{"id":"mn93","title":"With Assalāyana","languageCodes":["en","pi"],"languageNotes":{"en":"Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0","pi":"Mahāsaṅgīti edition · SuttaCentral"},"chapters":[{"id":"mn93","title":"With Assalāyana","units":[{"id":"mn93:0","sourceIds":["mn93:0.1","mn93:0.2"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Majjhima Nikāya 93\nAssalāyanasutta","en":"Middle Discourses 93\nWith Assalāyana"}},{"id":"mn93:1","sourceIds":["mn93:1.1","mn93:1.2"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Evaṁ me sutaṁ—\nekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.","en":"So I have heard.\nAt one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery."}},{"id":"mn93:2","sourceIds":["mn93:2.1","mn93:2.2","mn93:2.3","mn93:2.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Tena kho pana samayena nānāverajjakānaṁ brāhmaṇānaṁ pañcamattāni brāhmaṇasatāni sāvatthiyaṁ paṭivasanti kenacideva karaṇīyena.\nAtha kho tesaṁ brāhmaṇānaṁ etadahosi:\n“ayaṁ kho samaṇo gotamo cātuvaṇṇiṁ suddhiṁ paññapeti.\nKo nu kho pahoti samaṇena gotamena saddhiṁ asmiṁ vacane paṭimantetun”ti?","en":"Now at that time around five hundred brahmins from abroad were residing in Sāvatthī on some business.\nThen those brahmins thought,\n“This ascetic Gotama advocates purification for all four classes.\nWho is capable of debating with him about this?”"}},{"id":"mn93:3","sourceIds":["mn93:3.1","mn93:3.2","mn93:3.3","mn93:3.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Tena kho pana samayena assalāyano nāma māṇavo sāvatthiyaṁ paṭivasati daharo, vuttasiro, soḷasavassuddesiko jātiyā, tiṇṇaṁ vedānaṁ pāragū sanighaṇḍukeṭubhānaṁ sākkharappabhedānaṁ itihāsapañcamānaṁ, padako, veyyākaraṇo, lokāyatamahāpurisalakkhaṇesu anavayo.\nAtha kho tesaṁ brāhmaṇānaṁ etadahosi:\n“ayaṁ kho assalāyano māṇavo sāvatthiyaṁ paṭivasati daharo, vuttasiro, soḷasavassuddesiko jātiyā, tiṇṇaṁ vedānaṁ pāragū …pe… anavayo.\nSo kho pahoti samaṇena gotamena saddhiṁ asmiṁ vacane paṭimantetun”ti.","en":"Now at that time the student Assalāyana was residing in Sāvatthī. He was young, tonsured, and sixteen years old. He had mastered the three Vedas, together with their vocabularies and ritual performance, their phonology and word classification, and the testaments as fifth. He knew them word-by-word, and their grammar. He was well versed in cosmology and the marks of a great man.\nThen those brahmins thought,\n“This Assalāyana is capable of debating with the ascetic Gotama about this.”"}},{"id":"mn93:4","sourceIds":["mn93:4.1","mn93:4.2","mn93:4.3","mn93:4.4","mn93:4.5","mn93:4.6","mn93:4.7","mn93:4.8","mn93:4.9","mn93:4.10","mn93:4.11","mn93:4.12","mn93:4.13","mn93:4.14","mn93:4.15","mn93:4.16","mn93:4.17","mn93:4.18","mn93:4.19","mn93:4.20","mn93:4.21","mn93:4.22","mn93:4.23","mn93:4.24","mn93:4.25","mn93:4.26"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Atha kho te brāhmaṇā yena assalāyano māṇavo tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā assalāyanaṁ māṇavaṁ etadavocuṁ:\n“ayaṁ, bho assalāyana, samaṇo gotamo cātuvaṇṇiṁ suddhiṁ paññapeti.\nEtu bhavaṁ assalāyano samaṇena gotamena saddhiṁ asmiṁ vacane paṭimantetū”ti.\nEvaṁ vutte, assalāyano māṇavo te brāhmaṇe etadavoca:\n“samaṇo khalu, bho, gotamo dhammavādī;\ndhammavādino ca pana duppaṭimantiyā bhavanti.\nNāhaṁ sakkomi samaṇena gotamena saddhiṁ asmiṁ vacane paṭimantetun”ti.\nDutiyampi kho te brāhmaṇā assalāyanaṁ māṇavaṁ etadavocuṁ:\n“ayaṁ, bho assalāyana, samaṇo gotamo cātuvaṇṇiṁ suddhiṁ paññapeti.\nEtu bhavaṁ assalāyano samaṇena gotamena saddhiṁ asmiṁ vacane paṭimantetu.\nCaritaṁ kho pana bhotā assalāyanena paribbājakan”ti.\nDutiyampi kho assalāyano māṇavo te brāhmaṇe etadavoca:\n“samaṇo khalu, bho, gotamo dhammavādī;\ndhammavādino ca pana duppaṭimantiyā bhavanti.\nNāhaṁ sakkomi samaṇena gotamena saddhiṁ asmiṁ vacane paṭimantetun”ti.\nTatiyampi kho te brāhmaṇā assalāyanaṁ māṇavaṁ etadavocuṁ:\n“ayaṁ, bho assalāyana, samaṇo gotamo cātuvaṇṇiṁ suddhiṁ paññapeti.\nEtu bhavaṁ assalāyano samaṇena gotamena saddhiṁ asmiṁ vacane paṭimantetu.\nCaritaṁ kho pana bhotā assalāyanena paribbājakaṁ.\nMā bhavaṁ assalāyano ayuddhaparājitaṁ parājayī”ti.\nEvaṁ vutte, assalāyano māṇavo te brāhmaṇe etadavoca:\n“addhā kho ahaṁ bhavanto na labhāmi.\nSamaṇo khalu, bho, gotamo dhammavādī;\ndhammavādino ca pana duppaṭimantiyā bhavanti.\nNāhaṁ sakkomi samaṇena gotamena saddhiṁ asmiṁ vacane paṭimantetunti.\nApi cāhaṁ bhavantānaṁ vacanena gamissāmī”ti.","en":"So they approached Assalāyana and said to him,\n“This ascetic Gotama advocates purification for all four classes.\nPlease, worthy Assalāyana, debate with the ascetic Gotama about this.”\nWhen they said this, Assalāyana said to them,\n“They say that the ascetic Gotama is a speaker of principle.\nBut speakers of principle are hard to debate.\nI’m not capable of debating with the ascetic Gotama about this.”\nFor a second time, those brahmins said to him\n“This ascetic Gotama advocates purification for all four classes.\nPlease, worthy Assalāyana, debate with the ascetic Gotama about this.\nFor you have lived as a wanderer.”\nAnd for a second time, Assalāyana refused.\nFor a third time, those brahmins said to him,\n“This ascetic Gotama advocates purification for all four classes.\nPlease, worthy Assalāyana, debate with the ascetic Gotama about this.\nFor you have lived as a wanderer.\nDon’t admit defeat before going into battle!”\nWhen they said this, Assalāyana said to them,\n“Clearly, worthy sirs, I’m not getting through to you when I say:\n‘They say that the ascetic Gotama is a speaker of principle.\nBut speakers of principle are hard to debate.\nI’m not capable of debating with the ascetic Gotama about this.’\nNevertheless, I shall go at your bidding.”"}},{"id":"mn93:5","sourceIds":["mn93:5.1","mn93:5.2","mn93:5.3","mn93:5.4","mn93:5.5","mn93:5.6","mn93:5.7","mn93:5.8","mn93:5.9","mn93:5.10","mn93:5.11","mn93:5.12","mn93:5.13","mn93:5.14"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Atha kho assalāyano māṇavo mahatā brāhmaṇagaṇena saddhiṁ yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi.\nSammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho assalāyano māṇavo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:\n“brāhmaṇā, bho gotama, evamāhaṁsu:\n‘brāhmaṇova seṭṭho vaṇṇo, hīno añño vaṇṇo;\nbrāhmaṇova sukko vaṇṇo, kaṇho añño vaṇṇo;\nbrāhmaṇova sujjhanti, no abrāhmaṇā;\nbrāhmaṇāva brahmuno puttā orasā mukhato jātā brahmajā brahmanimmitā brahmadāyādā’ti.\nIdha bhavaṁ gotamo kimāhā”ti?\n“Dissanti kho pana, assalāyana, brāhmaṇānaṁ brāhmaṇiyo utuniyopi gabbhiniyopi vijāyamānāpi pāyamānāpi.\nTe ca brāhmaṇiyonijāva samānā evamāhaṁsu:\n‘brāhmaṇova seṭṭho vaṇṇo, hīno añño vaṇṇo;\nbrāhmaṇova sukko vaṇṇo, kaṇho añño vaṇṇo;\nbrāhmaṇāva sujjhanti, no abrāhmaṇā;\nbrāhmaṇāva brahmuno puttā orasā mukhato jātā brahmajā brahmanimmitā brahmadāyādā’”ti.","en":"Then Assalāyana together with a large group of brahmins went to the Buddha and exchanged greetings with him.\nWhen the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha:\n“Worthy Gotama, the brahmins say:\n‘Only brahmins are the best class; other classes are inferior.\nOnly brahmins are the light class; other classes are dark.\nOnly brahmins are purified, not others.\nOnly brahmins are the Divinity’s bosom sons, born from his mouth, born of the Divinity, created by the Divinity, heirs of the Divinity.’\nWhat do you say about this?”\n“But Assalāyana, brahmin women are seen menstruating, being pregnant, giving birth, and breastfeeding.\nYet even though they’re born from a brahmin womb they say:\n‘Only brahmins are the best class; other classes are inferior.\nOnly brahmins are the light class; other classes are dark.\nOnly brahmins are purified, not others.\nOnly brahmins are the Divinity’s bosom sons, born from his mouth, born of the Divinity, created by the Divinity, heirs of the Divinity.’”"}},{"id":"mn93:6","sourceIds":["mn93:6.1","mn93:6.2","mn93:6.3","mn93:6.4","mn93:6.5","mn93:6.6","mn93:6.7","mn93:6.8","mn93:6.9"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Kiñcāpi bhavaṁ gotamo evamāha, atha khvettha brāhmaṇā evametaṁ maññanti:\n‘brāhmaṇova seṭṭho vaṇṇo, hīno añño vaṇṇo …pe…\nbrahmadāyādā’”ti.\n“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, assalāyana,\nsutaṁ te: ‘yonakambojesu aññesu ca paccantimesu janapadesu dveva vaṇṇā—ayyo ceva dāso ca; ayyo hutvā dāso hoti, dāso hutvā ayyo hotī’”ti?\n“Evaṁ, bho, sutaṁ taṁ me: ‘yonakambojesu aññesu ca paccantimesu janapadesu dveva vaṇṇā—ayyo ceva dāso ca; ayyo hutvā dāso hoti, dāso hutvā ayyo hotī’”ti.\n“Ettha, assalāyana, brāhmaṇānaṁ kiṁ balaṁ, ko assāso yadettha brāhmaṇā evamāhaṁsu:\n‘brāhmaṇova seṭṭho vaṇṇo, hīno añño vaṇṇo …pe…\nbrahmadāyādā’”ti?","en":"“Even though you say this, still the brahmins maintain their belief.”\n“What do you think, Assalāyana?\nHave you heard that in Greece and Persia and other foreign lands there are only two classes, masters and bonded servants; and that masters may become servants, and servants masters?”\n“Yes, I have heard that.”\n“Then what is the source of the brahmins’ certainty and forcefulness in this matter that they make this claim?”"}},{"id":"mn93:7","sourceIds":["mn93:7.1","mn93:7.2","mn93:7.3","mn93:7.4","mn93:7.5","mn93:7.6","mn93:7.7","mn93:7.8","mn93:7.9","mn93:7.10","mn93:7.11","mn93:7.12","mn93:7.13","mn93:7.14","mn93:7.15","mn93:7.16"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Kiñcāpi bhavaṁ gotamo evamāha, atha khvettha brāhmaṇā evametaṁ maññanti:\n‘brāhmaṇova seṭṭho vaṇṇo, hīno añño vaṇṇo …pe…\nbrahmadāyādā’”ti.\n“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, assalāyana,\nkhattiyova nu kho pāṇātipātī adinnādāyī kāmesumicchācārī musāvādī pisuṇavāco pharusavāco samphappalāpī abhijjhālu byāpannacitto micchādiṭṭhi kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjeyya, no brāhmaṇo?\nVessova nu kho …pe…\nsuddova nu kho pāṇātipātī adinnādāyī kāmesumicchācārī musāvādī pisuṇavāco pharusavāco samphappalāpī abhijjhālu byāpannacitto micchādiṭṭhi kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjeyya, no brāhmaṇo”ti?\n“No hidaṁ, bho gotama.\nKhattiyopi hi, bho gotama, pāṇātipātī adinnādāyī kāmesumicchācārī musāvādī pisuṇavāco pharusavāco samphappalāpī abhijjhālu byāpannacitto micchādiṭṭhi kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjeyya.\nBrāhmaṇopi hi, bho gotama …pe…\nvessopi hi, bho gotama …pe…\nsuddopi hi, bho gotama …pe…\nsabbepi hi, bho gotama, cattāro vaṇṇā pāṇātipātino adinnādāyino kāmesumicchācārino musāvādino pisuṇavācā pharusavācā samphappalāpino abhijjhālū byāpannacittā micchādiṭṭhī kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjeyyun”ti.\n“Ettha, assalāyana, brāhmaṇānaṁ kiṁ balaṁ, ko assāso yadettha brāhmaṇā evamāhaṁsu:\n‘brāhmaṇova seṭṭho vaṇṇo, hīno añño vaṇṇo …pe…\nbrahmadāyādā’”ti?","en":"“Even though you say this, still the brahmins maintain their belief.”\n“What do you think, Assalāyana?\nSuppose an aristocrat were to kill living creatures, steal, and commit sexual misconduct; to use speech that’s false, backbiting, harsh, or nonsensical; and to be covetous, malicious, with wrong view. When their body breaks up, after death, they’d be reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. Would this happen only to an aristocrat, and not to a brahmin?\nOr suppose a peasant,\nor a menial were to act in the same way. Would that result befall only a peasant or a menial, and not to a brahmin?”\n“No, worthy Gotama.\nIf they acted the same way, the same result would befall an aristocrat, a brahmin, a peasant, or a menial.\nFor if any of the four classes were to kill living creatures, steal, and commit sexual misconduct; to use speech that’s false, backbiting, harsh, or nonsensical; and to be covetous, malicious, with wrong view, then, when their body breaks up, after death, they’d be reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.”\n“Then what is the source of the brahmins’ certainty and forcefulness in this matter that they make this claim?”"}},{"id":"mn93:8","sourceIds":["mn93:8.1","mn93:8.2","mn93:8.3","mn93:8.4","mn93:8.5","mn93:8.6","mn93:8.7","mn93:8.8","mn93:8.9","mn93:8.10","mn93:8.11","mn93:8.12","mn93:8.13","mn93:8.14"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Kiñcāpi bhavaṁ gotamo evamāha, atha khvettha brāhmaṇā evametaṁ maññanti:\n‘brāhmaṇova seṭṭho vaṇṇo, hīno añño vaṇṇo …pe…\nbrahmadāyādā’”ti.\n“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, assalāyana,\nbrāhmaṇova nu kho pāṇātipātā paṭivirato adinnādānā paṭivirato kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato musāvādā paṭivirato pisuṇāya vācāya paṭivirato pharusāya vācāya paṭivirato samphappalāpā paṭivirato anabhijjhālu abyāpannacitto sammādiṭṭhi kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjeyya, no khattiyo, no vesso, no suddo”ti?\n“No hidaṁ, bho gotama.\nKhattiyopi hi, bho gotama, pāṇātipātā paṭivirato adinnādānā paṭivirato kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato musāvādā paṭivirato pisuṇāya vācāya paṭivirato pharusāya vācāya paṭivirato samphappalāpā paṭivirato anabhijjhālu abyāpannacitto sammādiṭṭhi kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjeyya.\nBrāhmaṇopi hi, bho gotama …pe…\nvessopi hi, bho gotama …pe…\nsuddopi hi, bho gotama …pe…\nsabbepi hi, bho gotama, cattāro vaṇṇā pāṇātipātā paṭiviratā adinnādānā paṭiviratā kāmesumicchācārā paṭiviratā musāvādā paṭiviratā pisuṇāya vācāya paṭiviratā pharusāya vācāya paṭiviratā samphappalāpā paṭiviratā anabhijjhālū abyāpannacittā sammādiṭṭhī kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjeyyun”ti.\n“Ettha, assalāyana, brāhmaṇānaṁ kiṁ balaṁ, ko assāso yadettha brāhmaṇā evamāhaṁsu:\n‘brāhmaṇova seṭṭho vaṇṇo, hīno añño vaṇṇo …pe…\nbrahmadāyādā’”ti?","en":"“Even though you say this, still the brahmins maintain their belief.”\n“What do you think, Assalāyana?\nSuppose a brahmin were to refrain from killing living creatures, stealing, and sexual misconduct; from using speech that’s false, backbiting, harsh, or nonsensical; and from covetousness, malice, and wrong view. When their body breaks up, after death, they’d be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm. Would this happen only to a brahmin, and not to an aristocrat, a peasant, or a menial?”\n“No, worthy Gotama.\nIf they acted the same way, the same result would befall an aristocrat, a brahmin, a peasant, or a menial.\nFor if any of the four classes were to refrain from killing living creatures, stealing, and sexual misconduct; from using speech that’s false, backbiting, harsh, or nonsensical; and from covetousness, malice, and wrong view, then, when their body breaks up, after death, they’d be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.”\n“Then what is the source of the brahmins’ certainty and forcefulness in this matter that they make this claim?”"}},{"id":"mn93:9","sourceIds":["mn93:9.1","mn93:9.2","mn93:9.3","mn93:9.4","mn93:9.5","mn93:9.6","mn93:9.7","mn93:9.8","mn93:9.9","mn93:9.10","mn93:9.11","mn93:9.12","mn93:9.13","mn93:9.14"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Kiñcāpi bhavaṁ gotamo evamāha, atha khvettha brāhmaṇā evametaṁ maññanti:\n‘brāhmaṇova seṭṭho vaṇṇo, hīno añño vaṇṇo …pe…\nbrahmadāyādā’”ti.\n“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, assalāyana,\nbrāhmaṇova nu kho pahoti asmiṁ padese averaṁ abyābajjhaṁ mettacittaṁ bhāvetuṁ, no khattiyo, no vesso, no suddo”ti?\n“No hidaṁ, bho gotama.\nKhattiyopi hi, bho gotama, pahoti asmiṁ padese averaṁ abyābajjhaṁ mettacittaṁ bhāvetuṁ;\nbrāhmaṇopi hi, bho gotama …\nvessopi hi, bho gotama …\nsuddopi hi, bho gotama …\nsabbepi hi, bho gotama, cattāro vaṇṇā pahonti asmiṁ padese averaṁ abyābajjhaṁ mettacittaṁ bhāvetun”ti.\n“Ettha, assalāyana, brāhmaṇānaṁ kiṁ balaṁ, ko assāso yadettha brāhmaṇā evamāhaṁsu:\n‘brāhmaṇova seṭṭho vaṇṇo, hīno añño vaṇṇo …pe…\nbrahmadāyādā’”ti?","en":"“Even though you say this, still the brahmins maintain their belief.”\n“What do you think, Assalāyana?\nIs only a brahmin capable of developing a heart of love, free of enmity and ill will for this region, and not an aristocrat, peasant, or menial?”\n“No, worthy Gotama.\nAristocrats, brahmins, peasants, and menials can all do so.\nFor all four classes are capable of developing a heart of love, free of enmity and ill will for this region.”\n“Then what is the source of the brahmins’ certainty and forcefulness in this matter that they make this claim?”"}},{"id":"mn93:10","sourceIds":["mn93:10.1","mn93:10.2","mn93:10.3","mn93:10.4","mn93:10.5","mn93:10.6","mn93:10.7","mn93:10.8","mn93:10.9","mn93:10.10","mn93:10.11","mn93:10.12","mn93:10.13"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Kiñcāpi bhavaṁ gotamo evamāha, atha khvettha brāhmaṇā evametaṁ maññanti:\n‘brāhmaṇova seṭṭho vaṇṇo, hīno añño vaṇṇo …pe…\nbrahmadāyādā’”ti.\n“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, assalāyana,\nbrāhmaṇova nu kho pahoti sottisināniṁ ādāya nadiṁ gantvā rajojallaṁ pavāhetuṁ, no khattiyo, no vesso, no suddo”ti?\n“No hidaṁ, bho gotama.\nKhattiyopi hi, bho gotama, pahoti sottisināniṁ ādāya nadiṁ gantvā rajojallaṁ pavāhetuṁ, brāhmaṇopi hi, bho gotama …\nvessopi hi, bho gotama …\nsuddopi hi, bho gotama …\nsabbepi hi, bho gotama, cattāro vaṇṇā pahonti sottisināniṁ ādāya nadiṁ gantvā rajojallaṁ pavāhetun”ti.\n“Ettha, assalāyana, brāhmaṇānaṁ kiṁ balaṁ, ko assāso yadettha brāhmaṇā evamāhaṁsu:\n‘brāhmaṇova seṭṭho vaṇṇo, hīno añño vaṇṇo …pe…\nbrahmadāyādā’”ti?","en":"“Even though you say this, still the brahmins maintain their belief.”\n“What do you think, Assalāyana?\nIs only a brahmin capable of taking some bathing cleanser, going to the river, and rinsing off dust and dirt, and not an aristocrat, peasant, or menial?”\n“No, worthy Gotama.\nAll four classes are capable of doing this.”\n“Then what is the source of the brahmins’ certainty and forcefulness in this matter that they make this claim?”"}},{"id":"mn93:11","sourceIds":["mn93:11.1","mn93:11.2","mn93:11.3","mn93:11.4","mn93:11.5","mn93:11.6","mn93:11.7","mn93:11.8","mn93:11.9","mn93:11.10","mn93:11.11","mn93:11.12","mn93:11.13","mn93:11.14","mn93:11.15","mn93:11.16","mn93:11.17","mn93:11.18","mn93:11.19"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Kiñcāpi bhavaṁ gotamo evamāha, atha khvettha brāhmaṇā evametaṁ maññanti:\n‘brāhmaṇova seṭṭho vaṇṇo, hīno añño vaṇṇo …pe…\nbrahmadāyādā’”ti.\n“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, assalāyana,\nidha rājā khattiyo muddhāvasitto nānājaccānaṁ purisānaṁ purisasataṁ sannipāteyya:\n‘āyantu bhonto ye tattha khattiyakulā brāhmaṇakulā rājaññakulā uppannā, sākassa vā sālassa vā salaḷassa vā candanassa vā padumakassa vā uttarāraṇiṁ ādāya, aggiṁ abhinibbattentu, tejo pātukarontu.\nĀyantu pana bhonto ye tattha caṇḍālakulā nesādakulā venakulā rathakārakulā pukkusakulā uppannā, sāpānadoṇiyā vā sūkaradoṇiyā vā rajakadoṇiyā vā eraṇḍakaṭṭhassa vā uttarāraṇiṁ ādāya, aggiṁ abhinibbattentu, tejo pātukarontū’ti.\nTaṁ kiṁ maññasi, assalāyana,\nyo evaṁ nu kho so khattiyakulā brāhmaṇakulā rājaññakulā uppannehi sākassa vā sālassa vā salaḷassa vā candanassa vā padumakassa vā uttarāraṇiṁ ādāya aggi abhinibbatto, tejo pātukato, so eva nu khvāssa aggi accimā ceva vaṇṇavā ca pabhassaro ca, tena ca sakkā agginā aggikaraṇīyaṁ kātuṁ;\nyo pana so caṇḍālakulā nesādakulā venakulā rathakārakulā pukkusakulā uppannehi sāpānadoṇiyā vā sūkaradoṇiyā vā rajakadoṇiyā vā eraṇḍakaṭṭhassa vā uttarāraṇiṁ ādāya aggi abhinibbatto, tejo pātukato svāssa aggi na ceva accimā na ca vaṇṇavā na ca pabhassaro, na ca tena sakkā agginā aggikaraṇīyaṁ kātun”ti?\n“No hidaṁ, bho gotama.\nYopi hi so, bho gotama, khattiyakulā brāhmaṇakulā rājaññakulā uppannehi sākassa vā sālassa vā salaḷassa vā candanassa vā padumakassa vā uttarāraṇiṁ ādāya aggi abhinibbatto, tejo pātukato svāssa aggi accimā ceva vaṇṇavā ca pabhassaro ca, tena ca sakkā agginā aggikaraṇīyaṁ kātuṁ;\nyopi so caṇḍālakulā nesādakulā venakulā rathakārakulā pukkusakulā uppannehi sāpānadoṇiyā vā sūkaradoṇiyā vā rajakadoṇiyā vā eraṇḍakaṭṭhassa vā uttarāraṇiṁ ādāya aggi abhinibbatto, tejo pātukato, svāssa aggi accimā ceva vaṇṇavā ca pabhassaro ca, tena ca sakkā agginā aggikaraṇīyaṁ kātuṁ.\nSabbopi hi, bho gotama, aggi accimā ceva vaṇṇavā ca pabhassaro ca, sabbenapi sakkā agginā aggikaraṇīyaṁ kātun”ti.\n“Ettha, assalāyana, brāhmaṇānaṁ kiṁ balaṁ, ko assāso yadettha brāhmaṇā evamāhaṁsu:\n‘brāhmaṇova seṭṭho vaṇṇo, hīno añño vaṇṇo;\nbrāhmaṇova sukko vaṇṇo, kaṇho añño vaṇṇo;\nbrāhmaṇāva sujjhanti, no abrāhmaṇā;\nbrāhmaṇāva brahmuno puttā orasā mukhato jātā brahmajā brahmanimmitā brahmadāyādā’”ti?","en":"“Even though you say this, still the brahmins maintain their belief.”\n“What do you think, Assalāyana?\nSuppose an anointed aristocratic king were to gather a hundred people of various births and say to them:\n‘Please worthy sirs, let anyone here who was born in a family of aristocrats, brahmins, or chieftains take a drill-stick made of teak, sal, salaḷa, sandalwood, or cherry wood, light a fire and produce heat.\nAnd let anyone here who was born in a family of corpse-workers, hunters, bamboo-workers, chariot-makers, or scavengers take a drill-stick made from a mutt’s drinking trough, a pig’s trough, a dustbin, or castor-oil wood, light a fire and produce heat.’\nWhat do you think, Assalāyana?\nWould only the fire produced by the high class people with good quality wood have flames, color, and radiance, and be usable as fire,\nand not the fire produced by the low class people with poor quality wood?”\n“No, worthy Gotama.\nThe fire produced by the high class people with good quality wood would have flames, color, and radiance, and be usable as fire,\nand so would the fire produced by the low class people with poor quality wood.\nFor all fire has flames, color, and radiance, and is usable as fire.”\n“Then what is the source of the brahmins’ certainty and forcefulness in this matter that they make this claim?”"}},{"id":"mn93:12","sourceIds":["mn93:12.1","mn93:12.2","mn93:12.3","mn93:12.4","mn93:12.5","mn93:12.6","mn93:12.7"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Kiñcāpi bhavaṁ gotamo evamāha, atha khvettha brāhmaṇā evametaṁ maññanti:\n‘brāhmaṇova seṭṭho vaṇṇo, hīno añño vaṇṇo …pe…\nbrahmadāyādā’”ti.\n“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, assalāyana,\nidha khattiyakumāro brāhmaṇakaññāya saddhiṁ saṁvāsaṁ kappeyya, tesaṁ saṁvāsamanvāya putto jāyetha;\nyo so khattiyakumārena brāhmaṇakaññāya putto uppanno, siyā so mātupi sadiso pitupi sadiso, ‘khattiyo’tipi vattabbo ‘brāhmaṇo’tipi vattabbo”ti?\n“Yo so, bho gotama, khattiyakumārena brāhmaṇakaññāya putto uppanno, siyā so mātupi sadiso pitupi sadiso, ‘khattiyo’tipi vattabbo ‘brāhmaṇo’tipi vattabbo”ti.","en":"“Even though you say this, still the brahmins maintain their belief.”\n“What do you think, Assalāyana?\nSuppose an aristocrat boy was to sleep with a brahmin girl, and they had a child.\nWould that child be called an aristocrat after the father or a brahmin after the mother?”\n“They could be called either.”"}},{"id":"mn93:13","sourceIds":["mn93:13.1","mn93:13.2","mn93:13.3","mn93:13.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, assalāyana,\nidha brāhmaṇakumāro khattiyakaññāya saddhiṁ saṁvāsaṁ kappeyya, tesaṁ saṁvāsamanvāya putto jāyetha;\nyo so brāhmaṇakumārena khattiyakaññāya putto uppanno, siyā so mātupi sadiso pitupi sadiso, ‘khattiyo’tipi vattabbo ‘brāhmaṇo’tipi vattabbo”ti?\n“Yo so, bho gotama, brāhmaṇakumārena khattiyakaññāya putto uppanno, siyā so mātupi sadiso pitupi sadiso, ‘khattiyo’tipi vattabbo ‘brāhmaṇo’tipi vattabbo”ti.","en":"“What do you think, Assalāyana?\nSuppose a brahmin boy was to sleep with an aristocrat girl, and they had a child.\nWould that child be called an aristocrat after the mother or a brahmin after the father?”\n“They could be called either.”"}},{"id":"mn93:14","sourceIds":["mn93:14.1","mn93:14.2","mn93:14.3","mn93:14.4","mn93:14.5","mn93:14.6"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, assalāyana,\nidha vaḷavaṁ gadrabhena sampayojeyyuṁ, tesaṁ sampayogamanvāya kisoro jāyetha;\nyo so vaḷavāya gadrabhena kisoro uppanno, siyā so mātupi sadiso pitupi sadiso, ‘asso’tipi vattabbo ‘gadrabho’tipi vattabbo”ti?\n“Kuṇḍañhi so, bho gotama, assataro hoti.\nIdaṁ hissa, bho gotama, nānākaraṇaṁ passāmi;\namutra ca panesānaṁ na kiñci nānākaraṇaṁ passāmī”ti.","en":"“What do you think, Assalāyana?\nSuppose a mare were to couple with a donkey, and she gave birth to a mule.\nWould that mule be called a horse after the mother or a donkey after the father?”\n“It’s a mule, as it is a crossbreed.\nI see the difference in this case,\nbut not in the previous cases.”"}},{"id":"mn93:15","sourceIds":["mn93:15.1","mn93:15.2","mn93:15.3","mn93:15.4","mn93:15.5"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, assalāyana,\nidhāssu dve māṇavakā bhātaro sodariyā, eko ajjhāyako upanīto eko anajjhāyako anupanīto.\nKamettha brāhmaṇā paṭhamaṁ bhojeyyuṁ saddhe vā thālipāke vā yaññe vā pāhune vā”ti?\n“Yo so, bho gotama, māṇavako ajjhāyako upanīto tamettha brāhmaṇā paṭhamaṁ bhojeyyuṁ saddhe vā thālipāke vā yaññe vā pāhune vā.\nKiñhi, bho gotama, anajjhāyake anupanīte dinnaṁ mahapphalaṁ bhavissatī”ti?","en":"“What do you think, Assalāyana?\nSuppose there were two young students who were brothers who had shared a womb. One was an educated reciter, while the other was not an educated reciter.\nWho would the brahmins feed first at an offering of food for ancestors, an offering of a dish of milk-rice, a sacrifice, or a feast for guests?”\n“They’d first feed the young student who was an educated reciter.\nFor how could an offering to someone who is not an educated reciter be very fruitful?”"}},{"id":"mn93:16","sourceIds":["mn93:16.1","mn93:16.2","mn93:16.3","mn93:16.4","mn93:16.5"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, assalāyana,\nidhāssu dve māṇavakā bhātaro sodariyā, eko ajjhāyako upanīto dussīlo pāpadhammo, eko anajjhāyako anupanīto sīlavā kalyāṇadhammo.\nKamettha brāhmaṇā paṭhamaṁ bhojeyyuṁ saddhe vā thālipāke vā yaññe vā pāhune vā”ti?\n“Yo so, bho gotama, māṇavako anajjhāyako anupanīto sīlavā kalyāṇadhammo tamettha brāhmaṇā paṭhamaṁ bhojeyyuṁ saddhe vā thālipāke vā yaññe vā pāhune vā.\nKiñhi, bho gotama, dussīle pāpadhamme dinnaṁ mahapphalaṁ bhavissatī”ti?","en":"“What do you think, Assalāyana?\nSuppose there were two young students who were brothers who had shared a womb. One was an educated reciter, but was unethical, of bad character, while the other was not an educated reciter, but was ethical and of good character.\nWho would the brahmins feed first?”\n“They’d first feed the young student who was not an educated reciter, but was ethical and of good character.\nFor how could an offering to someone who is unethical and of bad character be very fruitful?”"}},{"id":"mn93:17","sourceIds":["mn93:17.1","mn93:17.2","mn93:17.3","mn93:17.4","mn93:17.5"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Pubbe kho tvaṁ, assalāyana, jātiṁ agamāsi;\njātiṁ gantvā mante agamāsi;\nmante gantvā tape agamāsi;\ntape gantvā cātuvaṇṇiṁ suddhiṁ paccāgato, yamahaṁ paññapemī”ti.\nEvaṁ vutte, assalāyano māṇavo tuṇhībhūto maṅkubhūto pattakkhandho adhomukho pajjhāyanto appaṭibhāno nisīdi.","en":"“Firstly you relied on birth, Assalāyana,\nthen you switched to education,\nthen you switched to abstemious behavior.\nNow you’ve come around to believing in purification for the four classes, just as I advocate.”\nWhen he said this, Assalāyana sat silent, dismayed, shoulders drooping, downcast, depressed, with nothing to say."}},{"id":"mn93:18","sourceIds":["mn93:18.1","mn93:18.2","mn93:18.3","mn93:18.4","mn93:18.5","mn93:18.6","mn93:18.7","mn93:18.8","mn93:18.9","mn93:18.10","mn93:18.11","mn93:18.12","mn93:18.13","mn93:18.14","mn93:18.15","mn93:18.16","mn93:18.17","mn93:18.18","mn93:18.19","mn93:18.20","mn93:18.21","mn93:18.22","mn93:18.23","mn93:18.24","mn93:18.25","mn93:18.26","mn93:18.27","mn93:18.28","mn93:18.29","mn93:18.30","mn93:18.31","mn93:18.32","mn93:18.33","mn93:18.34","mn93:18.35","mn93:18.36","mn93:18.37","mn93:18.38","mn93:18.39","mn93:18.40","mn93:18.41","mn93:18.42","mn93:18.43","mn93:18.44","mn93:18.45","mn93:18.46","mn93:18.47","mn93:18.48","mn93:18.49","mn93:18.50","mn93:18.51","mn93:18.52","mn93:18.53","mn93:18.54","mn93:18.55","mn93:18.56","mn93:18.57","mn93:18.58","mn93:18.59","mn93:18.60","mn93:18.61","mn93:18.62","mn93:18.63","mn93:18.64","mn93:18.65","mn93:18.66","mn93:18.67","mn93:18.68","mn93:18.69","mn93:18.70","mn93:18.71"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Atha kho bhagavā assalāyanaṁ māṇavaṁ tuṇhībhūtaṁ maṅkubhūtaṁ pattakkhandhaṁ adhomukhaṁ pajjhāyantaṁ appaṭibhānaṁ viditvā assalāyanaṁ māṇavaṁ etadavoca:\n“bhūtapubbaṁ, assalāyana, sattannaṁ brāhmaṇisīnaṁ araññāyatane paṇṇakuṭīsu sammantānaṁ evarūpaṁ pāpakaṁ diṭṭhigataṁ uppannaṁ hoti:\n‘brāhmaṇova seṭṭho vaṇṇo, hīno añño vaṇṇo …\npe…\nbrahmadāyādā’ti.\nAssosi kho, assalāyana, asito devalo isi:\n‘sattannaṁ kira brāhmaṇisīnaṁ araññāyatane paṇṇakuṭīsu sammantānaṁ evarūpaṁ pāpakaṁ diṭṭhigataṁ uppannaṁ—\nbrāhmaṇova seṭṭho vaṇṇo …pe…\nbrahmadāyādā’ti.\nAtha kho, assalāyana, asito devalo isi kesamassuṁ kappetvā mañjiṭṭhavaṇṇāni dussāni nivāsetvā paṭaliyo upāhanā āruhitvā jātarūpamayaṁ daṇḍaṁ gahetvā sattannaṁ brāhmaṇisīnaṁ patthaṇḍile pāturahosi.\nAtha kho, assalāyana, asito devalo isi sattannaṁ brāhmaṇisīnaṁ patthaṇḍile caṅkamamāno evamāha:\n‘handa ko nu kho ime bhavanto brāhmaṇisayo gatā;\nhanda ko nu kho ime bhavanto brāhmaṇisayo gatā’ti?\nAtha kho, assalāyana, sattannaṁ brāhmaṇisīnaṁ etadahosi:\n‘ko nāyaṁ gāmaṇḍalarūpo viya sattannaṁ brāhmaṇisīnaṁ patthaṇḍile caṅkamamāno evamāha:\n“handa ko nu kho ime bhavanto brāhmaṇisayo gatā;\nhanda ko nu kho ime bhavanto brāhmaṇisayo gatāti?\nHanda naṁ abhisapāmā”’ti.\nAtha kho, assalāyana, satta brāhmaṇisayo asitaṁ devalaṁ isiṁ abhisapiṁsu:\n‘bhasmā, vasala, hohi;\nbhasmā, vasala, hohī’ti.\nYathā yathā kho, assalāyana, satta brāhmaṇisayo asitaṁ devalaṁ isiṁ abhisapiṁsu tathā tathā asito devalo isi abhirūpataro ceva hoti dassanīyataro ca pāsādikataro ca.\nAtha kho, assalāyana, sattannaṁ brāhmaṇisīnaṁ etadahosi:\n‘moghaṁ vata no tapo, aphalaṁ brahmacariyaṁ.\nMayañhi pubbe yaṁ abhisapāma—\nbhasmā, vasala, hohi;\nbhasmā, vasala, hohīti bhasmāva bhavati ekacco.\nImaṁ pana mayaṁ yathā yathā abhisapāma tathā tathā abhirūpataro ceva hoti dassanīyataro ca pāsādikataro cā’ti.\n‘Na bhavantānaṁ moghaṁ tapo, nāphalaṁ brahmacariyaṁ.\nIṅgha bhavanto, yo mayi manopadoso taṁ pajahathā’ti.\n‘Yo bhavati manopadoso taṁ pajahāma.\nKo nu bhavaṁ hotī’ti?\n‘Suto nu bhavataṁ—\nasito devalo isī’ti?\n‘Evaṁ, bho’.\n‘So khvāhaṁ, bho, homī’ti.\nAtha kho, assalāyana, satta brāhmaṇisayo asitaṁ devalaṁ isiṁ abhivādetuṁ upakkamiṁsu.\nAtha kho, assalāyana, asito devalo isi satta brāhmaṇisayo etadavoca:\n‘sutaṁ metaṁ, bho, sattannaṁ kira brāhmaṇisīnaṁ araññāyatane paṇṇakuṭīsu sammantānaṁ evarūpaṁ pāpakaṁ diṭṭhigataṁ uppannaṁ—\nbrāhmaṇova seṭṭho vaṇṇo, hīno añño vaṇṇo;\nbrāhmaṇova sukko vaṇṇo, kaṇho añño vaṇṇo;\nbrāhmaṇāva sujjhanti, no abrāhmaṇā;\nbrāhmaṇāva brahmuno puttā orasā mukhato jātā brahmajā brahmanimmitā brahmadāyādā’ti.\n‘Evaṁ, bho’.\n‘Jānanti pana bhonto—\nyā janikā mātā brāhmaṇaṁyeva agamāsi, no abrāhmaṇan’ti?\n‘No hidaṁ, bho’.\n‘Jānanti pana bhonto—\nyā janikāmātu mātā yāva sattamā mātumātāmahayugā brāhmaṇaṁyeva agamāsi, no abrāhmaṇan’ti?\n‘No hidaṁ, bho’.\n‘Jānanti pana bhonto—\nyo janako pitā brāhmaṇiṁyeva agamāsi, no abrāhmaṇin’ti?\n‘No hidaṁ, bho’.\n‘Jānanti pana bhonto—\nyo janakapitu pitā yāva sattamā pitupitāmahayugā brāhmaṇiṁyeva agamāsi, no abrāhmaṇin’ti?\n‘No hidaṁ, bho’.\n‘Jānanti pana bhonto—\nyathā gabbhassa avakkanti hotī’ti?\n‘Jānāma mayaṁ, bho—\nyathā gabbhassa avakkanti hoti.\nIdha mātāpitaro ca sannipatitā honti, mātā ca utunī hoti, gandhabbo ca paccupaṭṭhito hoti; evaṁ tiṇṇaṁ sannipātā gabbhassa avakkanti hotī’ti.\n‘Jānanti pana bhonto—\ntaggha, so gandhabbo khattiyo vā brāhmaṇo vā vesso vā suddo vā’ti?\n‘Na mayaṁ, bho, jānāma—\ntaggha so gandhabbo khattiyo vā brāhmaṇo vā vesso vā suddo vā’ti.\n‘Evaṁ sante, bho, jānātha—\nke tumhe hothā’ti?\n‘Evaṁ sante, bho, na mayaṁ jānāma—\nke mayaṁ homā’ti.\nTe hi nāma, assalāyana, satta brāhmaṇisayo asitena devalena isinā sake jātivāde samanuyuñjīyamānā samanuggāhīyamānā samanubhāsīyamānā na sampāyissanti;\nkiṁ pana tvaṁ etarahi mayā sakasmiṁ jātivāde samanuyuñjīyamāno samanuggāhīyamāno samanubhāsīyamāno sampāyissasi, yesaṁ tvaṁ sācariyako na puṇṇo dabbigāho”ti.","en":"Knowing this, the Buddha said to him:\n“Once upon a time, Assalāyana, seven brahmin seers settled in leaf huts in a wilderness region. They had the following harmful misconception:\n‘Only brahmins are the best class; other classes are inferior.\nOnly brahmins are the light class; other classes are dark. Only brahmins are purified, not others.\nOnly brahmins are the Divinity’s bosom sons, born from his mouth, born of the Divinity, created by the Divinity, heirs of the Divinity.’\nThe seer Devala the Dark heard about this.\nSo he did up his hair and beard, dressed in magenta robes, put on his lined sandals, grasped a golden staff, and appeared in the courtyard of the seven brahmin seers.\nThen he wandered about the yard saying,\n‘Where, oh where have those brahmin seers gone?\nWhere, oh where have those brahmin seers gone?’\nThen those brahmin seers said,\n‘Who’s this wandering about our courtyard like a village lout?\nLet’s curse him!’\nSo they cursed Devala the Dark,\n‘Be ashes, lowlife!\nBe ashes, lowlife!’\nBut the more the seers cursed him, the more attractive, good-looking, and lovely Devala the Dark became.\nThen those brahmin seers said,\n‘Our fervor is in vain! Our spiritual path is fruitless!\nFor when we used to curse someone\nto become ashes,\nashes they became.\nBut the more we curse this one, the more attractive, good-looking, and lovely he becomes.’\n‘Worthy sirs, your fervor is not in vain; your spiritual path is not fruitless.\nPlease let go of your malevolence toward me.’\n‘We let go of our malevolence toward you.\nBut who are you, worthy sir?’\n‘Have you heard of\nthe seer Devala the Dark?’\n‘Yes, worthy sir.’\n‘I am he, worthy sir.’\nThen they approached Devala and bowed to him.\nDevala said to them,\n‘I heard that when the seven brahmin seers had settled in leaf huts in a wilderness region, they had the following harmful misconception:\n“Only brahmins are the best class; other classes are inferior.\nOnly brahmins are the light class; other classes are dark.\nOnly brahmins are purified, not others.\nOnly brahmins are the Divinity’s bosom sons, born from his mouth, born of the Divinity, created by the Divinity, heirs of the Divinity.”’\n‘That’s right, worthy sir.’\n‘But do you know\nwhether your birth mother only had relations with a brahmin and not with a non-brahmin?’\n‘We don’t know that.’\n‘But do you know\nwhether your birth mother’s mothers back to the seventh generation only had relations with brahmins and not with non-brahmins?’\n‘We don’t know that.’\n‘But do you know\nwhether your birth father only had relations with a brahmin woman and not with a non-brahmin?’\n‘We don’t know that.’\n‘But do you know\nwhether your birth father’s fathers back to the seventh generation only had relations with brahmins and not with non-brahmins?’\n‘We don’t know that.’\n‘But do you know\nhow an embryo is conceived?’\n‘We do know that, worthy sir.\nAn embryo is conceived when these three things come together—the mother and father come together, the mother is in the fertile phase of her menstrual cycle, and the virile spirit is ready.’\n‘But do you know\nfor sure whether that virile spirit is an aristocrat, a brahmin, a peasant, or a menial?’\n‘We don’t know that.’\n‘In that case, worthy sir, don’t you know\nwhat you are?’\n‘In that case, worthy sir, we don’t know\nwhat we are.’\nGiven that even those seven brahmin seers could not prevail when pursued, pressed, and grilled by the seer Devala on their own genealogy,\nhow could you prevail now being grilled by me on your own genealogy when you and your denomination do not so much as pick up the last spoonful?”"}},{"id":"mn93:19","sourceIds":["mn93:19.1","mn93:19.2","mn93:19.3","mn93:19.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Evaṁ vutte, assalāyano māṇavo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:\n“abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe…\nupāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.\nAssalāyanasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ tatiyaṁ.","en":"When he had spoken, Assalāyana said to him,\n“Excellent, worthy Gotama! …\nFrom this day forth, may the worthy Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”"}}]}],"sourceRevision":"afdafa92450cfe7573b280da50382888323666d2","sourceUrl":"https://suttacentral.net/mn93/en/sujato","licence":"CC0 1.0","licenceUrl":"https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/","editionNote":"Full supplied source file; inherited abbreviations are preserved. Not a reconstructed expansion of every repetition. No Malay or Mandarin translation is implied."}