Dhammapada 26.19.p2

26.19.p2

Tassa kireko dāso apaññatte sikkhāpade palāyitvā pabbajitvā arahattaṃ pāpuṇi. Brāhmaṇo taṃ olokento adisvā ekadivasaṃ satthārā saddhiṃ piṇḍāya pavisantaṃ dvārantare disvā cīvaraṃ daḷhaṃ aggahesi. Satthā nivattitvā ‘‘kiṃ idaṃ, brāhmaṇā’’ti pucchi. Dāso me, bho gotamāti. Pannabhāro esa, brāhmaṇāti. ‘‘Pannabhāro’’ti ca vutte brāhmaṇo ‘‘arahā’’ti sallakkhesi. Tasmā punapi tena ‘‘evaṃ, bho gotamā’’ti vutte satthā ‘‘āma, brāhmaṇa, pannabhāro’’ti vatvā imaṃ gāthamāha –

The story goes that at a time previous to the promulgation of the precept forbidding the admission of runaway slaves to the Order, a certain slave of this Brahman ran away, was admitted to the Order, and attained Arahatship. The Brahman searched everywhere, but failed to find his slave. One day, as the former slave was entering the city with the Teacher, the Brahman saw him in the gateway, and took firm hold of his robe. The Teacher turned around and asked, “What do you mean by this, Brahman?” “This is my slave, Sir Gotama.” “His burden has fallen from him, Brahman.” When the Teacher said, “His burden has fallen from him,” the Brahman understood at once that his meaning was, “He is an Arahat.” Therefore he addressed the Teacher again, saying, “Is that so, Sir Gotama?” “Yes, Brahman,” replied the Teacher, “his burden has fallen from him.” So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza,