; darkness is banished and light has arisen, as happens for a meditator who is diligent, keen, and resolute.

Yo sīlabbatasampanno,

One who is perfect in precepts and observances,

pahitatto samāhito;

resolute and serene,

Cittaṁ yassa vasībhūtaṁ,

whose mind is mastered,

ekaggaṁ susamāhitaṁ.

unified, serene;

Pubbenivāsaṁ yo vedī,

who knows their past lives,

saggāpāyañca passati;

sees heaven and places of loss,

Atho jātikkhayaṁ patto,

and has attained the end of rebirth,

abhiññāvosito muni.

such a sage has perfect insight.

Etāhi tīhi vijjāhi,

Because of these three knowledges

tevijjo hoti brāhmaṇo;

a brahmin is a master of the three knowledges.

Tamahaṁ vadāmi tevijjaṁ,

That’s who I call a three-knowledge master,

nāññaṁ lapitalāpananti.

and not the other <j>who repeats what they are told.

Evaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, ariyassa vinaye tevijjo hotī”ti.

This, brahmin, is a master of the three knowledges in the training of the Noble One.”

“Aññathā, bho gotama, brāhmaṇānaṁ tevijjo, aññathā ca pana ariyassa vinaye tevijjo hoti.

“Worthy Gotama, the master of three knowledges according to the brahmins is quite different from a master of the three knowledges in the training of the Noble One.

Imassa ca, bho gotama, ariyassa vinaye tevijjassa brāhmaṇānaṁ tevijjo kalaṁ nāgghati soḷasiṁ.

And, worthy Gotama, a master of three knowledges according to the brahmins is not worth a sixteenth part of a master of the three knowledges in the training of the Noble One.

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.”

Navamaṁ.