The History of Buddhist Thought c15.3

c15.3

A frequent term in the Scriptures is *samaṇa-brāhmaṇa*, ascetics and brahmins. Here the samanas are doubtless those who have permanently abandoned a household life, and may include brahmins who have adopted an ascetic life, for the brahmins proper are treated as householders, But the term *samaṇa-brāhmaṇa* is always used quite generally for those religious leaders who are mentioned as teaching doctrines in rivalry with the Buddhists. In the *Sāmaññaphala-sutta*, it is applied by Ajātasattu to the six teachers, who cannot all have been brahmins.