Verses on Dhamma 26.4: 4. Aññatarabrāhmaṇavatthu

26.4.p1

Jhāyinti imaṃ dhammadesanaṃ satthā jetavane viharanto aññataraṃ brāhmaṇaṃ ārabbha kathesi.

*He that meditates.* This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to a certain Brahman.

26.4.p2

So kira cintesi – ‘‘satthā attano sāvake, ‘brāhmaṇā’ti vadati, ahañcamhi jātigottena brāhmaṇo, mampi nu kho evaṃ vattuṃ vaṭṭatī’’ti. So satthāraṃ upasaṅkamitvā tamatthaṃ pucchi. Satthā ‘‘nāhaṃ jātigottamattena brāhmaṇaṃ vadāmi, uttamatthaṃ arahattaṃ anuppattameva panevaṃ vadāmī’’ti vatvā imaṃ gāthamāha –

The story goes that one day this Brahman thought to himself, "The Teacher calls his own disciples 'Brahmans:' now I am by birth and lineage a Brahman; therefore he ought to apply this title to me also." So he approached the Teacher and asked him about the matter. The Teacher replied, "I do not call a man a Brahman merely because of his birth and lineage; I call by this title only that man who has reached the supreme goal, Arahatship." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza,

26.4.386

‘‘Jhāyiṃ virajamāsīnaṃ, katakiccamanāsavaṃ;
Uttamatthamanuppattaṃ, tamahaṃ brūmi brāhmaṇa’’nti.

386. He that meditates, he that is incorrupt,
He that has done his duty, he that is free from the evil passions,
He that has reached the supreme goal, that man I call a Brahman.

26.4.386_2

Tattha jhāyinti duvidhena jhānena jhāyantaṃ kāmarajena virajaṃ vane ekakamāsīnaṃ catūhi maggehi soḷasannaṃ kiccānaṃ katattā katakiccaṃ āsavānaṃ abhāvena anāsavaṃ uttamatthaṃ arahattaṃ anuppattaṃ ahaṃ brāhmaṇaṃ vadāmīti attho.

26.4.386_3

Desanāvasāne so brāhmaṇo sotāpattiphale patiṭṭhahi, sampattānampi sātthikā dhammadesanā ahosīti.

26.4.386_4

Aññatarabrāhmaṇavatthu catutthaṃ.