Vāseṭṭhasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 98

With Vāseṭṭha · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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Anyone among humans who lives off keeping cattle: know them, Vāseṭṭha, as a farmer, not a brahmin. Anyone among humans who lives off various professions: know them, Vāseṭṭha, as a professional, not a brahmin. Anyone among humans who lives off trade: know them, Vāseṭṭha, as a trader, not a brahmin. Anyone among humans who lives off serving others: know them, Vāseṭṭha, as a servant, not a brahmin. Anyone among humans who lives off stealing: know them, Vāseṭṭha, as a bandit, not a brahmin. Anyone among humans who lives off archery: know them, Vāseṭṭha, as a warrior, not a brahmin. Anyone among humans who lives off priesthood: know them, Vāseṭṭha, as a sacrificer, not a brahmin. Anyone among humans who taxes village and nation, know them, Vāseṭṭha,

a rulerrājā this oneeso notna brahminbrāhmaṇo.

as a ruler, not a brahmin.

I don’t call someone a brahmin after the mother’s womb they’re born from. If they still have attachments, they’re just someone who says ‘worthy’. Having nothing, taking nothing: that’s who I declare a brahmin. Having cut off all fetters they have no anxiety; they’ve slipped their chains and are detached: that’s who I declare a brahmin. They’ve cut the strap and harness, the halter and bridle too; with cross-bar lifted, they’re awakened: that’s who I declare a brahmin. Abuse, killing, caging: they endure these without anger. Patience is their powerful army: that’s who I declare a brahmin. Not irritable or pretentious, dutiful in precepts and observances, tamed, bearing their final body: that’s who I declare a brahmin. Like water from a lotus leaf, like a mustard seed off the point of a pin, sensual pleasures slip off them: that’s who I declare a brahmin. They understand for themselves the end of suffering in this life; with burden put down, detached: that’s who I declare a brahmin. Deep in wisdom, intelligent, expert in the path and what is not the path; arrived at the highest goal: that’s who I declare a brahmin. Mixing with neither householders nor the homeless; a migrant with no bastion, few in wishes: that’s who I declare a brahmin. They’ve laid aside violence against creatures firm and frail;

not killing or making others kill: that’s who I declare a brahmin. Not fighting among those who fight, quenched among those who have taken up arms, not grasping among those who grasp: that’s who I declare a brahmin. They’ve discarded greed and hate, along with conceit and contempt, like a mustard seed off the point of a pin: that’s who I declare a brahmin. The words they utter are polished, informative, and true, and don’t offend anyone: that’s who I declare a brahmin. They don’t steal anything in the world, long or short, tiny or huge, beautiful or ugly: that’s who I declare a brahmin. They have no hope for this world or the next; with no need for hope, detached: that’s who I declare a brahmin. They have no clinging, knowledge has freed them of indecision, they’ve arrived at the objective of freedom from death: that’s who I declare a brahmin. They’ve escaped the chain of both good and bad deeds; sorrowless, stainless, pure: that’s who I declare a brahmin. Pure as the spotless moon, clear and unclouded, they’ve ended relish for rebirth:

that’s who I declare a brahmin. They’ve got past this grueling swamp of delusion, transmigration. Meditating in stillness, free of indecision, they have crossed over to the far shore. They’re quenched by not grasping: that’s who I declare a brahmin. They’ve given up sensual pleasures, and have gone forth from lay life; they’ve ended rebirth in the sensual realm: that’s who I declare a brahmin. They’ve given up craving, and have gone forth from lay life; they’ve ended craving to be reborn: that’s who I declare a brahmin. They’ve thrown off the human yoke, and slipped out of the heavenly yoke; unyoked from all yokes: that’s who I declare a brahmin. Giving up desire and discontent, they’re cooled and free of attachments; a hero, master of the whole world: that’s who I declare a brahmin. They know the passing away and rebirth of all beings; unattached, holy, awakened: that’s who I declare a brahmin. Gods, centaurs, and humans don’t know their destiny; the perfected ones with defilements ended: that’s who I declare a brahmin. They have nothing before or after, or even in between. Having nothing, taking nothing: that’s who I declare a brahmin. Captain of the herd, excellent hero, great seer and victor; unstirred, washed, awakened:

that + Itamahaṁ I declarebrūmi a brahminbrāhmaṇaṁ.
before·dwellingPubbenivāsaṁ whoyo knowsvedi,
heaven-and-loss·andsaggāpāyañca seespassati;
and thenAtho birth·endingjātikkhayaṁ attainedpatto,
that + Itamahaṁ I declarebrūmi a brahminbrāhmaṇaṁ.

that’s who I declare a brahmin. They who know their past lives, see heaven and places of loss, and have attained the end of rebirth: that’s who I declare a brahmin.

designationSamaññā this + shehesā in the worldlokasmiṁ,
name·clannāmagottaṁ forth·arrangepakappitaṁ;
together·agreementSammuccā together·up·to·gonesamudāgataṁ,
theretattha theretattha forth·arrangepakappitaṁ.
long-inheritedDīgharattānusayitaṁ,
view·gone + not knowingdiṭṭhigatamajānataṁ;
not·knowAjānantā notno they declarepabrunti,
by birthjātiyā one ishoti a brahminbrāhmaṇo.
notNa by birthjaccā a brahminbrāhmaṇo one ishoti,
norna by birthjaccā one ishoti not·brahminabrāhmaṇo;
by deedsKammunā a brahminbrāhmaṇo one ishoti,
by deedskammunā one ishoti not·brahminabrāhmaṇo.
a farmerKassako by deedskammunā one ishoti,
a professionalsippiko one ishoti by deedskammunā;
a traderVāṇijo by deedskammunā one ishoti,
a servantpessako one ishoti by deedskammunā.
bandit·tooCoropi by deedskammunā one ishoti,
warrior·livelihood·tooyodhājīvopi by deedskammunā;
a sacrificerYājako by deedskammunā one ishoti,
ruler·toorājāpi one ishoti by deedskammunā.

For name and clan are formulated as mere convention in the world. Produced by mutual agreement, they’re formulated in each case. For a long time this misconception has prejudiced those who don’t understand. Ignorant, they declare that one is a brahmin by birth. You’re not a brahmin by birth, nor by birth a non-brahmin. You’re a brahmin by your deeds, and by deeds a non-brahmin. You’re a farmer by your deeds, by deeds you’re a professional; you’re a trader by your deeds, by deeds are you a servant; you’re a bandit by your deeds, by deeds you’re a warrior; you’re a sacrificer by your deeds, by deeds you’re a ruler.

thus·thisEvametaṁ in accord with truthyathābhūtaṁ,
deedkammaṁ they seepassanti the astutepaṇḍitā;
seeing dependent originationPaṭiccasamuppādadassā,
expert in deeds and their resultskammavipākakovidā.
by deedKammunā goes onvattati the worldloko,
by deedkammunā goes onvattati peoplepajā;
bound by deedsKammanibandhanā sentient beingssattā,
like a linchpinrathassāṇīva of a moving chariotyāyato.
by fervorTapena by spiritual practicebrahmacariyena,
by restraintsaṁyamena by self-controldamena andca;
by thisEtena a brahminbrāhmaṇo he becomeshoti,
thisetaṁ the supreme brahminbrāhmaṇamuttamaṁ.
with threeTīhi knowledgesvijjāhi accomplishedsampanno,
peacefulsanto with rebirth endedkhīṇapunabbhavo;
thusEvaṁ Vāseṭṭhavāseṭṭha knowjānāhi,
the Divinitybrahmā Sakkasakko to the wisevijānatan”ti.

In this way the astute regard deeds in accord with truth. Seeing dependent origination, they’re expert in deeds and their results. Deeds make the world go on, deeds make people go on; sentient beings are bound by deeds, like a moving chariot’s linchpin. By fervor and spiritual practice, by restraint and by self-control: that’s how to become a brahmin, this is the supreme brahmin. Accomplished in the three knowledges, peaceful, with rebirth ended, know them, Vāseṭṭha, as the Divinity and Sakka to the wise.”

thusEvaṁ when saidvutte, Vāseṭṭha and Bhāradvājavāseṭṭhabhāradvājā young brahminsmāṇavā to the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ said thisetadavocuṁ:
excellent“abhikkantaṁ, worthybho Gotamagotama, excellentabhikkantaṁ, worthybho Gotamagotama.
just asSeyyathāpi, worthybho Gotamagotama, overturnednikkujjitaṁ orvā would rightukkujjeyya, hiddenpaṭicchannaṁ orvā would revealvivareyya, to one lostmūḷhassa orvā pathmaggaṁ would point outācikkheyya, in darknessandhakāre orvā oil lamptelapajjotaṁ would holddhāreyya those with eyes‘cakkhumanto formsrūpāni will seedakkhantī’ti; just soevamevaṁ by worthybhotā by Gotamagotamena in many waysanekapariyāyena the teachingdhammo has been made clearpakāsito.
theseEte wemayaṁ to worthybhavantaṁ Gotamagotamaṁ refugesaraṇaṁ we gogacchāma and to the teachingdhammañca and to the bhikkhu Saṅghabhikkhusaṅghañca.
as lay followersUpāsake usno worthybhavaṁ Gotamagotamo may he rememberdhāretu from this day forthajjatagge as long as life lastspāṇupetaṁ refugesaraṇaṁ have gonegate”ti.
the Vāseṭṭha SuttaVāseṭṭhasuttaṁ is finishedniṭṭhitaṁ eighthaṭṭhamaṁ.

When he had spoken, Vāseṭṭha and Bhāradvāja said to him, “Excellent, worthy Gotama! Excellent! As if he were righting the overturned, or revealing the hidden, or pointing out the path to the lost, or lighting a lamp in the dark so people with clear eyes can see what’s there, worthy Gotama has made the teaching clear in many ways. We go for refuge to the worthy Gotama, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha. From this day forth, may the worthy Gotama remember us as lay followers who have gone for refuge for life.”

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