Verses on Dhamma 26.10: 10. Jaṭilabrāhmaṇavatthu

26.10.p1

Na jaṭāhīti imaṃ dhammadesanaṃ satthā jetavane viharanto ekaṃ jaṭilabrāhmaṇaṃ ārabbha kathesi.

It is not matted locks. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to a certain Brahman who wore matted locks.

26.10.p2

So kira ‘‘ahaṃ mātito ca pitito ca sujāto brāhmaṇakule nibbatto. Sace samaṇo gotamo attano sāvake brāhmaṇāti vadati, mampi nu kho tathā vattuṃ vaṭṭatī’’ti satthu santikaṃ gantvā tamatthaṃ pucchi. Atha naṃ satthā ‘‘nāhaṃ, brāhmaṇa, jaṭāmattena, na jātigottamattena brāhmaṇaṃ vadāmi, paṭividdhasaccameva panāhaṃ brāhmaṇoti vadāmī’’ti vatvā dhammaṃ desento imaṃ gāthamāha –

The story goes that this Brahman said one day to himself, "I am well born on my mother's side and on my father's side, for I was

reborn in the family of a Brahman. Now the monk Gotama calls his own disciples ‘Brahmans.’ He ought to apply the same title to me too.” So the Brahman went to the Teacher and asked him about the matter. Said the Teacher to the Brahman, “Brahman, I do not call a man a Brahman merely because he wears matted locks, merely because of his birth and lineage. But he that has penetrated the truth, him alone do I call a ‘Brahman.’” So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza,

26.10.393

‘‘Na jaṭāhi na gottena, na jaccā hoti brāhmaṇo;
Yamhi saccañca dhammo ca, so sucī so ca brāhmaṇo’’ti.

393. It is not matted locks or lineage or birth that makes a Brahman;
But he in whom Truth exists, and the Law, he is blessed, he is a Brahman.

26.10.393_2

Tattha saccanti yasmiṃ puggale cattāri saccāni soḷasahākārehi paṭivijjhitvā ṭhitaṃ saccañāṇañceva navavidho ca lokuttaradhammo atthi, so suci, so brāhmaṇo cāti attho.

26.10.393_3

Desanāvasāne bahū sotāpattiphalādīni pāpuṇiṃsūti.

26.10.393_4

Jaṭilabrāhmaṇavatthu dasamaṃ.