Assalāyanasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 93

With Assalāyana · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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even though“Kiñcāpi worthy sirbhavaṁ Gotamagotamo thus·saysevamāha, thenatha but·indeed·herekhvettha brahminsbrāhmaṇā thus·thisevametaṁ thinkmaññanti:
brahmin indeed‘brāhmaṇova bestseṭṭho classvaṇṇo, inferiorhīno otherañño classvaṇṇo ellipsis…pe…
heirs of Brahmābrahmadāyādā’”ti.
that“Taṁ whatkiṁ you thinkmaññasi, Assalāyanaassalāyana,
aristocrat·indeedkhattiyova nownu indeedkho killer of living beingspāṇātipātī taker of the not-givenadinnādāyī sexual misbehaverkāmesumicchācārī false speakermusāvādī backbiting speakerpisuṇavāco harsh speakerpharusavāco nonsensical talkersamphappalāpī covetousabhijjhālu malicious-mindedbyāpannacitto wrong-viewedmicchādiṭṭhi of the bodykāyassa from breaking upbhedā afterparaṁ from deathmaraṇā place of lossapāyaṁ bad destinationduggatiṁ downfallvinipātaṁ hellnirayaṁ would be rebornupapajjeyya, notno brahmin?brāhmaṇo?
peasant·indeedVessova nownu indeedkho ellipsis…pe…
menial·indeedsuddova nownu indeedkho killer of living beingspāṇātipātī taker of the not-givenadinnādāyī sexual misbehaverkāmesumicchācārī false speakermusāvādī backbiting speakerpisuṇavāco harsh speakerpharusavāco nonsensical talkersamphappalāpī covetousabhijjhālu malicious-mindedbyāpannacitto wrong-viewedmicchādiṭṭhi of the bodykāyassa from breaking upbhedā afterparaṁ from deathmaraṇā place of lossapāyaṁ bad destinationduggatiṁ downfallvinipātaṁ hellnirayaṁ would be rebornupapajjeyya, notno brahmin?brāhmaṇo”ti?
no“No indeed thishidaṁ, worthy sirbho Gotamagotama.
aristocrat·tooKhattiyopi forhi, worthy sirbho Gotamagotama, killer of living beingspāṇātipātī taker of the not-givenadinnādāyī sexual misbehaverkāmesumicchācārī false speakermusāvādī backbiting speakerpisuṇavāco harsh speakerpharusavāco nonsensical talkersamphappalāpī covetousabhijjhālu malicious-mindedbyāpannacitto wrong-viewedmicchādiṭṭhi of the bodykāyassa from breaking upbhedā afterparaṁ from deathmaraṇā place of lossapāyaṁ bad destinationduggatiṁ downfallvinipātaṁ hellnirayaṁ would be rebornupapajjeyya.

“Even though you say this, still the brahmins maintain their belief.” “What do you think, Assalāyana? Suppose an aristocrat were to kill living creatures, steal, and commit sexual misconduct; to use speech that’s false, backbiting, harsh, or nonsensical; and to be covetous, malicious, with wrong view. When their body breaks up, after death, they’d be reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. Would this happen only to an aristocrat, and not to a brahmin? Or suppose a peasant, or a menial were to act in the same way. Would that result befall only a peasant or a menial, and not to a brahmin?” “No, worthy Gotama. If they acted the same way, the same result would befall an aristocrat, a brahmin, a peasant, or a menial.

brahmin·alsoBrāhmaṇopi indeedhi, sirbho Gotamagotama ……pe…
merchant·alsovessopi indeedhi, sirbho Gotamagotama ……pe…
worker·alsosuddopi indeedhi, sirbho Gotamagotama ……pe…
all·alsosabbepi indeedhi, sirbho Gotamagotama, fourcattāro classesvaṇṇā killers of living creaturespāṇātipātino takers of what is not givenadinnādāyino in sensual pleasures·misbehaverkāmesumicchācārino falsehood·speakermusāvādino backbiting·speechpisuṇavācā harsh·speechpharusavācā of nonsensical speechsamphappalāpino covetousabhijjhālū malicious·mindbyāpannacittā wrong·viewmicchādiṭṭhī of the bodykāyassa after breaking upbhedā afterparaṁ after deathmaraṇā to a place of lossapāyaṁ to a bad placeduggatiṁ to the underworldvinipātaṁ to hellnirayaṁ would be rebornupapajjeyyun”ti.
in this matter“Ettha, Assalāyanaassalāyana, of the brahminsbrāhmaṇānaṁ whatkiṁ source of certaintybalaṁ, whatko source of forcefulnessassāso since hereyadettha brahminsbrāhmaṇā thus they sayevamāhaṁsu:
a brahmin indeed is‘brāhmaṇova the bestseṭṭho classvaṇṇo, inferiorhīno otherañño classvaṇṇo ……pe…
brahma’s heirsbrahmadāyādā’”ti?

For if any of the four classes were to kill living creatures, steal, and commit sexual misconduct; to use speech that’s false, backbiting, harsh, or nonsensical; and to be covetous, malicious, with wrong view, then, when their body breaks up, after death, they’d be reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.” “Then what is the source of the brahmins’ certainty and forcefulness in this matter that they make this claim?”

“Even though you say this, still the brahmins maintain their belief.” “What do you think, Assalāyana? Suppose a brahmin were to refrain from killing living creatures, stealing, and sexual misconduct; from using speech that’s false, backbiting, harsh, or nonsensical; and from covetousness, malice, and wrong view. When their body breaks up, after death, they’d be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm. Would this happen only to a brahmin, and not to an aristocrat, a peasant, or a menial?” “No, worthy Gotama. If they acted the same way, the same result would befall an aristocrat, a brahmin, a peasant, or a menial.

a vessa toovessopi forhi, sirbho Gotamagotama …pe……pe…
a sudda toosuddopi forhi, sirbho Gotamagotama …pe……pe…
all·toosabbepi forhi, sirbho Gotamagotama, fourcattāro classesvaṇṇā from killing living creaturespāṇātipātā against·abstainedpaṭiviratā from stealingadinnādānā against·abstainedpaṭiviratā desires·wrong conductkāmesumicchācārā against·abstainedpaṭiviratā from false speechmusāvādā against·abstainedpaṭiviratā backbitingpisuṇāya speechvācāya against·abstainedpaṭiviratā harshpharusāya speechvācāya against·abstainedpaṭiviratā from nonsensical speechsamphappalāpā against·abstainedpaṭiviratā without covetousnessanabhijjhālū with mind free of ill willabyāpannacittā with right viewsammādiṭṭhī of the bodykāyassa breaking upbhedā afterparaṁ deathmaraṇā a good placesugatiṁ heavenlysaggaṁ realmlokaṁ would be rebornupapajjeyyun”ti.
In this“Ettha, Assalāyanaassalāyana, of the brahminsbrāhmaṇānaṁ whatkiṁ source of certaintybalaṁ, whatko forcefulnessassāso that·hereyadettha brahminsbrāhmaṇā make this claimevamāhaṁsu:
a brahmin indeed‘brāhmaṇova bestseṭṭho classvaṇṇo, inferiorhīno otherañño classvaṇṇo …pe……pe…
heirs of Brahmābrahmadāyādā’”ti?

For if any of the four classes were to refrain from killing living creatures, stealing, and sexual misconduct; from using speech that’s false, backbiting, harsh, or nonsensical; and from covetousness, malice, and wrong view, then, when their body breaks up, after death, they’d be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.” “Then what is the source of the brahmins’ certainty and forcefulness in this matter that they make this claim?”

even though“Kiñcāpi venerablebhavaṁ Gotamagotamo speaks thusevamāha, thenatha but + herekhvettha brahminsbrāhmaṇā thus + thisevametaṁ they thinkmaññanti:
only a brahmin‘brāhmaṇova foremostseṭṭho classvaṇṇo, inferiorhīno otherañño classvaṇṇo …pe……pe…
Brahmā's heirsbrahmadāyādā’”ti.
that“Taṁ whatkiṁ do you thinkmaññasi, Assalāyanaassalāyana,
brahmin + onlybrāhmaṇova indeednu indeedkho is capablepahoti in thisasmiṁ regionpadese without·enmityaveraṁ without·ill_willabyābajjhaṁ love·heartmettacittaṁ to developbhāvetuṁ, notno aristocratkhattiyo, notno peasantvesso, notno menialsuddo”ti?
No“No indeed herehidaṁ, worthybho Gotamagotama.
aristocrat + evenKhattiyopi indeedhi, worthybho Gotamagotama, is capablepahoti in thisasmiṁ regionpadese without·enmityaveraṁ without·ill_willabyābajjhaṁ love·heartmettacittaṁ to developbhāvetuṁ;
brahmin + evenbrāhmaṇopi indeedhi, worthybho Gotamagotama ……
peasant + evenvessopi indeedhi, worthybho Gotamagotama ……
menial + evensuddopi indeedhi, worthybho Gotamagotama ……
all + evensabbepi indeedhi, worthybho Gotamagotama, fourcattāro classesvaṇṇā are capablepahonti in thisasmiṁ regionpadese without·enmityaveraṁ without·ill_willabyābajjhaṁ love·heartmettacittaṁ to developbhāvetun”ti.
here“Ettha, Assalāyanaassalāyana, of the brahminsbrāhmaṇānaṁ whatkiṁ forcebalaṁ, whatko assuranceassāso that + hereyadettha brahminsbrāhmaṇā made this claimevamāhaṁsu:
only a brahmin‘brāhmaṇova foremostseṭṭho classvaṇṇo, inferiorhīno otherañño classvaṇṇo …pe……pe…
Brahmā's heirsbrahmadāyādā’”ti?

“Even though you say this, still the brahmins maintain their belief.” “What do you think, Assalāyana? Is only a brahmin capable of developing a heart of love, free of enmity and ill will for this region, and not an aristocrat, peasant, or menial?” “No, worthy Gotama. Aristocrats, brahmins, peasants, and menials can all do so. For all four classes are capable of developing a heart of love, free of enmity and ill will for this region.” “Then what is the source of the brahmins’ certainty and forcefulness in this matter that they make this claim?”

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