The Brahmana

Books: Sacred Books Of The East

Stop the stream valiantly, drive away the desires, O Brahmana! When you

have understood the destruction of all that was made, you will

understand that which was not made.



If the Brahmana has reached the other shore in both laws, in restraint

and contemplation, all bonds vanish from him who has obtained knowledge.



He for whom there is neither the hither nor the further shore, nor both,

him, t e fearless and unshackled, I call indeed a Brahmana.



He who is thoughtful, blameless, settled, dutiful, without passions, and

who has attained the highest end, him I call indeed a Brahmana.



The sun is bright by day, the moon shines by night, the warrior is

bright in his armor, the Brahmana is bright in his meditation; but

Buddha, the Awakened, is bright with splendor day and night.



Because a man is rid of evil, therefore he is called Brahmana; because

he walks quietly, therefore he is called Samana; because he has sent

away his own impurities, therefore he is called Pravragita (Pabbagita, a

pilgrim).



No one should attack a Brahmana, but no Brahmana, if attacked, should

let himself fly at his aggressor! Woe to him who strikes a Brahmana,

more woe to him who flies at his aggressor!



It advantages a Brahmana not a little if he holds his mind back from the

pleasures of life; the more all wish to injure has vanished, the more

all pain will cease.



Him I call indeed a Brahmana who does not offend by body, word, or

thought, and is controlled on these three points.



He from whom he may learn the law, as taught by the Well-awakened

(Buddha), him let him worship assiduously, as the Brahmana worships the

sacrificial fire.



A man does not become a Brahmana by his plaited hair, by his family, or

by birth; in whom there is truth and righteousness, he is blessed, he is

a Brahmana.



What is the use of plaited hair, O fool! what of the raiment of

goat-skins? Within thee there is ravening, but the outside thou makest

clean.



The man who wears dirty raiments, who is emaciated and covered with

veins, who meditates alone in the forest, him I call indeed a Brahmana.



I do not call a man a Brahmana because of his origin or of his mother.

He is indeed arrogant, and he is wealthy: but the poor, who is free from

all attachments, him I call indeed a Brahmana.



Him I call indeed a Brahmana who, after cutting all fetters, never

trembles, is free from bonds and unshackled.



Him I call indeed a Brahmana who, after cutting the strap and the thong,

the rope with all that pertains to it, has destroyed all obstacles, and

is awakened.



Him I call indeed a Brahmana who, though he has committed no offence,

endures reproach, stripes, and bonds: who has endurance for his force,

and strength for his army.



Him I call indeed a Brahmana who is free from anger, dutiful, virtuous,

without appetites, who is subdued, and has received his last body.



Him I call indeed a Brahmana who does not cling to sensual pleasures,

like water on a lotus leaf, like a mustard seed on the point of a

needle.



Him I call indeed a Brahmana who, even here, knows the end of his own

suffering, has put down his burden, and is unshackled.



Him I call indeed a Brahmana whose knowledge is deep, who possesses

wisdom, who knows the right way and the wrong, and has attained the

highest end.



Him I call indeed a Brahmana who keeps aloof both from laymen and from

mendicants, who frequents no houses, and has but few desires.



Him I call indeed a Brahmana who without hurting any creatures, whether

feeble or strong, does not kill nor cause slaughter.



Him I call indeed a Brahmana who is tolerant with the intolerant, mild

with the violent, and free from greed among the greedy.



Him I call indeed a Brahmana from whom anger and hatred, pride and

hypocrisy have dropped like a mustard seed from the point of a needle.



Him I call indeed a Brahmana who utters true speech, instructive and

free from harshness, so that he offend no one.



Him I call indeed a Brahmana who takes nothing in the world that is not

given him, be it long or short, small or large, good or bad.



Him I call indeed a Brahmana who fosters no desires for this world or

for the next, has no inclinations, and is unshackled.



Him I call indeed a Brahmana who has no interests, and when he has

understood the truth, does not say How, how? and who has reached the

depth of the Immortal.



Him I call indeed a Brahmana who in this world has risen above both

ties, good and evil, who is free from grief, from sin, and from

impurity.



Him I call indeed a Brahmana who is bright like the moon, pure, serene,

undisturbed, and in whom all gayety is extinct.



Him I call indeed a Brahmana who has traversed this miry road, the

impassable world, difficult to pass, and its vanity, who has gone

through, and reached the other shore, is thoughtful, steadfast, free

from doubts, free from attachment, and content.



Him I call indeed a Brahmana who in this world, having abandoned all

desires, travels about without a home, and in whom all concupiscence is

extinct.



Him I call indeed a Brahmana who, having abandoned all longings, travels

about without a home, and in whom all covetousness is extinct.



Him I call indeed a Brahmana who, after leaving all bondage to men, has

risen above all bondage to the gods, and is free from all and every

bondage.



Him I call indeed a Brahmana who has left what gives pleasure and what

gives pain, who is cold, and free from all germs of renewed life: the

hero who has conquered all the worlds.



Him I call indeed a Brahmana who knows the destruction and the return of

beings everywhere, who is free from bondage, welfaring (Sugata), and

awakened (Buddha).



Him I call indeed a Brahmana whose path the gods do not know, nor

spirits (Gandharvas), nor men, whose passions are extinct, and who is an

Arhat.



Him I call indeed a Brahmana who calls nothing his own, whether it be

before, behind, or between; who is poor, and free from the love of the

world.



Him I call indeed a Brahmana, the manly, the noble, the hero, the great

sage, the conqueror, the indifferent, the accomplished, the awakened.



Him I call indeed a Brahmana who knows his former abodes, who sees

heaven and hell, has reached the end of births, is perfect in knowledge,

a sage, and whose perfections are all perfect.