Dhammapada Commentary - Brahmana Vagga II

Dhammapada Commentary ( Dhammapada Atthakatha )

Edited by
Bhikkhu Pesala


Brahmana Vagga II

A Saint is Harmless
23. Nidhāya daṇḍaṃ bhūtesu, tasesu thāvaresu ca
Yo na hanti na ghāteti, tam ahaṃ brūmi Brāhmaṇaṃ.405
23. Who has laid aside the cudgel in his dealings with beings,
Whether feeble or strong, who neither injures nor kills, I call a Saint.
The Elder and the Woman
Having obtained a meditation object from the Buddha, an elder attained
Arahantship while dwelling in a forest, and was on his way to see the Teacher to
tell him of the great benefit he had gained. A woman who had quarrelled with
her husband entered the same forest wishing to return to her parents’ home, and
for protection walked not far behind the elder. The husband, finding his wife
missing, entered the forest in search of her, and saw the woman following the
elder. The husband, suspecting the elder of taking his wife away, beat him
soundly in spite of the pleadings of his wife, who vouched for the elder’s
innocence. When the elder arrived, the monks noticed that his body was covered
with bruises and weals, and he told them what had happened. When they asked
him if he had been angry, he replied that no anger had arisen in his mind. The
monks reported this to the Buddha who uttered the above verse. On conclusion of
the verse, many attained Stream-winning.
A Saint is Friendly Among the Hostile
24. Aviruddhaṃ viruddhesu, attadaṇḍesu nibbutaṃ
Sādānesu anādānaṃ, tam ahaṃ brūmi Brāhmaṇaṃ.406
24. Who is friendly among the hostile, who is peaceful among the violent,
Who is unattached among the attached — I call a Saint.
The Four Novices
A female lay supporter prepared food for four monks, and sent her husband
to the monastery with instructions to invite and bring with him four senior
elders. When he arrived he said, “Please assign me four Saints.” Four novices —
Saṃkicca, Paṇḍita, Sopaka, and Revata had attained Arahantship at the age of
seven were assigned to him. The Brahmin’s wife arranged four luxurious seats,
and stood waiting. When she saw the four novices she was furious, and scolded
her husband for bringing four boys young enough to be his grandsons. Preparing
some low seats, she told them to sit there, then sent her husband back to the


monastery to bring some Saints. He found the Elder Sāriputta, and ask him to
come to the house. When the Elder Sāriputta arrived, he asked, “Have these Saints
been offered food yet?” On being told that they had not, since he knew that food
had been prepared for four, he took his almsbowl and departed. When his wife
asked, he told her what the Elder Sāriputta had said. Then she told him to go
again to the monastery and bring another Saint. He brought the Elder
Moggallāna, who said the same, and departed taking his almsbowl.
By this time, the novices were famished, so when the woman sent her
husband to find another elderly Brahmin, the throne of Sakka began to manifest
signs of heat due to the merit of the novices. Investigating the reason, he took the
appearance of an elderly Brahmin, and sat in the finest seat of the Brahmins.
Seeing him, the Brahmin was delighted, and invited him to his house. When she
saw him, the Brahmin’s wife was delighted, and spread two seats as one for him
to sit down. However, Sakka paid homage to the four novices, and sat nearby
paying respects to them. The Brahmin’s wife was furious again, and scolded her
husband for bringing a senile Brahmin old enough to be his father. She told him
to throw the Brahmin out of their house, but try as he might, he was unable to.
Both of them tried together, but when they thought they had they got him out,
and come back inside, he was still sitting in the same place. They screamed in
horror, and when Sakka revealed his identity, the couple offered the food to their
five guests. When they had finished their meal, each of them departed in a
different direction, breaking through the roof and the floor. Thus that house
became known as the house with five openings.
When the novices returned to the monastery the monks asked them, “What
was it like?” Saying, “You shouldn’t ask,” the novices related what had happened.
When they had finished, the monks asked them if they were angry. When they
said that they did not get angry, the monks reported this to the Buddha who
confirmed by uttering the above verse.
A Saint Has Discarded All Passions
25. Yassa rāgo ca doso ca, māno makkho ca pātito
Sāsapor’iva āraggā, tam ahaṃ brūmi Brāhmaṇaṃ.407
25. In whom lust, hatred, pride, detraction are fallen off like a mustard seed
from the point of a needle — I call a Saint.


The Elder Mahāpanthaka
The Elder Mahāpanthaka told his brother Cūḷapanthaka1 to leave the
monastery because he could not memorise a single verse even after four months.
The monks thought that the elder had done so in anger. The Buddha explained
that Arahants have no passions and that Mahāpanthaka had been motivated by
respect for the Dhamma.
A Saint Gives Offence to None
26. Akakkasaṃ viññāpaniṃ, giraṃ saccaṃ udīraye
Yāya n’ābhisaje kañci, tam ahaṃ brūmi Brāhmaṇaṃ.408
26. Who utters gentle, instructive, true words,
Who by his speech gives offence to none — I call a Saint.
The Elder Pilindavaccha
The Elder Pilindavaccha was in the habit of addressing others as “Vasali” a
word used only in speaking to outcastes. The monks took objection to his form of
address and mentioned it to the Buddha. The Buddha explained that the elder had
not done so with evil intent, but only through force of habit. On that occasion he
uttered the above verse.
A Saint Does Not Steal
27. Yo’dha dīghaṃ va rassaṃ vā, aṇuṃ thūlaṃ subhāsubhaṃ
Loke adinnaṃ nādiyati, tam ahaṃ brūmi Brāhmaṇaṃ.409
27. Who in this world takes nothing that is not given, be it long or short,
small or great, fair or foul — I call a Saint.
A Certain Elder
An elder, mistaking a cloth lying on the ground for one abandoned by the
owner, took it. The owner saw this and accused him of theft. The elder explained
that he had not taken it with thievish intent and returned it. He told the other
monks about the incident. The monks made fun of him. The Buddha explained
that Arahants do not steal anything from others.

1
When he received a suitable meditation object from the Buddha, Cūḷapanthaka gained
Arahantship with the supernormal powers.


A Saint Has No Desires
28. Āsā yassa na vijjanti, asmiṃ loke paramhi ca
Nirāsāsaṃ2 visaṃyuttaṃ,
tam ahaṃ brūmi Brāhmaṇaṃ.410
28. Who has no longings for this world or for the next,
Who is desireless and emancipated — I call a Saint.
The Elder Sāriputta
The Elder Sāriputta spent the Rains in a certain residence with many other
monks. When it was time for him to leave, the lay supporters had not yet brought
all of the robes and other requisites that they had promised. He advised the
resident monks to bring the robes for the young monks and novices, and to send
word if the requisites were not offered. Some monks thought that he still
harboured desires. The Buddha explained the attitude of the Elder Sāriputta, who
was only thinking, “Let the donors gain merit, and let the young monks and
novices obtain the requisites they have been promised.”
A Saint Has No Longings
29. Yassālayā na vijjanti, aññāya akathaṃkathī
Amatogadhaṃ anuppattaṃ, tam ahaṃ brūmi Brāhmaṇaṃ.411
29. Who has no longings, who, through knowledge, is free from doubts,
Who has gained a firm footing in the deathless — I call a Saint.
The Elder Moggallāna
This story is similar to the preceding one. This time a similar accusation was
made against the Elder Moggallāna.
A Saint Has Transcended Good and Evil
30. Yo’dha puññañca pāpañca, ubho saṅgaṃ upaccagā
Asokaṃ virajaṃ suddhaṃ, tam ahaṃ brūmi Brāhmaṇaṃ.412
30. He who has transcended both merit and evil, and the ties as well,
Who is sorrowless, stainless, and pure — I call a Saint.

2
Nirāsayaṃ


The Merit of the Elder Revata
The story is told in the Commentary to verse 98, where the elder constructed
many dwellings using his psychic powers. When the monks were talking about
the great merit made by the elder, the Buddha explained that the elder was
beyond both merit and evil, having abandoned both.
A Saint is Pure
31. Candaṃ ’va vimalaṃ suddhaṃ, vippasannam anāvilaṃ
Nandībhavaparikkhīṇaṃ, tam ahaṃ brūmi Brāhmaṇaṃ.413
31. Who is spotless as the moon, who is pure, serene, and unperturbed,
Who has destroyed craving for becoming — I call a Saint.
The Brahmin “Moon Disk”
In the time of the Buddha Kassapa a forester offered red sandalwood in the
form of a moon disk to the shrine of the Buddha Kassapa that was built when he
attained parinibbāna. Due to this meritorious deed, when he was reborn during
the time of the Buddha Gotama he possessed a radiance like the moon that shone
from his navel. The Brahmins travelled all around the country making money by
letting people touch “Moon Disk” for good luck, after paying a fee. When they
arrived at Sāvatthī they got into a debate with the Buddha’s disciples who were
not impressed by their claims. They took “Moon Disk” with them, and went to see
the Buddha. As soon as “Moon Disk” came into the presence of the Buddha his
radiance disappeared. He assumed that the Buddha knew a charm to cause its
disappearance, and asked to learn the charm. The Buddha promised to teach him
if he would enter the Saṅgha. He told his companions that he would learn the
charm, and then return. He became a monk, learnt the contemplation on the
thirty-two body parts, and attained Arahantship. When the Brahmins asked him if
he had learnt the charm yet, he dismissed them saying that he had attained the
status of one who would never return to the world. The monks reported this to
the Buddha who confirmed it and uttered the above verse.


A Saint Clings to Nothing
32. Yomaṃ1 palipathaṃ duggaṃ,
saṃsāraṃ moham accagā
Tiṇṇo pāragato jhāyī, anejo akathaṃkathī
Anupādāya nibbuto, tam ahaṃ brūmi Brāhmaṇaṃ.414
32. Who has passed beyond this quagmire, this difficult path, the ocean of
saṃsāra and delusion, who has crossed and gone beyond, who is
meditative, free from craving and doubts, who, clinging to nothing, has
attained nibbāna — I call a Saint.
The Elder Sīvalī
This verse was uttered by the Buddha while he was residing at the
Kuṇḍadhāna forest in connection with the Arahant Sīvalī, who had to suffer for
seven years in his mother’s womb.
2 At one time, Suppavāsā, a daughter of the
Koliya clan, carried a child in her womb for seven years, and endured the pain of
labour for seven days by reflecting on how the Buddha had gone beyond all such
suffering, how he had taught the Dhamma to go beyond all such suffering, and
how the Saṅgha had gone beyond all such suffering by practising well. Finally,
she sent her husband to the Buddha to greet him in her name. The Buddha
blessed her saying, “May Suppavāsā the daughter of the Koliya clan be well and
happy, and may she give birth to a healthy son.” At that moment Suppavāsā gave
birth to Sīvalī. Suppavāsā invited the Buddha and the Saṅgha, and offered alms
for seven days. Sīvalī waited on the monks, straining water for them. After a
while he went forth and gained Arahantship. One day, the monks were discussing
the suffering that Sīvalī had gone through in the womb, and the Buddha came
there, uttering the above verse to say that Sīvalī had now gone beyond all such
suffering.

1
Yo imaṃ
2
The reason for this is given in the Asātarūpa Jātaka (Jā 100). In a former life Sīvalī had
been the son of the King of Benares. The King of Kosala killed his father and carried off
his mother as his own wife. The prince escaped through a sewer and gathered a large
army. On the advice of his mother he laid siege to the city until, after seven years, the
people cut off the head of King Kosala and surrendered the city to him. Due to her part in
this his mother of that time was reborn as Suppavāsā and had to carry Sīvalī in the womb
for seven years, and had to endure painful labour for seven days.


A Saint Has Given Up Sense-desires
33. Yo’dha kāme pahamtvāna,
1 anāgāro paribbaje
Kāmabhavaparikkhīṇaṃ, tam ahaṃ brūmi Brāhmaṇaṃ.415
33. Who in this world, giving up sense-desires, would renounce worldly life
and become a homeless one, he who has destroyed sense-desires and
becoming — I call a Saint.
The Elder Sundarasamudda
Sundarasamudda was a young man of a wealthy family of Sāvatthī. One day,
seeing all the people going to the Jetavana monastery bearing gifts, he decided to
accompany them. As he listened to the Buddha teach the Dhamma he wished to
go forth, and after the discourse sought permission. The Buddha told him to
obtain his parents’ permission, which he did. Having gone forth and taken the
higher ordination, he decided to leave Sāvatthī and stay at Rājagaha. One day,
when there was a festival, his parents saw the other young men enjoying
themselves, and started weeping, thinking of what their son had given up. A
prostitute, seeing them weep, asked what they would do for her if she enticed
him to leave the Saṅgha. They agreed to make her the mistress of the house, and
gave her some expenses. The prostitute went to Rājagaha, and bought a house in
the street where the elder walked for alms. She prepared choice food and offered
it to him daily. Then she prepared a seat on the veranda and invited him to eat
his meal right there. Next she bribed some boys with cakes, telling them to play
and kick up the dust while the elder was eating, and not to stop even when she
told them to. She arranged a seat inside the house, and invited the elder to eat
inside away from the dust. The following day, she told the boys to make a lot of
noise, and arranged for the elder to eat upstairs. In this way, she employed all
her cunning to seduce the elder, but he was so fond of her food that he didn’t
realise what she was up to. Finally, when she started taking her clothes off, he
realised his predicament, and was filled with religious emotion.
Meanwhile, back in Sāvatthī, the Buddha saw all this and smiled. Seeing him
smile, the Elder Ānanda asked him the reason. The Buddha told him that a battle
was going on between the elder and a prostitute in the city of Rājagaha. When
asked who would win, the Buddha said that the elder would win. Then the
Buddha projected an image of himself in front of the elder, uttering the above

1
pahatvāna


verse. On the conclusion of the verse, the elder gained Arahantship together with
the psychic powers, and escaped through the roof of the house, descending at
Sāvatthī, where he paid homage to the Buddha.
When the monks were discussing these events, the Buddha told them that this
was not the first time that he had saved Sundarasamudda when he been enticed
by his craving for sweet tastes, in a former life too he had done the same. Then
he related the Vātamiga Jātaka (Jā 14).
A Saint Has Given Up Craving
34. Yo’dha taṇhaṃ pahantvāna,
1 anāgāro paribbaje
Taṇhābhavaparikkhīṇaṃ, tam ahaṃ brūmi Brāhmaṇaṃ.416
34. Who in this world giving up craving, would renounce worldly life and
become a homeless one, Who has destroyed craving and becoming — I
call a Saint.
The Elder Jaṭila
Jaṭila was the illegitimate son of a millionaire’s daughter of Benares. Her
maid servant took the baby and floated it down the Ganges in a pot. Two women
saw the pot. One laid claim to the pot, while the other claimed the contents. The
latter woman was a disciple of the Elder Kaccāna. When the baby was bathed his
hair became matted, so he was named Jaṭila. As soon as he could walk, she offer
him to the elder for ordination. Looking into his future the elder gave him to a
disciple in Takkasila, and he grew up to be a fabulously wealthy man. Later, he
retired from the world and attained Arahantship. The Buddha uttered this verse
to show that the Elder Jaṭila no longer had any longing for his wealth or his wife.
The Elder Jotika
Jotika was reborn in Rājagaha. Due to his merit the whole city blazed with
light on the day of his birth, so he was given the name Jotika, and King Bimbisāra
offered a thousand gold pieces a day for the child. When he came of marriageable
age Sakka, the king of gods, built him a palace. This was due to his great merit
when he built a Perfumed Chamber for the Buddha Vipassī. When King Bimbisāra
visited the palace with the young prince Ajātasattu, the latter vowed to take it one
day. Bimbisāra appointed Jaṭila as the city treasurer. Jotika became a devout

1
pahatvāna


disciple of the Buddha. Later, when Ajātasattu became king, he tried to enter
Jotika’s palace while Jotika was visiting the Buddha to listen to Dhamma. The
guardian deities drove Ajātasattu away, so he came to Jotika and accused him of
hypocrisy. Jotika showed his hands to the king, and challenged him to take the
rings from his fingers if he could. Though he tried with all his strength, Ajātasattu
was unable to remove them. Jotika then held out his hands and let the rings fall
onto a cloth. Jotika asked the king’s permission to go forth,
1 and Ajātasattu
readily agreed, hoping therefore to get hold of his wealth. As soon as Jotika went
forth, his palace disappeared, and his wife returned to Uttarakuru, the celestial
realm from whence she had come. When later asked by the monks whether he
missed his palace or his wife, the Elder Jotika replied that he did not, and the
Buddha uttered the same verse as above to show Jotika no longer had any longing
for his wealth or his wife.
A Saint Has Discarded All Bonds
35. Hitvā mānusakaṃ yogaṃ, dibbaṃ yogaṃ upaccagā
Sabbayogavisaṃyuttaṃ, tam ahaṃ brūmi Brāhmaṇaṃ.417
35. Who, discarding human ties and transcending celestial ties, is completely
delivered from all ties — I call a Saint.
The Performer
A monk, who had once been a performer,
2 when questioned by the other
monks, said that he had no more longing for performing. Commenting on his
change of life and his attainment to Arahantship, the Buddha uttered this verse.
A Saint Has Given Up Likes and Dislikes
36. Hitvā ratiñca aratiñca, sītibhūtaṃ nirūpadhiṃ
Sabbalokābhibhuṃ vīraṃ, tam ahaṃ brūmi Brāhmaṇaṃ.418
36. Who has given up likes and dislikes, who is cooled and without
defilements, who has conquered the world and is courageous — I call a
Saint.

1
The Vinaya proscribes the ordination of those in the king’s service.
2
Naṭa is a generic term for various entertainers. It could mean a dancer, an actor, a
comedian, a clown, a mimic, etc. The noun derives from the verb ‘naccati,’ to dance.


The Performer
The story is similar to the preceding one, but the verse is slightly different.
A Saint is Not Attached
37. Cutiṃ yo vedi sattānaṃ, upapattiñca sabbaso
Asattaṃ sugataṃ buddhaṃ, tam ahaṃ brūmi Brāhmaṇaṃ.419
38. Yassa gatiṃ na jānanti, devā gandhabbamānusā
Khīṇāsavaṃ arahantaṃ, tam ahaṃ brūmi Brāhmaṇaṃ.420
37. Who in every way knows the death and rebirth of beings,
Who is non-attached, well-spoken, and enlightened — I call a Saint.
38. Whose destiny neither gods, gandhabbas, nor men know,
Who has destroyed all corruptions, and is far removed from passions —
I call a Saint.
The Elder Vaṅgīsa
A man named Vaṅgīsa was able to divine where a dead person had been
reborn by tapping on his or her skull. The Brahmins took him all around India
and made a good living from his skill. In due course they arrived at Sāvatthī, but
the disciples of the Buddha were not impressed by their claims, and they argued.
Knowing that the Brahmins and Vaṅgīsa were coming to see him, the Buddha had
five skulls arranged in a row and asked Vaṅgīsa to divine where the deceased had
been reborn. When Vaṅgīsa succeeded in divining the rebirth of each of the first
four — in hell, as an animal, a human, a deva — he praised him. However, the
fifth skull was that of an Arahant, and Vaṅgīsa was completely baffled. He asked
the Buddha to teach him the mantra with which he would be able to tell the
destiny of such persons. The Buddha replied that it could not be taught to one not
ordained. With the aim of learning the mantra Vaṅgīsa became a monk, and
learnt the meditation on the thirty-two body parts. When the Brahmins asked
him if he had learnt the mantra yet he told them, “I am learning it.” Before long
he attained Arahantship. When the Brahmins asked him if he had learnt the
mantra he replied, “I am not able to learn it.” Thinking that he was speaking
falsehood, the monks reported this to the Buddha, who confirmed that Vaṅgīsa
was skilled in the death and rebirth of living beings, and uttered the above verses.


A Saint Yearns For Nothing
39. Yassa pure ca pacchā ca, majjhe ca natthi kiñcanaṃ
Akiñcanaṃ anādānaṃ, tam ahaṃ brūmi Brāhmaṇaṃ.421
39. Who has no clinging to aggregates past, present, or future,
Who is without clinging and grasping — I call a Saint.
The Elder Nun Dhammadinnā
This teaching was given while the Teacher was staying at the Bamboo grove
near Rājagaha. One day, Visākha, the husband of Dhammadinnā attained Non-
returning while listening to the Dhamma. When he returned home, he didn’t
smile as usual, and took his meal in silence. Thinking that he must be angry about
something, Dhammadinnā bided her time. After the meal, Visākha called her and
told her to take charge of all of his property. Not wishing to accept what he had
rejected, she asked permission to become a nun. He consented and conveyed her
to the nunnery with lavish offerings. She departed to the countryside, lived in
solitude, and soon attained Arahantship with the supernatural powers. Wishing to
benefit her relatives she then returned to Rājagaha.
Wondering why she had returned, but realising it was rude to ask her if she
was discontented with the holy life, Visākha approached her and asked her some
questions about each of the four paths, which she answered easily. Then she
referred Visākha to the Buddha if he had any further questions. Hearing the
answers given by Dhammadinnā related by Visākha, the Buddha praised her
answers, and uttered the above verse.
A Saint is Enlightened
40. Usabhaṃ pavaraṃ vīraṃ, mahesiṃ vijitāvinaṃ
Anejaṃ nhātakaṃ1 Buddhaṃ,
tam ahaṃ brūmi Brāhmaṇaṃ.422
40. The fearless, noble hero, the great sage, the conqueror, the desireless,
the cleansed, the enlightened — I call a Saint.
The Elder Aṅgulimāla
The story relating to this verse is told in the Commentary to verse 177. The
monks asked the Elder Aṅgulimāla if he was afraid when the rogue elephant

1
nahātakaṃ


Dhanapāla held a parasol over his head during the incomparable almsgiving given
by Queen Mallikā and King Pasenadi. The elder said that he was unafraid. The
monks reported this to the Buddha thinking that Aṅgulimāla had spoken
falsehood. The Buddha uttered the above verse with respect to the fearlessness of
the Elder Aṅgulimāla.
A Saint Has Perfected Himself
41. Pubbenivāsaṃ yo vedī, saggāpāyañca passati
Atho jātikkhayaṃ patto, abhiñjāvosito muni
Sabbavositavosānaṃ, tam ahaṃ brūmi Brāhmaṇaṃ.423
41. That sage who knows his former abodes, who sees the blissful and the
woeful states, who has reached the end of births, who, with superior
wisdom, has perfected himself, who has completed (the holy life), and
reached the end of all passions — I call a Saint.
The Brahmin Devahita
At one time the Buddha was suffering from a disease caused by the wind
element.
1 He sent the Elder Upavāṇa2 to the Brahmin Devahita to fetch hot water.
The Brahmin was delighted that the Buddha chose him to ask, and sent him hot
water for a bath, and a jar of molasses. When the Buddha was cured of his
ailment, the Brahmin Devahita came to the Buddha and asked him to whom a gift
should be given to yield abundant fruit. In reply the Buddha uttered the above
verse. On the conclusion of the verse many gained Stream-winning and the
Brahmin became a committed disciple of the Buddha.

1
Vātaroga, a disease caused by wind. It could be what we called ‘wind’, that is some kind
of gastric disorder, but it could equally well be circulatory or rheumatic pain.
2
He was the Buddha’s attendant before the Elder Ānanda, so this occasion was during the
Buddha’s middle age. Upavāṇa was an Arahant with the supernormal powers.