Dhp XXVI : Brahmans

Dhp XXVI : Brahmans - translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Having striven, brahman,

cut the stream.

Expel sensual passions.

Knowing the ending of fabrications,

brahman,

you know the Unmade.

Having striven, brahman,

cut the stream.

Expel sensual passions.

Knowing the ending of fabrications,

brahman,

you know the Unmade.

383*

When the brahman has gone

to the beyond of two things,

then all his fetters

go to their end–

he who knows.

When the brahman has gone

to the beyond of two things,

then all his fetters

go to their end–

he who knows.

384*

One whose beyond or

not-beyond or

beyond-&-not-beyond

can’t be found;

unshackled, carefree:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

One whose beyond or

not-beyond or

beyond-&-not-beyond

can’t be found;

unshackled, carefree:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

385*

Sitting silent, dustless,

absorbed in jhana,

his task done, effluents gone,

ultimate goal attained:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

Sitting silent, dustless,

absorbed in jhana,

his task done, effluents gone,

ultimate goal attained:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

386

By day shines the sun;

by night, the moon;

in armor, the warrior;

in jhana, the brahman.

But all day & all night,

every day & every night,

the Awakened One shines

in splendor.

By day shines the sun;

by night, the moon;

in armor, the warrior;

in jhana, the brahman.

But all day & all night,

every day & every night,

the Awakened One shines

in splendor.

387

He’s called a brahman

for having banished his evil,

a contemplative

for living in consonance,

one gone forth

for having forsaken

his own impurities.

He’s called a brahman

for having banished his evil,

a contemplative

for living in consonance,

one gone forth

for having forsaken

his own impurities.

388*

One should not strike a brahman,

nor should the brahman

let loose with his anger.

Shame on a brahman’s killer.

More shame on the brahman

whose anger’s let loose.

One should not strike a brahman,

nor should the brahman

let loose with his anger.

Shame on a brahman’s killer.

More shame on the brahman

whose anger’s let loose.

389*

Nothing’s better for the brahman

than when the mind is held back

from what is endearing & not.

However his harmful-heartedness

wears away,

that’s how stress

simply comes to rest.

Nothing’s better for the brahman

than when the mind is held back

from what is endearing & not.

However his harmful-heartedness

wears away,

that’s how stress

simply comes to rest.

390*

Whoever does no wrong

in body,

speech,

heart,

is restrained in these three ways:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

Whoever does no wrong

in body,

speech,

heart,

is restrained in these three ways:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

391

The person from whom

you would learn the Dhamma

taught by the Rightly

Self-Awakened One:

you should honor him with respect–

as a brahman, the flame for a sacrifice.

The person from whom

you would learn the Dhamma

taught by the Rightly

Self-Awakened One:

you should honor him with respect–

as a brahman, the flame for a sacrifice.

392*

Not by matted hair,

by clan, or by birth,

is one a brahman.

Whoever has truth

& rectitude:

he is a pure one,

he, a brahman.

Not by matted hair,

by clan, or by birth,

is one a brahman.

Whoever has truth

& rectitude:

he is a pure one,

he, a brahman.

What’s the use of your matted hair,

you dullard?

What’s the use of your deerskin cloak?

The tangle’s inside you.

You comb the outside.

What’s the use of your matted hair,

you dullard?

What’s the use of your deerskin cloak?

The tangle’s inside you.

You comb the outside.

393-394*

Wearing cast-off rags

–his body lean & lined with veins–

absorbed in jhana,

alone in the forest:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

Wearing cast-off rags

–his body lean & lined with veins–

absorbed in jhana,

alone in the forest:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

395

I don’t call one a brahman

for being born of a mother

or sprung from a womb.

He’s called a ‘bho-sayer’

if he has anything at all.

But someone with nothing,

who clings to no thing:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

I don’t call one a brahman

for being born of a mother

or sprung from a womb.

He’s called a ‘bho-sayer’

if he has anything at all.

But someone with nothing,

who clings to no thing:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

396*

Having cut every fetter,

he doesn’t get ruffled.

Beyond attachment,

unshackled:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

Having cut every fetter,

he doesn’t get ruffled.

Beyond attachment,

unshackled:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

397

Having cut the strap & thong,

cord & bridle,

having thrown off the bar,

awakened:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

Having cut the strap & thong,

cord & bridle,

having thrown off the bar,

awakened:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

398*

He endures–unangered–

insult, assault, & imprisonment.

His army is strength;

his strength, forbearance:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

He endures–unangered–

insult, assault, & imprisonment.

His army is strength;

his strength, forbearance:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

399

Free from anger,

duties observed,

principled, with no overbearing pride,

trained, a ‘last-body’:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

Free from anger,

duties observed,

principled, with no overbearing pride,

trained, a ‘last-body’:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

400*

Like water   on a lotus leaf,

a mustard seed   on the tip of an awl,

he doesn’t adhere   to sensual pleasures:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

Like water   on a lotus leaf,

a mustard seed   on the tip of an awl,

he doesn’t adhere   to sensual pleasures:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

401

He discerns right here,

for himself,

on his own,

his own

ending of stress.

Unshackled, his burden laid down:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

He discerns right here,

for himself,

on his own,

his own

ending of stress.

Unshackled, his burden laid down:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

402*

Wise, profound

in discernment, astute

as to what is the path

& what’s not;

his ultimate goal attained:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

Wise, profound

in discernment, astute

as to what is the path

& what’s not;

his ultimate goal attained:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

403

Uncontaminated

by householders

& houseless ones alike;

living with no home,

with next to no wants:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

Uncontaminated

by householders

& houseless ones alike;

living with no home,

with next to no wants:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

404

Having put aside violence

against beings fearful or firm,

he neither kills nor

gets others to kill:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

Having put aside violence

against beings fearful or firm,

he neither kills nor

gets others to kill:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

405

Unopposing among opposition,

unbound

among the armed,

unclinging

among those who cling:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

Unopposing among opposition,

unbound

among the armed,

unclinging

among those who cling:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

406

His passion, aversion,

conceit, & contempt,

have fallen away–

like a mustard seed

from the tip of an awl:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

His passion, aversion,

conceit, & contempt,

have fallen away–

like a mustard seed

from the tip of an awl:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

407

He would say

what’s non-grating,

instructive,

true–

abusing no one:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

He would say

what’s non-grating,

instructive,

true–

abusing no one:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

408

Here in the world

he takes nothing not-given

–long, short,

large, small,

attractive, not:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

Here in the world

he takes nothing not-given

–long, short,

large, small,

attractive, not:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

409

His longing for this

& for the next world

can’t be found;

free from longing, unshackled:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

His longing for this

& for the next world

can’t be found;

free from longing, unshackled:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

410

His attachments,

his homes,

can’t be found.

He, through knowing,

is unperplexed,

has gained a footing

in the Deathless:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

His attachments,

his homes,

can’t be found.

He, through knowing,

is unperplexed,

has gained a footing

in the Deathless:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

411*

He has gone

beyond attachment here

for both merit & evil–

sorrowless, dustless, & pure:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

He has gone

beyond attachment here

for both merit & evil–

sorrowless, dustless, & pure:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

412*

Spotless, pure, like the moon

–limpid & calm–

his delights, his becomings,

totally gone:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

Spotless, pure, like the moon

–limpid & calm–

his delights, his becomings,

totally gone:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

413

He has made his way past

this hard-going path

–samsara, delusion–

has crossed over,

has gone beyond,

is free from want,

from perplexity,

absorbed in jhana,

through no-clinging

Unbound:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

He has made his way past

this hard-going path

–samsara, delusion–

has crossed over,

has gone beyond,

is free from want,

from perplexity,

absorbed in jhana,

through no-clinging

Unbound:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

414

Whoever, abandoning sensual passions here,

would go forth from home–

his sensual passions, becomings,

totally gone:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

Whoever, abandoning sensual passions here,

would go forth from home–

his sensual passions, becomings,

totally gone:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

Whoever, abandoning craving here,

would go forth from home–

his cravings, becomings,

totally gone:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

Whoever, abandoning craving here,

would go forth from home–

his cravings, becomings,

totally gone:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

415-416

Having left behind

the human bond,

having made his way past

the divine,

from all bonds unshackled:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

Having left behind

the human bond,

having made his way past

the divine,

from all bonds unshackled:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

417

Having left behind

delight & displeasure,

cooled, with no acquisitions–

a hero who has conquered

all the world,

every world:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

Having left behind

delight & displeasure,

cooled, with no acquisitions–

a hero who has conquered

all the world,

every world:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

418

He knows in every way

beings’ passing away,

and their re-

arising;

unattached, awakened,

well-gone:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

He knows in every way

beings’ passing away,

and their re-

arising;

unattached, awakened,

well-gone:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

419

He whose course they don’t know

–devas, gandhabbas, & human beings–

his effluents ended, an arahant:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

He whose course they don’t know

–devas, gandhabbas, & human beings–

his effluents ended, an arahant:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

420

He who has nothing

–in front, behind, in between–

the one with nothing

who clings to no thing:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

He who has nothing

–in front, behind, in between–

the one with nothing

who clings to no thing:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

421*

A splendid bull, conqueror,

hero, great seer–

free from want,

awakened, washed:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

A splendid bull, conqueror,

hero, great seer–

free from want,

awakened, washed:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

422

He knows

his former lives.

He sees

heavens & states of woe,

has attained

the ending of birth,

is a sage

who has mastered full-knowing,

his mastery totally mastered:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

He knows

his former lives.

He sees

heavens & states of woe,

has attained

the ending of birth,

is a sage

who has mastered full-knowing,

his mastery totally mastered:

he’s what I call

a brahman.

423*

Origin URL: https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/KN/Dhp/Ch26.html