English
Roars like a lion in the forest. "Who, seeing him, Who has become Brahma, incomparable, Crushing Māra's army, Would not be gladdened, Even if born of a dark lineage? "Whoever wishes, let him follow me, Or whoever does not wish, let him go; Here I shall go forth, In the presence of the one with excellent wisdom." "If this teaching of the Fully Awakened One, Is pleasing to you, sirs; We too shall go forth, In the presence of the one with excellent wisdom." "These three hundred brahmins, Request with joined palms; 'We shall lead the holy life, Blessed One, in your presence.'" "Well-proclaimed is the holy life," said the Blessed One, "visible here and now, timeless; Where the going forth is not in vain, for one who is diligent and trains." Indeed, the brahmin Sela, with his retinue, obtained the going forth in the presence of the Blessed One, obtained the full ordination. Then, when that night had passed, Keṇiya the ascetic, having prepared excellent hard and soft food in his own hermitage, announced the time to the Blessed One: "It is time, good Gotama, the meal is ready." Then the Blessed One, having dressed in the forenoon, and taking his bowl and robe, went to the hermitage of Keṇiya the ascetic; having approached, he sat down on the prepared seat, together with the community of bhikkhus. Then Keṇiya the ascetic, with the Buddha at its head, with choice hard and soft food, he personally satisfied and served. Then Keṇiya the ascetic, when the Blessed One had eaten and removed his hand from the bowl, took a low seat and sat down to one side. To Keṇiya the ascetic, sitting to one side, the Blessed One gave thanks with these verses: "Sacrifices have the fire-offering as their chief, the Sāvitrī is the chief of meters; The king is the chief of humans, the ocean is the chief of rivers. "The moon is the chief of constellations, the sun is the chief of those who shine; For those desiring merit, the Saṅgha is indeed the chief of those who sacrifice." Then the Blessed One, having given thanks to Keṇiya the ascetic with these verses, rose from his seat and departed. Then the venerable Sela, with his company, dwelling alone, secluded, diligent, ardent, resolute, not long thereafter, for the sake of which noble sons rightly go forth from home to homelessness, that unsurpassed culmination of the holy life, having realized it for himself with direct knowledge in this very life, entered upon and dwelt in it. He understood: 'Destroyed is birth, lived is the holy life, done is what had to be done, there is no more for this state of being.' And the venerable Sela, with his company, became one of the Arahants. Then the venerable Sela, with his company, approached the Blessed One; having approached, he arranged his outer robe over one shoulder, raised his joined hands towards the Blessed One, and addressed the Blessed One with verses: "Having taken refuge in you, the Eye, the eighth from here; In seven nights, O Blessed One, we are tamed in your teaching. "You are the Buddha, you are the Teacher, you are the sage who has overcome Māra; You, having cut off latent tendencies, have crossed over and will ferry this populace. "Your attachments are transcended, your defilements are shattered; Like a lion, unattached, free from fear and terror. "These three hundred monks, stand with joined hands; Extend your feet, O Hero, let the Nāgas worship the Teacher." The Sela Sutta is finished, the second. 3. The Assalāyana Sutta 401. Thus have I heard – at one ti Thus have I heard: The Blessed One was staying at Sāvatthī, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time, five hundred brahmin families, from various regions, were residing in Sāvatthī, for some business or another. Then it occurred to those brahmins: “This recluse Gotama proclaims the purification of the four castes. Who is able to debate with the recluse Gotama on this matter?” Now at that time, a young man named Assalāyana was residing in Sāvatthī. He was young, with shaven head, sixteen years old by birth. He was a master of the three Vedas, with their vocabularies and rituals, their phonology and etymology, and as the fifth, their histories. He was skilled in grammar, and in the marks of a great man, according to the Lokāyata system. Then it occurred to those brahmins: “This young man Assalāyana is residing in Sāvatthī. He is young, with shaven head, sixteen years old by birth. He is a master of the three Vedas… …and in the marks of a great man, according to the Lokāyata system. He is able to debate with the recluse Gotama on this matter.” Then those brahmins approached the young man Assalāyana. Having approached, they said to the young man Assalāyana: “Friend Assalāyana, this recluse Gotama proclaims the purification of the four castes. May Master Assalāyana go and debate with the recluse Gotama on this matter.” When this was said, the young man Assalāyana said to those brahmins: “Friends, the recluse Gotama is a proclaimer of Dhamma. And those who proclaim Dhamma are difficult to debate with. I am not able to debate with the recluse Gotama on this matter.” A second time, those brahmins said to the young man Assalāyana: “Friend Assalāyana, this recluse Gotama proclaims the purification of the four castes. May Master Assalāyana go and debate with the recluse Gotama on this matter. It is a custom, indeed, not, good Assalāyana, a wanderer.” A second time, Assalāyana the young man said to those brahmins: “Indeed, sirs, Gotama the ascetic is a speaker of Dhamma; and speakers of Dhamma are difficult to refute. I am not able to debate with Gotama the ascetic on this matter.” A third time, those brahmins said to Assalāyana the young man: “This, good Assalāyana, Gotama the ascetic proclaims the purity of the four classes. Let the good Assalāyana go and debate with Gotama the ascetic on this matter. Indeed, the good Assalāyana has followed the wanderer’s life. Let not the good Assalāyana be defeated without a fight.” When this was said, Assalāyana the young man said to those brahmins: “Indeed, sirs, I cannot obtain it. Indeed, sirs, Gotama the ascetic is a speaker of Dhamma; and speakers of Dhamma are difficult to refute. I am not able to debate with Gotama the ascetic on this matter. Nevertheless, I will go at your word, sirs.” 402. Then Assalāyana the young man, with a large company of brahmins, approached the Blessed One; having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Blessed One. Having concluded the courteous and memorable talk, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, Assalāyana the young man said to the Blessed One: “Brahmins, good Gotama, say this: ‘Brahmins are the highest class, other classes are low; Brahmins are the fair class, other classes are dark; Brahmins alone are purified, not non-brahmins; Brahmins are the sons of Brahmā, born from his mouth, born of Brahmā, made by Brahmā, heirs of Brahmā.’ What does the good Gotama say about this?” “Indeed, Assalāyana, brahmin women of brahmins are seen in season, pregnant, giving birth, suckling. And those, being born from brahmin women, say this: ‘Brahmins alone are the highest class…’” The brahmin caste is the best caste, inferior is another caste; the brahmin caste is the white caste, black is another caste; only brahmins are purified, not non-brahmins; only brahmins are the sons of Brahmā, born from his mouth, born of Brahmā, created by Brahmā, heirs of Brahmā." "Although Master Gotama says this, yet here the brahmins think thus: 'The brahmin caste is the best caste, inferior is another caste; the brahmin caste is the white caste, black is another caste; only brahmins are purified, not non-brahmins; only brahmins are the sons of Brahmā, born from his mouth, born of Brahmā, created by Brahmā, heirs of Brahmā.'" 403. "What do you think, Assalāyana, have you heard: 'In Yona and Kamboja and other border regions, there are only two castes: the master and the slave; having been a master, one becomes a slave; having been a slave, one becomes a master'?" "Yes, sir, I have heard that: 'In Yona and Kamboja and other border regions, there are only two castes: the master and the slave; having been a master, one becomes a slave; having been a slave, one becomes a master.'" "In that case, Assalāyana, what power, what assurance do the brahmins have to say: 'The brahmin caste is the best caste, inferior is another caste; the brahmin caste is the white caste, black is another caste; only brahmins are purified, not non-brahmins; only brahmins are the sons of Brahmā, born from his mouth, born of Brahmā, created by Brahmā, heirs of Brahmā'?" "Although Master Gotama says this, yet here the brahmins think thus: 'The brahmin caste is the best caste, inferior is another caste; the brahmin caste is the white caste, black is another caste; only brahmins are purified, not non-brahmins; only brahmins are the sons of Brahmā, born from his mouth, born of Brahmā, created by Brahmā, heirs of Brahmā.'" 404. "What do you think, Assalāyana, would only a khattiya, a killer of living beings, a taker of what is not given, one who misconducts himself in sensual pleasures, a speaker of falsehoods, a speaker of divisive speech, a speaker of harsh speech, a speaker of idle chatter, covetous, ill-willed, of wrong view, upon the breakup of the body, after death, reappear in a state of deprivation, a bad destination, a lower realm, hell, but not a brahmin? Would only a vessa, a killer of living beings, a taker of what is not given, one who misconducts himself in sensual pleasures, a speaker of falsehoods, a speaker of divisive speech, a speaker of harsh speech, a speaker of idle chatter, covetous, ill-willed, of wrong view, upon the breakup of the body, after death, reappear in a state of deprivation, a bad destination, a lower realm, hell, but not a brahmin? Would only a sudda, a killer of living beings, a taker of what is not given, one who misconducts himself in sensual pleasures, a speaker of falsehoods,