Sn 1.7
Vasala Sutta
Discourse on Outcasts
Translated from the Pali by
Piyadassi TheraPTS: Sn 116-142
Source: From The Book of Protection, translated by Piyadassi Thera (Kandy:
Buddhist Publication Society, 1999). Copyright © 1999 Buddhist Publication
Society. Used with permission.
Copyright © 1999 Buddhist Publication Society.
Access to Insight edition © 1999
For free distribution. This work may be republished, reformatted,
reprinted, and redistributed in any medium. It is the author's wish,
however, that any such republication and redistribution be made available
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other derivative works be clearly marked as such.
Thus have I heard:
On one occasion the Blessed One was living near Savatthi at Jetavana at
Anathapindika's monastery. Then in the forenoon the Blessed One having dressed
himself, took bowl and (double) robe, and entered the city of Savatthi for alms.
Now at that time a fire was burning, and an offering was being prepared in the
house of the brahman Aggikabharadvaja. Then the Blessed One, while on his alms
round, came to the brahman's residence. The brahman seeing the Blessed One some
way off, said this: "Stay there, you shaveling, stay there you wretched monk,
stay there you outcast." When he spoke thus the Blessed One said to the brahman:
"Do you know, brahman, who an outcast is and what the conditions are that make
an outcast?" "No, indeed, Venerable Gotama, I do not know who an outcast is nor
the conditions that make an outcast. It is good if Venerable Gotama were to
explain the Dhamma to me so that I may know who an outcast is and what the
conditions are that make an outcast."1
"Listen then, brahman, and pay attention, I will speak."
"Yes, Venerable Sir," replied the brahman.
1. "Whosoever is angry, harbors hatred, and is reluctant to speak well of others
(discredits the good of others), perverted in views, deceitful — know him as an
outcast.
2. "Whosoever in this world kills living beings, once born or twice born,2 in
whom there is no sympathy for living beings — know him as an outcast.
3. "Whosoever destroys and besieges villages and hamlets and becomes notorious
as an oppressor — know him as an outcast.
4. "Be it in the village, or in the forest, whosoever steals what belongs to
others, what is not given to him — know him as an outcast.
5. "Whosoever having actually incurred a debt runs away when he is pressed to
pay, saying, 'I owe no debt to you' — know him as an outcast.
6. "Whosoever coveting anything, kills a person going along the road, and grabs
whatever that person has — know him as an outcast.
7. "He who for his own sake or for the sake of others or for the sake of wealth,
utters lies when questioned as a witness — know him as an outcast.
8. "Whosoever by force or with consent associates with the wives of relatives or
friends — know him as an outcast.
9. "Whosoever being wealthy supports not his mother and father who have grown
old — know him as an outcast.
10. "Whosoever strikes and annoys by (harsh) speech, mother, father, brother,
sister or mother-in-law or father-in-law — know him as an outcast.
11. "Whosoever when questioned about what is good, says what is detrimental, and
talks in an evasive manner- know him as an outcast.
12. "Whosoever having committed an evil deed, wishes that it may not be known to
others, and commits evil in secret — know him as an outcast.
13. "Whosoever having gone to another's house, and partaken of choice food, does
not honor that host by offering food when he repays the visit — know him as an
outcast.
14. "Whosoever deceives by uttering lies, a brahman or an ascetic, or any other
mendicant — know him as an outcast.
15. "Whosoever when a brahman or ascetic appears during mealtime angers him by
harsh speech, and does not offer him (any alms) — know him as an outcast.
16. "Whosoever in this world, shrouded in ignorance, speaks harsh words (asatam)
or falsehood3 expecting to gain something — know him as an outcast.
17. "Whosoever debased by his pride, exalts himself and belittles other — know
him as an outcast.
18. "Whosoever is given to anger, is miserly, has base desires, and is selfish,
deceitful, shameless and fearless (in doing evil) — know him as an outcast.
19. "Whosoever reviles the Enlightened One (the Buddha), or a disciple of the
Buddha, recluse or a householder — know him as an outcast.
20. "Whosoever not being an arahant, a Consummate One, pretends to be so, is a
thief in the whole universe — he is the lowest of outcasts.
21. "Not by birth is one an outcast; not by birth is one a brahman. By deed one
becomes an outcast, by deed one becomes a brahman.
22. "Know ye by the example I now cite (the fact that by birth one is not an
outcast). There was an outcast's son, Sopaka, who became known as Matanga.
23. "This Matanga attained the highest fame so difficult to gain. Many were the
warriors (kshatriyas) and brahmans who went to attend on him.
24. "Mounting the celestial chariot (the Noble Eightfold path, and driving)
along the passion-free high road, (Sopaka, now a monk), reached the Brahma realm
having given up sense desires.
25. "His (lowly) birth did not prevent him from being reborn in the Brahma
realm. There are brahmans born in the family of preceptors, kinsmen of (veda)
hymns.
26. "They are often seen committing evil deeds. In this life itself they are
despised, in the next they are born in an evil state of existence. High birth
does not prevent them from falling into a woeful state, or from censure.
27. "Not by birth is one an outcast; not by birth is one a brahman. By deed one
becomes an outcast, by deed one becomes an brahman."
When the Buddha had thus spoken, the Brahman Aggikabharadvaja said to the
Blessed One: "Excellent, O Venerable Gotama, excellent! Just as, O Venerable
Gotama, a man were to set upright what had been overturned, or were to reveal
what had been hidden, or were to point the way to one who had gone astray, or
were to hold an oil lamp in the dark so that those with eyes may see things,
even so in many ways has the Venerable Gotama expounded the Dhamma, the
doctrine. I take refuge in the Venerable Gotama, the Dhamma, and the Sangha, the
Order. May the Venerable Gotama accept me as a lay follower who has taken refuge
from this day onwards while life lasts."
Notes
1. The abusive terms used by the brahman and the respectful address that follows
need a word of explanation. The brahman had just prepared his offering to the
great Brahma, his God, when his eyes fell on Buddha. To the brahman the sight of
a samana, a shaven-headed recluse, was an unlucky sign. Hence he burst into
angry words. The Buddha, however, was unruffled and spoke to him quietly in
words of soft cadence. The brahman apparently was ashamed, and repenting of his
folly, addressed the Buddha courteously. Comy. It is interesting to note the
Buddha's stress on anger and hatred in his very first stanza.
2. dvijam, birds. Twice-born is a reference to birds since they first come out
as an egg, and when hatched a complete bird is born.
3. asantamtipi patho, SnA.
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