Age of the Nandas and Mauryas c12.s8.13

c12.s8.13

The account doubtless had a real basis as we come across such types of Brahmanical sages not infrequently in the Buddhist texts. The true Brahmins are distinguished from the false ones by Buddha and are well spoken of by him. Such Brahmins were expected to observe the five dhammas: truthfulness (saccam), austerity (tapam), continence (brahmacariyam), study (ajjhenam) and gifts (cāgam). These alone could conduce to the attainment of the Brahma-sahavyatā or the attainment of the world of Brahman (Majjhima ii, 199; Sutta Nipāta, p. 79).