Assalāyanasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 93

With Assalāyana · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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“Kiñcāpi bhavaṁ gotamo evamāha, atha khvettha brāhmaṇā evametaṁ maññanti:
‘brāhmaṇova seṭṭho vaṇṇo, hīno añño vaṇṇo …pe…
brahmadāyādā’”ti.
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, assalāyana,
khattiyova nu kho pāṇātipātī adinnādāyī kāmesumicchācārī musāvādī pisuṇavāco pharusavāco samphappalāpī abhijjhālu byāpannacitto micchādiṭṭhi kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjeyya, no brāhmaṇo?
Vessova nu kho …pe…
suddova nu kho pāṇātipātī adinnādāyī kāmesumicchācārī musāvādī pisuṇavāco pharusavāco samphappalāpī abhijjhālu byāpannacitto micchādiṭṭhi kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjeyya, no brāhmaṇo”ti?
“No hidaṁ, bho gotama.
Khattiyopi hi, bho gotama, pāṇātipātī adinnādāyī kāmesumicchācārī musāvādī pisuṇavāco pharusavāco samphappalāpī abhijjhālu byāpannacitto micchādiṭṭhi kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjeyya.

“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.

Brāhmaṇopi hi, bho gotama …pe…
vessopi hi, bho gotama …pe…
suddopi hi, bho gotama …pe…
sabbepi hi, bho gotama, cattāro vaṇṇā pāṇātipātino adinnādāyino kāmesumicchācārino musāvādino pisuṇavācā pharusavācā samphappalāpino abhijjhālū byāpannacittā micchādiṭṭhī kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjeyyun”ti.
“Ettha, assalāyana, brāhmaṇānaṁ kiṁ balaṁ, ko assāso yadettha brāhmaṇā evamāhaṁsu:
‘brāhmaṇova seṭṭho vaṇṇo, hīno añño vaṇṇo …pe…
brahmadāyādā’”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?”

“Kiñcāpi bhavaṁ gotamo evamāha, atha khvettha brāhmaṇā evametaṁ maññanti:
‘brāhmaṇova seṭṭho vaṇṇo, hīno añño vaṇṇo …pe…
brahmadāyādā’”ti.
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, assalāyana,
brāhmaṇova nu kho pāṇātipātā paṭivirato adinnādānā paṭivirato kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato musāvādā paṭivirato pisuṇāya vācāya paṭivirato pharusāya vācāya paṭivirato samphappalāpā paṭivirato anabhijjhālu abyāpannacitto sammādiṭṭhi kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjeyya, no khattiyo, no vesso, no suddo”ti?
“No hidaṁ, bho gotama.
Khattiyopi hi, bho gotama, pāṇātipātā paṭivirato adinnādānā paṭivirato kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato musāvādā paṭivirato pisuṇāya vācāya paṭivirato pharusāya vācāya paṭivirato samphappalāpā paṭivirato anabhijjhālu abyāpannacitto sammādiṭṭhi kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjeyya.
Brāhmaṇopi hi, bho gotama …pe…

“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.

vessopi hi, bho gotama …pe…
suddopi hi, bho gotama …pe…
sabbepi hi, bho gotama, cattāro vaṇṇā pāṇātipātā paṭiviratā adinnādānā paṭiviratā kāmesumicchācārā paṭiviratā musāvādā paṭiviratā pisuṇāya vācāya paṭiviratā pharusāya vācāya paṭiviratā samphappalāpā paṭiviratā anabhijjhālū abyāpannacittā sammādiṭṭhī kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjeyyun”ti.
“Ettha, assalāyana, brāhmaṇānaṁ kiṁ balaṁ, ko assāso yadettha brāhmaṇā evamāhaṁsu:
‘brāhmaṇova seṭṭho vaṇṇo, hīno añño vaṇṇo …pe…
brahmadāyādā’”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?”

“Kiñcāpi bhavaṁ gotamo evamāha, atha khvettha brāhmaṇā evametaṁ maññanti:
‘brāhmaṇova seṭṭho vaṇṇo, hīno añño vaṇṇo …pe…
brahmadāyādā’”ti.
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, assalāyana,
brāhmaṇova nu kho pahoti asmiṁ padese averaṁ abyābajjhaṁ mettacittaṁ bhāvetuṁ, no khattiyo, no vesso, no suddo”ti?
“No hidaṁ, bho gotama.
Khattiyopi hi, bho gotama, pahoti asmiṁ padese averaṁ abyābajjhaṁ mettacittaṁ bhāvetuṁ;
brāhmaṇopi hi, bho gotama …
vessopi hi, bho gotama …
suddopi hi, bho gotama …
sabbepi hi, bho gotama, cattāro vaṇṇā pahonti asmiṁ padese averaṁ abyābajjhaṁ mettacittaṁ bhāvetun”ti.
“Ettha, assalāyana, brāhmaṇānaṁ kiṁ balaṁ, ko assāso yadettha brāhmaṇā evamāhaṁsu:
‘brāhmaṇova seṭṭho vaṇṇo, hīno añño vaṇṇo …pe…
brahmadāyādā’”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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