English
and following their cohabitation, a son were born. That son born of the Brahmin prince and the Khattiya maiden, would he obtain a seat or water among Brahmins?" "He would, good Gotama." "Would Brahmins feed him at a funeral rite, or a feast, or a sacrifice, or a reception?" "They would, good Gotama." "Would Brahmins teach him the mantras or not?" "They would, good Gotama." "Would his access to women be restricted or unrestricted?" "It would be unrestricted, good Gotama." "Would Khattiyas anoint him with the Khattiya anointment?" "No, good Gotama." "For what reason?" "Because, good Gotama, he is not of proper descent from the father's side." 276. "Thus, Ambaṭṭha, , or by making a woman a woman, or by making a man a man, the Khattiyas are superior, the Brahmins are inferior. What do you think, Ambaṭṭha, if here Brahmins were to shave a Brahmin’s head, beat him with a dust-basket, and banish him from the country or the city for some reason? Would he obtain a seat or water among Brahmins?” “No, indeed, Venerable Gotama.” “Would Brahmins feed him at a memorial feast, or a dish of rice, or a sacrifice, or a reception?” “No, indeed, Venerable Gotama.” “Would Brahmins teach him mantras or not?” “No, indeed, Venerable Gotama.” “Would his access to women be restricted or unrestricted?” “It would be restricted, indeed, Venerable Gotama.” “What do you think, Ambaṭṭha, if here Khattiyas were to shave a Khattiya’s head, beat him with a dust-basket, and banish him from the country or the city for some reason? Would he obtain a seat or water among Brahmins?” “He would obtain it, Venerable Gotama.” “Would Brahmins feed him at a memorial feast, or a dish of rice, or a sacrifice, or a reception?” “They would feed him, Venerable Gotama.” “Would Brahmins teach him mantras or not?” “They would teach him, Venerable Gotama.” “Would his access to women be restricted or unrestricted?” “It would be unrestricted, indeed, Venerable Gotama.” 277. “To such an extent, Ambaṭṭha, does a Khattiya reach the lowest degradation, when Khattiyas shave his head, beat him with a dust-basket, and banish him from the country or the city. Thus, Ambaṭṭha, even when a Khattiya reaches the lowest degradation, still the Khattiyas are superior, the Brahmins are inferior. This verse, Ambaṭṭha, was spoken by Brahmā Sanaṅkumāra: ‘The Khattiya is supreme among those who trace their lineage, But one perfect in knowledge and conduct Is supreme among gods and humans.’ “This verse, Ambaṭṭha, was spoken by Brahmā Sanaṅkumāra This verse is well-sung, not ill-sung, well-spoken, not ill-spoken, connected with meaning, not connected with meaninglessness, approved by me. For I too, Ambaṭṭha, say thus – The Khattiya is best among people, those who refer to lineage; One endowed with knowledge and conduct, he is best among gods and humans. First Recitation Section. Discourse on Knowledge and Conduct 278. "But what, good Gotama, is that conduct, and what is that knowledge?" "Indeed, Ambaṭṭha, for the unsurpassed perfection of knowledge and conduct, talk of birth is not spoken, nor talk of lineage, nor talk of pride – 'you are worthy of me, or you are not worthy of me.' Where, Ambaṭṭha, there is marriage or divorce, or marriage and divorce, there is spoken this talk of birth, or talk of lineage, or talk of pride – 'you are worthy of me, or you are not worthy of me.' Indeed, Ambaṭṭha, whoever are bound by talk of birth, or bound by talk of lineage, or bound by talk of pride, or bound by marriage and divorce, they are far from the unsurpassed perfection of knowledge and conduct. Having abandoned, Ambaṭṭha, being bound by talk of birth, and bound by talk of lineage, and bound by talk of pride, and bound by marriage and divorce, there is the realization of the unsurpassed perfection of knowledge and conduct." 279. "But what, good Gotama, is that conduct, and what is that knowledge?" "Here, Ambaṭṭha, a Tathāgata arises in the world, an Arahant, a Fully Self-Awakened One, endowed with knowledge and conduct, a Fortunate One, Knower of the Worlds, an unsurpassed leader of persons to be tamed, a teacher of gods and humans, the Awakened One, the Blessed One. He, having directly known and realized this world with its gods, with its Māras, with its Brahmās, with its ascetics and brahmins, with its gods and humans, proclaims it. He teaches the Dhamma, beautiful in the beginning, beautiful in the middle, beautiful in the end, with meaning and with letter, he proclaims the utterly complete and purified holy life. That Dhamma is heard by a householder or a householder's son or someone from another family. reborn. He, having heard that Dhamma, gains faith in the Tathāgata. He, endowed with that gain of faith, thus reflects... He, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, with initial application and sustained application, born of seclusion, with rapture and pleasure, enters and abides in the first jhana... This is also part of his conduct. Furthermore, Ambaṭṭha, the bhikkhu, with the fading away of initial and sustained application, with internal assurance, with unification of mind, without initial application and sustained application, born of concentration, with rapture and pleasure, enters and abides in the second jhana... This is also part of his conduct. Furthermore, Ambaṭṭha, the bhikkhu, with the fading away of rapture, abides in equanimity, mindful and clearly comprehending, and experiences pleasure with the body, that of which the noble ones declare – "He is equanimous, mindful, and dwells in pleasure," enters and abides in the third jhana... This is also part of his conduct. Furthermore, Ambaṭṭha, the bhikkhu, with the abandoning of pleasure and the abandoning of pain, and with the previous disappearance of joy and sorrow, enters upon the state beyond pleasure and pain, a state of pure equanimity and mindfulness, and abides in the fourth jhana... This is also part of his conduct. This, Ambaṭṭha, is that conduct. With his mind thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, rid of defilements, pliant, workable, steady, attained to imperturbability, he directs and inclines his mind to the knowledge and vision... This is also part of his true knowledge... he understands: "There is no further state of being for this." This is also part of his true knowledge. This, Ambaṭṭha, is that true knowledge. This bhikkhu, Ambaṭṭha, is called 'endowed with true knowledge,' 'endowed with conduct,' 'endowed with true knowledge and conduct.' And Ambaṭṭha, compared to this accomplishment of true knowledge and accomplishment of conduct, there is no other accomplishment of true knowledge and accomplishment of conduct that is higher or more excellent. The Four Gateways to Ruin 280. This... Indeed, Ambaṭṭha, for this unsurpassed perfection of knowledge and conduct, there are four ways to ruin. What are these four? Here, Ambaṭṭha, some ascetic or brahmin, not attaining this unsurpassed perfection of knowledge and conduct, takes up a carrying-pole and enters a forest dwelling, thinking: 'I will be one who eats fallen fruits.' He becomes, in fact, a mere attendant of one perfected in knowledge and conduct. Indeed, Ambaṭṭha, this is the first way to ruin for this unsurpassed perfection of knowledge and conduct. Again, Ambaṭṭha, here some ascetic or brahmin, not attaining this unsurpassed perfection of knowledge and conduct, and not attaining the eating of fallen fruits, takes up a spade and basket and enters a forest, thinking: 'I will be one who eats roots, tubers, and fruits.' He becomes, in fact, a mere attendant of one perfected in knowledge and conduct. Indeed, Ambaṭṭha, this is the second way to ruin for this unsurpassed perfection of knowledge and conduct. Again, Ambaṭṭha, here some ascetic or brahmin, not attaining this unsurpassed perfection of knowledge and conduct, and not attaining the eating of fallen fruits, and not attaining the eating of roots, tubers, and fruits, makes a fire-house near a village or a town, and dwells attending to the fire. He becomes, in fact, a mere attendant of one perfected in knowledge and conduct. Indeed, Ambaṭṭha, this is the third way to ruin for this unsurpassed perfection of knowledge and conduct. Again, Ambaṭṭha, here some ascetic or brahmin, not attaining this unsurpassed perfection of knowledge and conduct, and not attaining the eating of fallen fruits, and not attaining the eating of roots, tubers, and fruits, and not attaining the attendance of fire, makes a four-doored (shelter) at a crossroads. He makes a dwelling and stays, thinking: 'Whoever comes from these four directions, a recluse or a brahmin, him I will honor according to my power, according to my strength.' He becomes, in fact, a servant of one endowed with knowledge and conduct. This, Ambaṭṭha, is the fourth door to woe for one who fails to achieve this unsurpassed perfection of knowledge and conduct. These, Ambaṭṭha, are the four doors to woe for one who fails to achieve this unsurpassed perfection of knowledge and conduct. 281. "What do you think, Ambaṭṭha? Do you and your teacher resemble this unsurpassed perfection of knowledge and conduct?" "No indeed, good Gotama." "What am I, good Gotama, and my teacher? And what is this unsurpassed perfection of knowledge and conduct? Far am I, good Gotama, and my teacher, from this unsurpassed perfection of knowledge and conduct." "What do you think, Ambaṭṭha? Do you, failing to achieve this unsurpassed perfection of knowledge and conduct, take up a carrying-pole and enter the forest with your teacher, thinking: 'I will live on fallen fruits'?" "No indeed, good Gotama." "What do you think, Ambaṭṭha? Do you, failing to achieve this unsurpassed perfection of knowledge and conduct, and failing to achieve living on fallen fruits, take up a spade and a basket and enter the forest with your teacher, thinking: 'I will live on roots, tubers, and fruits'?" "No indeed, good Gotama."