Early Monastic Buddhism v1.c14.s3.t2: Brāhmaṇas of Kosala
Early Monastic Buddhism v1.c14.s3.t2
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Brāhmaṇas of Kosala
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The opposition put forth by the six teachers and their disciples to the progress of Buddha's mission was not so strong as that of the orthodox brāhmaṇas and brāhmanical teachers, who could hardly tolerate a teacher who had raised the standard of revolt against them.⁴ To some of the orthodox brāhmaṇas, even the sight of the shaven-headed Buddha at the time of performance of sacrifices was considered ominous. The sight of Buddha at some distance was a cause for consternation to Aggika-Bharadvāja who cried out to stop the further progress of the Preacher towards the place where he was performing a sacrifice: "*Tatre'eva muṇḍaka tatr'eva samaṇaka, tatr'eva vasalaka tiṭṭhāhi*" |(Stay) there, O Shaveling (stay) there, O Samaṇaka (wretched samaṇa) (stay) there, O Vasalaka (outcast)|.⁵ The adverse opinions held by the brāhmaṇas generally about him have found expression in many places in the Nikāyas in passages like the following,—"Who are these shavelings, sham friars, menial black fellows, the offscouring of our kinsmen's heels."¹ They even sneered at the idea of Buddha coming 'to converse with brāhmaṇas versed in the threefold Vedic lore.'² We find it mentioned that a brāhmaṇa was offended with a brāhmaṇa lady with Buddhistic leanings for uttering in his presence the formula of salutation to Buddha and cursed her for doing so.³ The nature of the opposition encountered by Buddha in the place accounts for many of the topics on which discourses were delivered by him or discussions were carried on with the local brāhmaṇas e.g. the origin of the caste-system and the purpose it served; inefficacy of sacrifices; absurdity of solving the indeterminable problems like the existence or non-existence of soul; permanence and impermanence of the world; falling off of the brāhmaṇas from the ancient brāhmanic ideal; the truth underlying the belief in spiritual sanctification by bathing in the rivers; dependence of the gods of the brāhmanic pantheon on the law of karma, and so forth.
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⁴ *Sutta Nipāta*, pp. 50 ff.
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⁵ *Ibid*, p. 21 (translated in S. B. E. vol. X, p. 20).
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¹ Digha, I, p. 103.
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² Ibid, I, p. 81 ff.
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³ Majjhima, II, p. 210.
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Buddha by his power of disputation and knowledge of the brāhmanic lore brought home to the brāhmaṇas the truths that he was preaching. As soon as they saw the hollowness of their beliefs or the unsoundness of their philosophy, they with their characteristic love of truth embraced the religion which was placed before their eyes with all its charm. Some of them continued as laymen declaring their faith in Buddha, Dhamma, and Saṅgha while others went further and became bhikkhus. Rich and influential brāhmaṇa householders like Jānussoṇi,⁴ Aggika-Bharadvāja,¹ and Dhānañjani² professed themselves as life-long upāsakas of Buddha, Dhamma, and Saṅgha. Intelligent and learned as they were, they naturally presented difficulty to Buddha in having them converted but once convinced of the truth of Buddha's doctrines, they proved to be his staunch adherents.
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⁴ Ibid., I, p. 175.
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¹ Sutta Nipāta, p. 21.
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² Majjhima, II, p. 209.
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The distinct achievement of Buddha in this brāhmanic country is the conversion of some of the distinguished brāhmaṇa teachers (mahāsālas) who lived on grants of villages made by kings and were held in high respect by the people of the locality. In spite of their high positions as orthodox brāhmaṇa teachers, and regardless of the advice and importunities of their disciples and admirers, the renowned mahāsālas Pokkharasādi of U k k a ṭ ṭ h ā,³ Lohicca of S ā l ā-v a t i k ā,⁴ and Caṅki of O p a s ā d a took refuge in Buddha and promised to be his followers up to the end of their lives (ajjatagge pāṇupetaṃ saraṇaṃ gataṃ). So great became Buddha's fame in Kosala that the sixteen disciples of Bāvari came from as far a place as the bank of the Godāvarī to join the order.⁵ On listening to a discourse, Uggatasarīra brāhmaṇa of S ā v a t t h i released his sacrificial victims and expressed his devotion to Buddha.⁶
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³ Digha, I, p. 87, see also infra, p. 169.
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⁴ Ibid, I, p. 224.
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⁵ Sutta Nipāta, p. 192 ff. Bāvari was once the purohita of king Mahākosala and his son Pasenadi. He retired to the bank of the Godāvarī where a hermitage was built for him by Pasenadi.
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⁶ Aṅguttara, IV, p. 45.
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The Nikāyas mention only those names of brāhmaṇa converts with whom Buddha or his disciples had conversation or disputation. The names show that a pretty large number of brāhmaṇas of various ranks in life were converted, as for instance, the Brāhmaṇagahapatis of Sālā,¹ Kapaṭhikamānava of O p a s ā d a,² Brāhmaṇas of N a g a r a v i n d a,³ M a n a- s ā k a ṭ a,⁴ V e n ā g a p u r a,⁵ I c c h ā n a ṅ g a l a,⁶ D a ṇ d a- k a p p a k a;⁷ Jānussoṇi, Sundarībharadvāja, Piṅgalakoccha, Assalāyana, Esukārī, Subha, Saṅgara, Tikaṇṇa, Saṅgārava, Dhānañjani of Caṇḍalakappa⁸ and a host of other brāhmaṇas of S ā v a t t h i.⁹
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¹ Majjhima, I, p. 285.
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² Ibid., II, p. 164.
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³ Ibid., III, p. 290.
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⁴ Digha, I, p. 235.
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⁵ Aṅguttara, III, p. 30.
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⁶ Ibid., III, p. 30.
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⁷ Ibid., III, p. 402.
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⁸ Majjhima, II, p. 209.
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⁹ See Majjhima, I, pp. 39, 175, 205; II, pp. 147, 177, 208, 209; Digha, III, p. 81; Saṃyutta, I, pp. 177 ff.; Aṅguttara, I, pp. 158 ff.
Cites (5)
- Suttanipāta — Pāli
- Dīghanikāya — Pāli
- Majjhimanikāya — Pāli
- Saṃyuttanikāya — Pāli
- Aṅguttaranikāya — Pāli