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B0102020205brāhmaṇavaggo (brahmin sutra)

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English

unblemished, rid of defilements, pliant, workable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs and inclines his mind to the knowledge of the destruction of the taints. He understands ‘This is suffering’ as it really is; he understands ‘This is the origin of suffering’ as it really is; he understands ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ as it really is; he understands ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering’ as it really is. He understands ‘These are the taints’ as it really is; he understands ‘This is the origin of the taints’ as it really is; he understands ‘This is the cessation of the taints’ as it really is; he understands ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of the taints’ as it really is. He knows. For him who knows thus, who sees thus, his mind is liberated from the defilement of sensual desire, his mind is liberated from the defilement of existence, his mind is liberated from the defilement of ignorance. When liberated, the knowledge 'it is liberated' arises. 'Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what was to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being' – he understands. ‘‘This person is called, brahmin, not one who torments himself, not devoted to the practice of self-torment, not one who torments others, not devoted to the practice of tormenting others. He, not tormenting himself, not tormenting others, in this very life, is cooled, extinguished, become cool, experiencing happiness, dwelling with a divine self.’’ 421. When this was said, the brahmin Ghoṭamukha said to the venerable Udena: ‘‘Excellent, good Udena, excellent, good Udena! Just as, good Udena, one might set upright what was overturned, or reveal what was hidden, or show the way to one who was lost, or hold up a lamp in the darkness – so that those with eyes might see forms – even so has the Dhamma been made clear by the good Udena in many ways. I go for refuge to the good Udena, and to the Dhamma and the Sangha of bhikkhus. May the good Udena remember me as a lay follower, from this day forth, for as long as life lasts, one who has gone for refuge.’’ ‘‘Do not, brahmin, go for refuge to me. Go for refuge to that very Blessed One to whom I have gone for refuge.’’ ‘‘But where, good Udena, does that good Gotama now reside, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Awakened One?’’ ‘‘The Blessed One, brahmin, has attained final Nibbana, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Awakened One, has now attained final Nibbana.’’ ‘‘Even if we, good Udena, were to hear of that good Gotama ten leagues away, we would go ten leagues to see that good Gotama, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Awakened One. Even if we, good Udena, were to hear of that good Gotama twenty leagues away... thirty leagues away... forty at fifty leagues… at fifty leagues, even fifty leagues we would go to see that Blessed One Gotama, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One. And even if we heard, O Udena, that Blessed One Gotama was a hundred leagues away, even a hundred leagues we would go to see that Blessed One Gotama, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One. But since, O Udena, that Blessed One Gotama has attained final Nibbāna, even though he has attained final Nibbāna, we go for refuge to that Blessed One Gotama, to the Dhamma, and to the Saṅgha of bhikkhus. May the Blessed Udena remember me as a lay follower, who has gone for refuge from this day forth, as long as life lasts. And I have, O Udena, a daily perpetual alms given by King Aṅga; from that I will give one perpetual alms to the Blessed Udena. “But what, brahmin, does King Aṅga give you as a daily perpetual alms?” “Five hundred kahāpaṇas, O Udena.” “It is not proper for us, brahmin, to accept gold and silver.” “If it is not proper for the Blessed Udena, I will have a monastery built for the Blessed Udena.” “If you, brahmin, wish to have a monastery built for me, then have a service hall built for the Saṅgha in Pāṭaliputta.” “By this, I am even more delighted and pleased with the Blessed Udena, that the Blessed Udena encourages me to give to the Saṅgha. So, O Udena, with this perpetual alms and another perpetual alms, I will have a service hall built for the Saṅgha in Pāṭaliputta.” Then the brahmin Ghoṭamukha with this perpetual alms and another perpetual alms, had a service hall built for the Saṅgha in Pāṭaliputta. That is now called ‘Ghoṭamukhī’. The Ghoṭamukha Sutta, the fourth, is finished. 5. The Caṅkī Sutta 422. Thus have I heard: At one time the Blessed One, while wandering in the Kosala country with a large Saṅgha of bhikkhus, arrived at a brahmin village of the Kosalans named Opāsāda. The brahmin village of Opasāda. There, it is said, the Blessed One was dwelling in Opasāda, to the north of Opasāda, in the Deva Grove, a sal-tree forest. Now at that time, the brahmin Cankī was residing in Opasāda, which was populous, with grass, wood, and water, and with grain, a royal possession, given by King Pasenadi of Kosala, a royal gift, a brahmin endowment. The brahmin householders of Opasāda heard: “The recluse Gotama, sirs, a Sakyan, gone forth from the Sakyan clan, wandering in Kosala, has arrived in Opasāda with a large community of bhikkhus, and is dwelling in Opasāda, to the north of Opasāda, in the Deva Grove, a sal-tree forest. Concerning that Blessed Gotama, such a good report has spread: ‘Indeed, that Blessed One is an Arahant, perfectly enlightened, endowed with knowledge and conduct, well-gone, knower of the world, unsurpassed leader of persons to be tamed, teacher of gods and humans, the Buddha, the Blessed One.’ He, having realized it for himself with direct knowledge, proclaims this world with its gods, Māras, and Brahmās, this generation with its recluses and brahmins, its gods and humans. 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. It is good, indeed, to see such Arahants.” Then the brahmin householders of Opasāda, having left Opasāda, in groups and companies, facing north, went towards the Deva Grove, the sal-tree forest. Now at that time, the brahmin Cankī was taking his midday rest on the upper floor of his palace. The brahmin Cankī saw the brahmin householders of Opasāda, having left Opasāda, in groups and companies, facing north, going towards the Deva Grove, the sal-tree forest. Having seen them, he addressed his steward: “What is it, good steward, that the brahmin householders of Opasāda, having left Opasāda, in groups and companies, facing north, are going towards the Deva Grove, the sal-tree forest?” “There is, good Cankī, the recluse Gotama, The Sakyan son, gone forth from the Sakyan clan, wandering in Kosala, has arrived at Opasāda with a great Sangha of bhikkhus, and dwells in Opasāda, to the north of Opasāda, in the Deva-wood, the Sal-wood. Concerning that venerable Gotama, this good report has arisen: ‘Indeed, the Blessed One is Arahant, Perfectly Enlightened, endowed with knowledge and conduct, Fortunate, Knower of the worlds, unsurpassed trainer of persons to be tamed, teacher of devas and humans, the Buddha, the Blessed One.’ They are going to see that venerable Gotama.” “Then, good charioteer, go to the brahmin householders of Opasāda; having gone, say to the brahmin householders of Opasāda: ‘The brahmin Caṅkī, sirs, says this: Please wait, sirs, the brahmin Caṅkī will also go to see the ascetic Gotama.’” “Yes, sir,” that charioteer, having assented to the brahmin Caṅkī, went to the brahmin householders of Opasāda; having gone, he said to the brahmin householders of Opasāda: “The brahmin Caṅkī, sirs, says this: ‘Please wait, sirs, the brahmin Caṅkī will also go to see the ascetic Gotama.’” 424. Now at that time, about five hundred brahmin householders from various regions were residing in Opasāda for some purpose. Those brahmins heard: “Indeed, the brahmin Caṅkī will go to see the ascetic Gotama.” Then those brahmins went to the brahmin Caṅkī; having gone, they said to the brahmin Caṅkī: “Is it true, venerable Caṅkī, that you will go to see the ascetic Gotama?” “Indeed, sirs, it is my intention: ‘I will go to see the ascetic Gotama.’” “Do not, venerable Caṅkī, go to see the ascetic Gotama. It is not fitting for venerable Caṅkī to go to see the ascetic Gotama; rather, the ascetic Gotama should go to venerable Caṅkī.” That Caṅkī, for seeing, for approaching. For you, Caṅkī, are well-born on both sides, from mother and from father, with pure lineage up to the seventh generation of ancestors, unreproached, unblamed concerning birth. And because you, Caṅkī, are well-born on both sides, from mother and from father, with pure lineage up to the seventh generation of ancestors, unreproached, unblamed concerning birth, for this reason, it is not fitting for you, Caṅkī, to go to see the ascetic Gotama; rather, the ascetic Gotama should come to see you, Caṅkī. For you, Caṅkī, are rich, of great wealth, of great possessions... For you, Caṅkī, are a master of the three Vedas, with their vocabularies and ritual phonetics, with their etymologies and classifications, and as the fifth, the histories, a master of words, a grammarian, flawless in the lore of world-systems and the marks of a great man... For you, Caṅkī, are handsome, good-looking, pleasing, endowed with supreme beauty of complexion, of Brahma-like color, of Brahma-like radiance, not of mean appearance... For you, Caṅkī, are virtuous, of mature virtue, endowed with mature virtue... For you, Caṅkī, are of good speech, of good utterance, endowed with a refined, clear, unhesitating speech, making the meaning understood... For you, Caṅkī, are a teacher and instructor to many, teaching the mantras to three hundred young men... For you, Caṅkī, are honored, respected, esteemed, revered, and venerated by King Pasenadi of Kosala... For you, Caṅkī, are honored, respected, esteemed, revered, and venerated by the brahmin Pokkharasāti...

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