Khuddaka Nikāya - The Minor Texts

Sutta Nipata

Sutta Nipata Chapter 1: The Serpent Chapter - Uragavagga

1.7 The Lowlife

  • DG BB TBW © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi

1.7 The OutcastPj II calls it the Aggikabhāradvājasutta, after the brahmin.

Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. Then in the morning the Blessed One dressed, took his bowl and robe, and entered Sāvatthī for alms.

Now on that occasion, at the residence of the brahmin Aggikabhāradvāja, a fire had been kindled and an oblation had been prepared. Then the Blessed One, while walking for alms without skipping any houses, approached the residence of the brahmin Aggikabhāradvāja.

The brahmin Aggikabhāradvāja saw the Blessed One coming in the distance and said to him: “Stop right there, you shaveling! Right there, you low ascetic! Right there, you outcast!”

When this was said, the Blessed One said to the brahmin Aggikabhāradvāja: “But do you know, brahmin, what an outcast is or the qualities that make one an outcast?”

“I do not know, Master Gotama, what an outcast is or the qualities that make one an outcast. Please teach me the Dhamma in such a way that I might come to know what an outcast is and the qualities that make one an outcast.”

“In that case, brahmin, listen and attend closely. I will speak.”


“Yes, sir,” the brahmin Aggikabhāradvāja replied. The Blessed One said this:


116“A man who is angry and hostile,
an evil denigrator,
deficient in view, a hypocrite:
you should know him as an outcast. (1)

117“One here who injures a living beingI here follow Be pānaṃ vihiṃsati, as against Ce and Ee pānāni hiṃsati. Pj II recognizes both readings, which were apparently already found in the manuscripts available to the commentator. The relinquishment of limbs, body, wealth, wife, and kingdom. See It-a I 118,30–32: aṅgapariccāgaṃ, attapariccāgaṃ, dhanapariccāgaṃ, dārapariccāgaṃ, rajjapariccāgan ti imāni pañca mahāpariccāgāni pariccajitvā.
whether once-born or twice-born,
who has no kindness toward living beings:
you should know him as an outcast. (2) [22]

118“One who strikes or attacks
villages and towns,
notorious as an oppressor:
you should know him as an outcast. (3)

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119“Whether in the village or in the forest,
one who takes what has not been given,
stealing the belongings of others:
you should know him as an outcast. (4)

120“One who, having taken out a loan,
flees when pressed [to pay it back],
saying, “I am not indebted to you”:
you should know him as an outcast. (5)

121“One who, from desire for some item,
strikes a person traveling along a road
and takes away the item:
you should know him as an outcast. (6)

122“A person who for his own sake,
for the sake of others, and for the sake of wealth,
speaks falsely when questioned as a witness:
you should know him as an outcast. (7)

123“One who is seen transgressing
with the wives of his relatives or friends,
whether by force or through endearment:
you should know him as an outcast. (8)

124“If one who is able does not support
his mother or his father
when they have grown old, their youth gone:
you should know him as an outcast.Except for the last line, the verse is identical with verse 98. (9)

125“One who strikes or verbally abuses
his mother or father,
his brother, sister, or mother-in-law:
you should know him as an outcast. (10)

126“One who, when asked about the good,
instructs others in what is harmful,
who gives advice in an obscure way:
you should know him as an outcast. (11)

127“One who, having done a bad deed,
wishes: ‘May they not find out about me,’
a person of concealed action:
you should know him as an outcast. (12)

128“One who, when visiting another’s family,
enjoys there a meal of fine food,
but does not return the favor to his host:
you should know him as an outcast. (13)

129“If one deceives with false speech
a brahmin or an ascetic
or some other mendicant:
you should know him as an outcast.Except for the last line, the verse is identical with verse 100..(14) [23]

130“If, at the meal time, one verbally abuses
a brahmin or an ascetic that has arrivedNote 87. I translate on the basis of the alternative reading, upaṭṭhitaṃ, in place of upaṭṭhite. Pj II recognizes both readings.
and does not give him [any food]:
you should know him as an outcast. (15)

131“One here who speaks what is untrue,I translate on the basis of the alternative reading asantaṃ, in place of the primary reading asataṃ. Pj II recognizes both readings.
enveloped by delusion,
seeking to obtain something for himself:
you should know him as an outcast. (16)

132“One who extols himself
and despises others,
inferior because of his own conceit:
you should know him as an outcast. (17)

133“One who provokes anger, stingy,
of evil desires, miserly, deceitful,
without moral shame or moral dread:
you should know him as an outcast. (18)

134“One who reviles the Buddha
or who reviles his disciple,
whether a wanderer or a householder:
you should know him as an outcast. (19)

135“One not actually an arahant
who claims to be an arahant,
a thief in this world along with Brahmā:
this indeed is the lowest outcast.
I have explained to you
these outcasts that are spoken of. (20)

136“One is not an outcast by birth,
nor by birth is one a brahmin.
By action one becomes an outcast,
by action one becomes a brahmin. (21)

137“Understand that in this way, too,
according to this example of mine,
the caṇḍāla son, Sopāka,
famed [under the name] Mātaṅga. (22) [24]

138“Mātaṅga attained supreme fame,
which is so very hard to obtain;
many khattiyas and brahmins came
to perform service for him. (23)

139“He ascended the deva road,
the dustless great path;
having expunged sensual lust,
he passed on to the brahma world.
His social class did not prevent him
from rebirth in the brahma world. (24)

140“Those born into a family of reciters —
brahmins who specialize in the sacred hymnsBrāhmaṇā mantabandhavā. Literally “brahmins who are kinsmen of the sacred hymns.”
are often seen involved
in actions that are bad. (25)

141“They are reprehensible in this present life
and have a bad destination in a future life;
their social class does not prevent them
from a bad destination or reproach. (26)

142“One is not an outcast by birth,
nor by birth is one a brahmin.
By action one becomes an outcast,
by action one becomes a brahmin.” (27)


When this was said, the brahmin Aggikabhāradvāja said this to the Blessed One: “Excellent, Master Gotama! Excellent, Master Gotama! Master Gotama has made the Dhamma clear in many ways, as though he were turning upright what had been overthrown, revealing what was hidden, showing the way to one who was lost, or holding up a lamp in the darkness so those with good eyesight can see forms. [25]

I go for refuge to Master Gotama, to the Dhamma, and to the Sangha of bhikkhus. Let Master Gotama consider me a lay follower who from today has gone for refuge for life.”

Vasalasutta

Evaṁ me sutaṁ. Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi.

Tena kho pana samayena aggikabhāradvājassa brāhmaṇassa nivesane aggi pajjalito hoti āhuti paggahitā. Atha kho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ sapadānaṁ piṇḍāya caramāno yena aggikabhāradvājassa brāhmaṇassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami.

Addasā kho aggikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ. Disvāna bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "tatreva, muṇḍaka; tatreva, samaṇaka; tatreva, vasalaka, tiṭṭhāhī"ti.

Evaṁ vutte, bhagavā aggikabhāradvājaṁ brāhmaṇaṁ etadavoca: "jānāsi pana tvaṁ, brāhmaṇa, vasalaṁ vā vasalakaraṇe vā dhamme"ti?

"Na khvāhaṁ, bho gotama, jānāmi vasalaṁ vā vasalakaraṇe vā dhamme; sādhu me bhavaṁ gotamo tathā dhammaṁ desetu, yathāhaṁ jāneyyaṁ vasalaṁ vā vasalakaraṇe vā dhamme"ti.

"Tena hi, brāhmaṇa, suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi; bhāsissāmī"ti.


"Evaṁ, bho"ti kho aggikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavato paccassosi. Bhagavā etadavoca:


116"Kodhano upanāhī ca,
pāpamakkhī ca yo naro;
Vipannadiṭṭhi māyāvī,
taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

117 Ekajaṁ vā dvijaṁ vāpi,
yodha pāṇaṁ vihiṁsati;
Yassa pāṇe dayā natthi,
taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

118 Yo hanti parirundhati,
gāmāni nigamāni ca;
Niggāhako samaññāto,
taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

119 Gāme vā yadi vā raññe,
yaṁ paresaṁ mamāyitaṁ;
Theyyā adinnamādeti,
taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

120 Yo have iṇamādāya,
cujjamāno palāyati;
Na hi te iṇamatthīti,
taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

121 Yo ve kiñcikkhakamyatā,
panthasmiṁ vajantaṁ janaṁ;
Hantvā kiñcikkhamādeti,
taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

122 Attahetu parahetu,
dhanahetu ca yo naro;
Sakkhipuṭṭho musā brūti,
taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

123 Yo ñātīnaṁ sakhīnaṁ vā,
dāresu paṭidissati;
Sāhasā sampiyena vā,
taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

124 Yo mātaraṁ pitaraṁ vā,
jiṇṇakaṁ gatayobbanaṁ;
Pahu santo na bharati,
taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

125 Yo mātaraṁ pitaraṁ vā,
Bhātaraṁ bhaginiṁ sasuṁ;
Hanti roseti vācāya,
Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

126 Yo atthaṁ pucchito santo,
Anatthamanusāsati;
Paṭicchannena manteti,
Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

127 Yo katvā pāpakaṁ kammaṁ,
Mā maṁ jaññāti icchati;
Yo paṭicchannakammanto,
Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

128 Yo ve parakulaṁ gantvā,
Bhutvāna sucibhojanaṁ;
Āgataṁ nappaṭipūjeti,
Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

129 Yo brāhmaṇaṁ samaṇaṁ vā,
Aññaṁ vāpi vanibbakaṁ;
Musāvādena vañceti,
Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

130 Yo brāhmaṇaṁ samaṇaṁ vā,
Bhattakāle upaṭṭhite;
Roseti vācā na ca deti,
Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

131 Asataṁ yodha pabrūti,
Mohena paliguṇṭhito;
Kiñcikkhaṁ nijigīsāno,
Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

132 Yo cattānaṁ samukkaṁse,
Pare ca mavajānāti;
Nihīno sena mānena,
Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

133 Rosako kadariyo ca,
Pāpiccho maccharī saṭho;
Ahiriko anottappī,
Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

134 Yo buddhaṁ paribhāsati,
Atha vā tassa sāvakaṁ;
Paribbājaṁ gahaṭṭhaṁ vā,
Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.

135 Yo ve anarahaṁ santo,
Arahaṁ paṭijānāti;
Coro sabrahmake loke,
Eso kho vasalādhamo;
Ete kho vasalā vuttā,
Mayā yete pakāsitā.

136 Na jaccā vasalo hoti,
Na jaccā hoti brāhmaṇo;
Kammunā vasalo hoti,
Kammunā hoti brāhmaṇo.

137 Tadamināpi jānātha,
Yathāmedaṁ nidassanaṁ;
Caṇḍālaputto sopāko,
Mātaṅgo iti vissuto.

138 So yasaṁ paramaṁ patto,
Mātaṅgo yaṁ sudullabhaṁ;
Āgacchuṁ tassupaṭṭhānaṁ,
Khattiyā brāhmaṇā bahū.

139 Devayānaṁ abhiruyha,
Virajaṁ so mahāpathaṁ;
Kāmarāgaṁ virājetvā,
Brahmalokūpago ahu;
Na naṁ jāti nivāresi,
Brahmalokūpapattiyā.

140 Ajjhāyakakule jātā,
Brāhmaṇā mantabandhavā;
Te ca pāpesu kammesu,
Abhiṇhamupadissare.

141 Diṭṭheva dhamme gārayhā,
Samparāye ca duggati;
Na ne jāti nivāreti,
Duggatyā garahāya vā.

142 Na jaccā vasalo hoti,
Na jaccā hoti brāhmaṇo;
Kammunā vasalo hoti,
Kammunā hoti brāhmaṇo"ti.


Evaṁ vutte, aggikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "Abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama … pe …

upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan"ti.


Vasalasuttaṁ sattamaṁ.

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