Dighanikaya 27.113_2

27.113_2

Kasmā pana brāhmaṇā ime sāmaṇere akkosantīti? Appatiṭṭhatāya. Ime hi sāmaṇerā aggabrāhmaṇānaṃ puttā tiṇṇaṃ vedānaṃ pāragū jambudīpe brāhmaṇānaṃ antare pākaṭā sambhāvitā tesaṃ pabbajitattā aññe brāhmaṇaputtā pabbajiṃsu. Atha kho brāhmaṇā ‘‘apatiṭṭhā mayaṃ jātā’’ti imāya appatiṭṭhatāya gāmadvārepi antogāmepi te disvā ‘‘tumhehi brāhmaṇasamayo bhinno, muṇḍasamaṇakassa pacchato pacchato rasagiddhā hutvā vicarathā’’tiādīni ceva pāḷiyaṃ āgatāni ‘‘brāhmaṇova seṭṭho vaṇṇo’’tiādīni ca vatvā akkosanti. Sāmaṇerā tesu akkosantesupi kopaṃ vā āghātaṃ vā akatvā kevalaṃ bhagavatā puṭṭhā ‘‘taggha no, bhante, brāhmaṇā akkosanti paribhāsantī’’ti ārocesuṃ. Atha ne bhagavā akkosanākāraṃ pucchanto yathā kathaṃ pana voti pucchati. Te ācikkhantā brāhmaṇā bhantetiādimāhaṃsu.

Why, however, do the brahmins revile these novices? Because of helplessness. For these novices were sons of foremost brahmins, masters of the three Vedas, well known and respected among brahmins in Jambudīpa; because they had gone forth, other sons of brahmins went forth as well. Then the brahmins, feeling “We have become helpless,” out of this helplessness, seeing them whether at the village gate or within the village, revile them, saying: “You have broken the brahmin tradition, and you wander about following behind a shaven-headed recluse, greedy for tastes!” and so on, as well as the words occurring in the text: “Only the brahmin is the best class,” and so on. Even while they were reviling them, the novices did not show anger or resentment, but only when asked by the Blessed One did they report: “Surely, venerable sir, the brahmins revile and insult us.” Then the Blessed One, asking about the manner of their reviling, asks: “In what way, then, [do they revile] you?” Explaining, they said “The brahmins, venerable sir,” and so on.