Buddhist Suttas — SBE Vol. 11 (Clarendon Press, 1881) page scans

hould after death, on the dissolution of the body, become united to Brahma — such a condition of things has no existence/

33. ' Now what think you, VAse//^a 3 and what have you heard from the Brahmans aged and well-stricken in years, when the learners and teachers are talking together ? Is BrahmS. in possession of wives and wealth, or is he not 1 ? '

* He is not, Gotama.'

1 Is his mind full of anger, or free from anger ? '

* Free from anger, Gotama/

' Is his mind full of malice, or free from malice ? 9
' Free from malice, Gotama/

* Is his mind depraved, or pure 2 ? ' ' It is pure, Gotama/

' Has he self-mastery, or has he not 3 ? '
1 He has, Gotama/

34. 1 Now what think you, V£se#/fca, are the

1 Sapariggaho v& Brahm& apariggaho v£ ti. Buddhaghosa says on Vase/Ma's reply, ' Kdma^^andassa abhâvato itthipariggaheno apariggaho/ thus restricting the 'possession* to women, with especial reference to the first ' hindrance ; ' but the word in the text, though doubtless alluding to possession of women in particular, includes more. Compare, on the general idea of the passage, the English expression ' no encumbrances/

2 Asahkili/Ma-£itto. That is, says Buddhaghosa, 'free from mental sloth and idleness, self-righteousness, and pride/

8 Vasavattt va avasavatti vL Buddhaghosa says, in explanation of the answer : ' By the absence of doubt he has his mind under control* (vase vatteti).

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Brahmans versed in the Vedas in the possession of
wives and wealth, or are they not ? '
' They are, Gotama/

• Have they anger in their hearts, or have they not?'

• They have, Gotama/

• Do they bear malice, or do they not ? ' ' They do, Gotama/

' Are they pure in heart, or are they not ? '
' They are not, Gotama/
1 Have they self-mastery, or have they not ?'
' They have not, Gotama/

35. 'Then you say, Vase//^a, that the Brfihmans are in possession of wives and wealth, and that Brahm& is not. Can there, then, be agreement and likeness between the Brahmans with their wives and property, and BrahmcL, who has none of these things ? '

' Certainly not, Gotama ! '

36. 'Very good, V4se//^a. But, verily, that these Brahmans versed in the Vedas, who live married and wealthy should after death, when the body is dissolved, become united with BrahmS, who has none of these things — such a condition of things has no existence/

37. 'Then you say, too, VAse//^a, that the Brâhmans bear anger and malice in their hearts, and are sinful and uncontrolled, whilst Brahma is free from anger and malice, and sinless, and has self-mastery. Now can there, then, be concord and likeness between the Brâhmans and Brahmi ? '

' Certainly not, Gotama ! '

38. ' Very good, V^se/Ma. That these Brihmans versed in the Vedas and yet bearing anger and malice in their hearts, sinful, and uncontrolled,

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and has self-mastery. Now can there, then, be concord and likeness between the Brâhmans and Brahmi ? '

' Certainly not, Gotama ! '

38. ' Very good, V^se/Ma. That these Brihmans versed in the Vedas and yet bearing anger and malice in their hearts, sinful, and uncontrolled,

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should after death, when the body is dissolved, become united to Brahma, who is free from anger and malice, sinless, and has self-mastery — such a condition of things has no existence/

39. ' So that thus then, V£se//>fca, the Brihmans, versed though they be in the Three Vedas, while they sit down (in confidence), are sinking down (in the mire) 1 ; and so sinking they are arriving only at despair, thinking the while that they are crossing over into some happier land.

' Therefore is it that the threefold wisdom of the Brâhmans, wise in their Three Vedas, is called a waterless desert, their threefold wisdom is called a pathless jungle, their threefold wisdom is called destruction ! '

40. When he had thus spoken, the young Brdhman Vase//^a said to the Blessed One :

* It has been told me, Gotama, that the Samara Gotama knows the way to the state of union with Brahma.

41. ' What do you think, Vdse//^a, is not Manasika/a near to this spot, not distant from this spot ? 9 c Just so, Gotama. Manasdka/a is near to, is not far from here/

42. 1 Now what think you, Vise/Ma, suppose there were a man born in Manasâka/a, and people should

1 Asiditva sa/rcsidanti. I have no doubt the commentator is right in his explanation of these figurative expressions. Confident in their knowledge of the Vedas, and in their practice of Vedic ceremonies, they neglect higher things ; and so, sinking into sin and superstition, ' they are arriving only at despair, thinking the while that they are crossing over into some happier land.'

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ask him, who never till that time had left ManasAka/a, which was the way to Manasâka/a. Would that man, born and brought up in Manasaka/a, be in any doubt or difficulty ? '

' Certainly not, Gotama ! And why ? If the man had been born and brought up in Manas£ka/a, every road that leads to Manasaka/a would be perfectly familiar to him/

43. ' That man, V£se#>&a, born and brought up at Manas^ka/a might, if he were asked the way to Manasaka/a, fall into doubt and difficulty, but to the Tathâgata, when asked touching the path which leads to the world of BrahmS, there can be neither doubt nor difficulty. For Brahm&, I know, Vase/^a, and the world of Brahm&, and the path which leadeth unto it. Yea, I know it even as one who has entered the Brahmi world, and has been born within it!'

44. When he had thus spoken, Vâse/^a the young
Brâhman said to the Blessed One :

* So has it been told me, Gotama, even that the Samara Gotama knows the way to a state of union with Brahma.

eadeth unto it. Yea, I know it even as one who has entered the Brahmi world, and has been born within it!'

44. When he had thus spoken, Vâse/^a the young
Brâhman said to the Blessed One :

* So has it been told me, Gotama, even that the Samara Gotama knows the way to a state of union with Brahma. It is well ! Let the venerable Gotama be pleased to show us the way to a state of union with Brahmi, let the venerable Gotama save the Brahman race ! '

45. ' Listen then, V£se/Ma, and give ear attentively, and I will speak ! '

'So be it, Lord!' said the young Brâhman
Vâse#/£a, in assent, to the Blessed One.

46. Then the Blessed One spake, and said :

1 1 Know, Vase/^a, that 1 (from time to time) a

1 From here down to the end of p. 200 is a repetition word for

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Tathdgata is born into the world, a fully Enlightened One, blessed and worthy, abounding in wisdom and goodness, happy, with knowledge of the world, unsurpassed as a guide to erring mortals, a teacher of gods and men, a Blessed Buddha 1 . He, by himself, thoroughly understands, and sees, as it were, face to face this universe — the world below with all its spirits, and the worlds above, of M4ra and of Brahma — and all creatures, Samaras and Brahmans, gods and men, and he then makes his knowledge known to others. The truth doth he proclaim both in its letter and in its spirit, lovely in its origin, lovely in its progress, lovely in its consummation : the higher life doth he make known, in all its purity and in all its perfectness.

47. 'A householder (gahapati), or one of his children, or a man of inferior birth in any class, listens to that truth 2 . On hearing the truth he has faith in the Tathagata, and when he has acquired that faith he thus considers with himself:

' " Full of hindrances is household life, a path defiled by passion : free as the air is the life of him who has renounced all worldly things. Howdifficult is it for the man who dwells at home to live the higher life in all its fulness, in all its purity, in all its bright perfection! Let me then cut off my hair and beard, let me clothe myself in the word of Samawwa Phala Sutta, pp. 133 and following; including the passages there parallel to those in Subha Sutta, p. 157, and in Brahma-^ala Sutta, pp. 5-16.

1 See above, § 7.

2 The point is, that the acceptance of this 4 Doctrine and Discipline' is open to all, not of course that Brâhmans never accept it.

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orange-coloured robes, and let me go forth from a household life into the homeless state!"

48. * Then before long, forsaking his portion of wealth, be it great or be it small; forsaking his circle of relatives, be they many or be they few, he cuts off his hair and beard, he clothes himself in the orange-coloured robes, and he goes forth from the household life into the homeless state.

49.