Dighanikaya 3.278

3.278

Imāya pana gāthāya vijjācaraṇasampannoti idaṃ padaṃ sutvā ambaṭṭho cintesi – ‘‘vijjā nāma tayo vedā, caraṇaṃ pañca sīlāni, tayidaṃ amhākaṃyeva atthi, vijjācaraṇasampanno ce seṭṭho, mayameva seṭṭhā’’ti niṭṭhaṃ gantvā vijjācaraṇaṃ pucchanto – ‘‘katamaṃ pana taṃ, bho gotama, caraṇaṃ, katamā ca pana sā vijjā’’ti āha. Athassa bhagavā taṃ brāhmaṇasamaye siddhaṃ jātivādādipaṭisaṃyuttaṃ vijjācaraṇaṃ paṭikkhipitvā anuttaraṃ vijjācaraṇaṃ dassetukāmo – ‘‘na kho ambaṭṭhā’’tiādimāha. Tattha jātivādoti jātiṃ ārabbha vādo, brāhmaṇassevidaṃ vaṭṭati, na suddassātiādi vacananti attho. Esa nayo sabbattha. Jātivādavinibaddhāti jātivāde vinibaddhā. Esa nayo sabbattha.

Having heard the phrase ‘consummate in knowledge and conduct’ (vijjācaraṇasampanno) in this verse, Ambaṭṭha thought: ‘“Knowledge” means the three Vedas, “conduct” means the five precepts, and these very things belong to us; if one who is consummate in knowledge and conduct is the best, then we ourselves are the best.’ Reaching this conclusion, in inquiring about knowledge and conduct, he said: ‘What, Master Gotama, is that conduct, and what is that knowledge?’ Then the Blessed One, wishing to reject that knowledge and conduct accepted in the tradition of the brahmans, connected with disputes about birth and so on, and to show the unsurpassed knowledge and conduct, said ‘Not indeed, Ambaṭṭha…’ and so on. There, ‘dispute about birth’ (jātivādo) means a dispute concerning birth, the saying to the effect that: ‘This is fitting only for a brahman, not for a sudda.’ This is the method everywhere. ‘Bound by disputes about birth’ (jātivādavinibaddhā) means tied up in disputes about birth. This is the method everywhere.