Assalāyanasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 93

With Assalāyana · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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even though“Kiñcāpi worthybhavaṁ Gotamagotamo speaks thusevamāha, thenatha indeed·indeed·herekhvettha brahminsbrāhmaṇā thus·thisevametaṁ thinkmaññanti:
brahmin indeed‘brāhmaṇova bestseṭṭho classvaṇṇo, inferiorhīno otherañño classvaṇṇo …pe……pe…
heirs of Brahmābrahmadāyādā’”ti.
that“Taṁ whatkiṁ thinkmaññasi, Assalāyanaassalāyana,
brahmin·indeed·indeedbrāhmaṇova nownu indeedkho is capablepahoti bathing·cleansersottisināniṁ having takenādāya rivernadiṁ having gonegantvā dust and dirtrajojallaṁ to rinse offpavāhetuṁ, notno aristocratkhattiyo, notno peasantvesso, notno menialsuddo”ti?
no“No indeed·thishidaṁ, worthybho Gotamagotama.
aristocrat·too·tooKhattiyopi indeedhi, worthybho Gotamagotama, is capablepahoti bathing·cleansersottisināniṁ having takenādāya rivernadiṁ having gonegantvā dust and dirtrajojallaṁ to rinse offpavāhetuṁ, brahmin·too·toobrāhmaṇopi indeedhi, worthybho Gotamagotama ……
peasant·too·toovessopi indeedhi, worthybho Gotamagotama ……
menial·too·toosuddopi indeedhi, worthybho Gotamagotama ……
all·toosabbepi indeedhi, worthybho Gotamagotama, fourcattāro classesvaṇṇā are capablepahonti bathing·cleansersottisināniṁ having takenādāya rivernadiṁ having gonegantvā dust and dirtrajojallaṁ to rinse offpavāhetun”ti.
here“Ettha, Assalāyanaassalāyana, of brahminsbrāhmaṇānaṁ whatkiṁ sourcebalaṁ, whatko certaintyassāso since·hereyadettha brahminsbrāhmaṇā thus·spokeevamāhaṁsu:
brahmin indeed‘brāhmaṇova bestseṭṭho classvaṇṇo, inferiorhīno otherañño classvaṇṇo …pe……pe…
heirs of Brahmābrahmadāyādā’”ti?

“Even though you say this, still the brahmins maintain their belief.” “What do you think, Assalāyana? Is only a brahmin capable of taking some bathing cleanser, going to the river, and rinsing off dust and dirt, and not an aristocrat, peasant, or menial?” “No, worthy Gotama. All four classes are capable of doing this.” “Then what is the source of the brahmins’ certainty and forcefulness in this matter that they make this claim?”

even though“Kiñcāpi masterbhavaṁ Gotamagotamo thus saysevamāha, stillatha but·herekhvettha brahminsbrāhmaṇā thus·thisevametaṁ they thinkmaññanti:
only the brahmin‘brāhmaṇova bestseṭṭho classvaṇṇo, lowhīno the otherañño classvaṇṇo pe…pe…
Brahmā·heir·quotationbrahmadāyādā’”ti.
that“Taṁ whatkiṁ you thinkmaññasi, Assalāyanaassalāyana,
hereidha a kingrājā an aristocratkhattiyo head·anointedmuddhāvasitto various·birthnānājaccānaṁ of peoplepurisānaṁ person·hundredpurisasataṁ he would gathersannipāteyya:
let them come‘āyantu worthy sirsbhonto whoye theretattha aristocrat·familykhattiyakulā brahmin·familybrāhmaṇakulā chieftain·familyrājaññakulā bornuppannā, of teaksākassa orvā of salsālassa orvā of salaḷasalaḷassa orvā of sandalwoodcandanassa orvā of cherry woodpadumakassa orvā upper·drill-stickuttarāraṇiṁ takingādāya, fireaggiṁ let them produceabhinibbattentu, heattejo let them manifestpātukarontu.
toward·goĀyantu andpana worthy sirsbhonto whoye theretattha corpse-worker·familycaṇḍālakulā hunter·familynesādakulā bamboo-worker·familyvenakulā chariot-maker·familyrathakārakulā scavenger·familypukkusakulā bornuppannā, mutt's trough·troughsāpānadoṇiyā orvā pig·troughsūkaradoṇiyā orvā dust·binrajakadoṇiyā orvā castor-oil·wooderaṇḍakaṭṭhassa orvā upper·drill-stickuttarāraṇiṁ takingādāya, fireaggiṁ let them produceabhinibbattentu, heattejo let them manifestpātukarontū’ti.
thatTaṁ whatkiṁ you thinkmaññasi, Assalāyanaassalāyana,

“Even though you say this, still the brahmins maintain their belief.” “What do you think, Assalāyana? Suppose an anointed aristocratic king were to gather a hundred people of various births and say to them: ‘Please worthy sirs, let anyone here who was born in a family of aristocrats, brahmins, or chieftains take a drill-stick made of teak, sal, salaḷa, sandalwood, or cherry wood, light a fire and produce heat. And let anyone here who was born in a family of corpse-workers, hunters, bamboo-workers, chariot-makers, or scavengers take a drill-stick made from a mutt’s drinking trough, a pig’s trough, a dustbin, or castor-oil wood, light a fire and produce heat.’ What do you think, Assalāyana?

whichyo thusevaṁ nownu indeedkho thatso khattiya·familykhattiyakulā brahmin·familybrāhmaṇakulā noble·familyrājaññakulā produceduppannehi of teaksākassa orvā of salsālassa orvā of salalasalaḷassa orvā of sandalwoodcandanassa orvā of lotuspadumakassa orvā upper fire-stickuttarāraṇiṁ having takenādāya fireaggi producedabhinibbatto, heattejo manifestedpātukato, thatso justeva nownu indeed·would bekhvāssa fireaggi with flamesaccimā andceva with colorvaṇṇavā andca radiantpabhassaro andca, with thattena andca possiblesakkā with fireagginā fire·to be doneaggikaraṇīyaṁ to dokātuṁ;
whichyo butpana thatso caṇḍāla·familycaṇḍālakulā hunter·familynesādakulā bamboo-worker·familyvenakulā cartwright·familyrathakārakulā scavenger·familypukkusakulā produceduppannehi dog·troughsāpānadoṇiyā orvā pig·troughsūkaradoṇiyā orvā dyeing·troughrajakadoṇiyā orvā castor-oil·wooderaṇḍakaṭṭhassa orvā upper fire-stickuttarāraṇiṁ having takenādāya fireaggi producedabhinibbatto, heattejo manifestedpātukato that·would besvāssa fireaggi notna andceva with flamesaccimā notna andca with colorvaṇṇavā notna andca radiantpabhassaro, notna andca with thattena possiblesakkā with fireagginā fire·to be doneaggikaraṇīyaṁ to dokātun”ti?
no“No indeedhidaṁ, worthybho Gotamagotama.

Would only the fire produced by the high class people with good quality wood have flames, color, and radiance, and be usable as fire, and not the fire produced by the low class people with poor quality wood?” “No, worthy Gotama.

which + evenYopi indeedhi heso, sirbho Gotamagotama, khattiya + familykhattiyakulā brahmin + familybrāhmaṇakulā royal + familyrājaññakulā produced byuppannehi of teaksākassa orvā of salsālassa orvā of salaḷasalaḷassa orvā of sandalwoodcandanassa orvā of lotuspadumakassa orvā upper fire stickuttarāraṇiṁ toward + takenādāya fireaggi producedabhinibbatto, heattejo manifestedpātukato it + of itsvāssa fireaggi having flamesaccimā and indeedceva having colorvaṇṇavā andca radiantpabhassaro andca, with thattena andca possiblesakkā with fireagginā fire + to be doneaggikaraṇīyaṁ to dokātuṁ;
which + evenyopi heso caṇḍāla + familycaṇḍālakulā hunter + familynesādakulā bamboo worker + familyvenakulā chariot maker + familyrathakārakulā pukkusa + familypukkusakulā produced byuppannehi dog + troughsāpānadoṇiyā orvā pig + troughsūkaradoṇiyā orvā dye + troughrajakadoṇiyā orvā of castor wooderaṇḍakaṭṭhassa orvā upper fire stickuttarāraṇiṁ toward + takenādāya fireaggi producedabhinibbatto, heattejo manifestedpātukato, it + of itsvāssa fireaggi having flamesaccimā and indeedceva having colorvaṇṇavā andca radiantpabhassaro andca, with thattena andca possiblesakkā with fireagginā fire + to be doneaggikaraṇīyaṁ to dokātuṁ.
all + evenSabbopi indeedhi, sirbho Gotamagotama, fireaggi having flamesaccimā and indeedceva having colorvaṇṇavā andca radiantpabhassaro andca, all + evensabbenapi possiblesakkā with fireagginā fire + to be doneaggikaraṇīyaṁ to dokātun”ti.

The fire produced by the high class people with good quality wood would have flames, color, and radiance, and be usable as fire, and so would the fire produced by the low class people with poor quality wood. For all fire has flames, color, and radiance, and is usable as fire.”

here“Ettha, Assalāyanaassalāyana, of the brahminsbrāhmaṇānaṁ whatkiṁ strengthbalaṁ, whatko assuranceassāso that + hereyadettha brahminsbrāhmaṇā thus they saidevamāhaṁsu:
the brahmin indeed is the best‘brāhmaṇova bestseṭṭho classvaṇṇo, lowhīno otherañño classvaṇṇo;
the brahmin indeed is the purebrāhmaṇova puresukko classvaṇṇo, darkkaṇho otherañño classvaṇṇo;
indeed brahmins are purifiedbrāhmaṇāva are purifiedsujjhanti, notno non-brahminsabrāhmaṇā;
indeed brahmins arebrāhmaṇāva of Brahmābrahmuno sonsputtā legitimateorasā from the mouthmukhato bornjātā Brahmā·bornbrahmajā Brahmā·createdbrahmanimmitā heirs of Brahmābrahmadāyādā’”ti?

“Then what is the source of the brahmins’ certainty and forcefulness in this matter that they make this claim?”

even though“Kiñcāpi masterbhavaṁ Gotamagotamo speaks thusevamāha, stillatha indeclinable + herekhvettha brahminsbrāhmaṇā this is soevametaṁ they thinkmaññanti:
the very brahmin‘brāhmaṇova bestseṭṭho classvaṇṇo, lowhīno otherañño classvaṇṇo pe…pe…
brahma's heirsbrahmadāyādā’”ti.
this“Taṁ whatkiṁ do you thinkmaññasi, Assalāyanaassalāyana,
hereidha aristocrat·boykhattiyakumāro brahmin·girlbrāhmaṇakaññāya togethersaddhiṁ cohabitationsaṁvāsaṁ should engagekappeyya, for themtesaṁ following the cohabitationsaṁvāsamanvāya a sonputto would be bornjāyetha;
whoyo thatso aristocrat·boykhattiyakumārena brahmin·girlbrāhmaṇakaññāya a sonputto bornuppanno, would besiyā heso like the mothermātupi similarsadiso like the fatherpitupi similarsadiso, also as aristocrat‘khattiyo’tipi to be calledvattabbo also as brahmin‘brāhmaṇo’tipi to be calledvattabbo”ti?
who“Yo thatso, sirbho Gotamagotama, aristocrat·boykhattiyakumārena brahmin·girlbrāhmaṇakaññāya a sonputto bornuppanno, would besiyā heso like the mothermātupi similarsadiso like the fatherpitupi similarsadiso, also as aristocrat‘khattiyo’tipi to be calledvattabbo also as brahmin‘brāhmaṇo’tipi to be calledvattabbo”ti.

“Even though you say this, still the brahmins maintain their belief.” “What do you think, Assalāyana? Suppose an aristocrat boy was to sleep with a brahmin girl, and they had a child. Would that child be called an aristocrat after the father or a brahmin after the mother?” “They could be called either.”

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