2.
The Discourse on the Brahmin Doṇa
192.
Then the brahmin Doṇa approached the Blessed One;
having approached, he exchanged friendly greetings with the Blessed One.
Having concluded the pleasant and memorable talk, he sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, the brahmin Doṇa said this to the Blessed One -
"I have heard this, Master Gotama - 'The ascetic Gotama does not pay respect to brahmins who are old, aged, elderly, who have traversed the span of life, who have reached advanced years, or rise up for them or invite them with a seat.' This, Master Gotama, is indeed so. For indeed the Venerable Gotama does not pay respect to brahmins who are old, aged, elderly, who have traversed the span of life, who have reached advanced years, or rise up for them or invite them with a seat. This, Master Gotama, is not proper." "Do you too, Doṇa, claim to be a brahmin?" "If anyone, Master Gotama, speaking rightly would say - 'A brahmin well-born on both sides - on his mother's side and on his father's side, of pure descent up to the seventh generation of ancestors, unassailed and irreproachable with respect to birth; a reciter, a bearer of the sacred texts, who has mastered the three Vedas together with their vocabularies and rituals, phonology and etymology, and the histories as a fifth, learned in verse, a grammarian, fully versed in worldly knowledge and the marks of a great man' - it is of me indeed, Master Gotama, that one speaking rightly would say this. For I, Master Gotama, am a brahmin well-born on both sides - on his mother's side and on his father's side, of pure descent up to the seventh generation of ancestors, unassailed and irreproachable with respect to birth; a reciter, a bearer of the sacred texts, who has mastered the three Vedas together with their vocabularies and rituals, phonology and etymology, and the histories as a fifth, learned in verse, a grammarian, fully versed in worldly knowledge and the marks of a great man."
"Those, Doṇa, who were the ancient sages of the brahmins, the makers of the sacred hymns, the transmitters of the sacred hymns, whose ancient hymn passages are now sung, recited, and collected by the brahmins of today, who sing along with them, recite along with them, repeat what was spoken, recite what was recited, teach what was taught, as follows - Aṭṭhaka, Vāmaka, Vāmadeva, Vessāmitta, Yamadaggi, Aṅgīrasa, Bhāradvāja, Vāseṭṭha, Kassapa, Bhagu; they declared these five types of brahmins - one equal to Brahmā, one equal to a god, one who keeps the boundaries, one who has broken the boundaries, and a brahmin outcast as the fifth. Which of them are you, Doṇa?"
"We do not know, Master Gotama, these five types of brahmins; we only know ourselves as brahmins. It would be good if Master Gotama would expound to me the Teaching in such a way that I might know these five types of brahmins." "Well then, brahmin, listen, pay close attention; I will speak." "Yes, sir," the brahmin Doṇa assented to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this:
"And how, Doṇa, is a brahmin equal to Brahmā? Here, Doṇa, a brahmin is well-born on both sides - on his mother's side and on his father's side, of pure descent up to the seventh generation of ancestors, unassailed and irreproachable with respect to birth. He practises the holy life of a student for forty-eight years, studying the sacred hymns. Having practised the holy life of a student for forty-eight years, having studied the sacred hymns, he seeks a teacher's fee for his teacher by the Teaching alone, not by what is not the Teaching.
"And there, Doṇa, what is the rule? Not by farming, not by trade, not by cattle-herding, not by archery, not by government service, not by some other craft, but only by going about for alms, not despising the bowl. He, having handed over the teacher's fee to the teacher, having shaved off his hair and beard, having put on ochre robes, goes forth from home into homelessness. He, having thus gone forth, dwells having pervaded one direction with a mind accompanied by friendliness, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth. Thus above, below, across, everywhere, and in every respect, he dwells having pervaded the entire world with a mind accompanied by friendliness, extensive, exalted, limitless, without enmity, without ill-will. Compassion, etc. altruistic joy... He dwells having pervaded one direction with a mind accompanied by equanimity, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth. Thus above, below, across, everywhere, and in every respect, he dwells having pervaded the entire world with a mind accompanied by equanimity, extensive, exalted, limitless, without enmity, without ill-will. He, having developed these four divine abidings, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in a fortunate realm, in the Brahma world. Thus indeed, Doṇa, a brahmin is equal to Brahmā.
"And how, Doṇa, is a brahmin equal to a god? Here, Doṇa, a brahmin is well-born on both sides - on his mother's side and on his father's side, of pure descent up to the seventh generation of ancestors, unassailed and irreproachable with respect to birth. He practises the holy life of a student for forty-eight years, studying the sacred hymns. Having practised the holy life of a student for forty-eight years, having studied the sacred hymns, he seeks a teacher's fee for his teacher by the Teaching alone, not by what is not the Teaching. And there, Doṇa, what is the rule? Not by farming, not by trade, not by cattle-herding, not by archery, not by government service, not by some other craft, but only by going about for alms, not despising the bowl. He, having handed over the teacher's fee to the teacher, seeks a wife by the rule alone, not by what is not the rule.
"And there, Doṇa, what is the rule? Not by buying, not by selling, but only a brahmin woman given with water. He goes only to a brahmin woman, he does not go to a warrior woman, not to a merchant woman, not to a worker woman, not to an outcaste woman, not to a hunter woman, not to a basket-weaver woman, not to a chariot-maker woman, not to a refuse-scavenger woman; he does not go to a pregnant woman, he does not go to one who is nursing, he does not go to one who is out of fertile season. And why, Doṇa, does a brahmin not go to a pregnant woman? If, Doṇa, a brahmin goes to a pregnant woman, that young man or young woman is called one born in excrement. Therefore, Doṇa, a brahmin does not go to a pregnant woman. And why, Doṇa, does a brahmin not go to one who is nursing? If, Doṇa, a brahmin goes to one who is nursing, that young man or young woman is called one oppressed by impurity. Therefore, Doṇa, a brahmin does not go to one who is nursing. For him that brahmin woman is not for the purpose of sensual pleasure, not for the purpose of sport, not for the purpose of delight; the brahmin woman is for the brahmin only for the purpose of offspring. He, having produced offspring, having shaved off his hair and beard, having put on ochre robes, goes forth from home into homelessness. He, having thus gone forth, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, etc. he enters and dwells in the fourth meditative absorption. He, having developed these four meditative absorptions, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world. Thus indeed, Doṇa, a brahmin is equal to a god.
"And how, Doṇa, is a brahmin one who keeps within the boundary? Here, Doṇa, a brahmin is well-born on both sides - on his mother's side and on his father's side, of pure descent up to the seventh generation of ancestors, unassailed and irreproachable with respect to birth. He practises the holy life of a student for forty-eight years, studying the sacred hymns. Having practised the holy life of a student for forty-eight years, having studied the sacred hymns, he seeks a teacher's fee for his teacher by the Teaching alone, not by what is not the Teaching. And there, Doṇa, what is the rule? Not by farming, not by trade, not by cattle-herding, not by archery, not by government service, not by some other craft, but only by going about for alms, not despising the bowl. He, having handed over the teacher's fee to the teacher, seeks a wife by the rule alone, not by what is not the rule.
"And there, Doṇa, what is the rule? Not by buying, not by selling, but only a brahmin woman given with water. He goes only to a brahmin woman, he does not go to a warrior woman, not to a merchant woman, not to a worker woman, not to an outcaste woman, not to a hunter woman, not to a basket-weaver woman, not to a chariot-maker woman, not to a refuse-scavenger woman; he does not go to a pregnant woman, he does not go to one who is nursing, he does not go to one who is out of fertile season. And why, Doṇa, does a brahmin not go to a pregnant woman? If, Doṇa, a brahmin goes to a pregnant woman, that young man or young woman is called one born in excrement. Therefore, Doṇa, a brahmin does not go to a pregnant woman. And why, Doṇa, does a brahmin not go to one who is nursing? If, Doṇa, a brahmin goes to one who is nursing, that young man or young woman is called one oppressed by impurity. Therefore, Doṇa, a brahmin does not go to one who is nursing. For him that brahmin woman is not for the purpose of sensual pleasure, not for the purpose of sport, not for the purpose of delight; the brahmin woman is for the brahmin only for the purpose of offspring. He, having produced sexual intercourse, desiring that very enjoyment of a son, dwells in the household; he does not go forth from home into homelessness. He remains within the boundary of the ancient brahmins; he does not transgress it. 'The brahmin, remaining within the boundary of the ancient brahmins, does not transgress it' - therefore, Doṇa, a brahmin is called one who keeps within the boundary. Thus indeed, Doṇa, a brahmin is one who keeps within the boundary.
"And how, Doṇa, is a brahmin one who has broken the boundary? Here, Doṇa, a brahmin is well-born on both sides - on his mother's side and on his father's side, of pure descent up to the seventh generation of ancestors, unassailed and irreproachable with respect to birth. He practises the holy life of a student for forty-eight years, studying the sacred hymns. Having practised the holy life of a student for forty-eight years, having studied the sacred hymns, he seeks a teacher's fee for his teacher by the Teaching alone, not by what is not the Teaching.
"And there, Doṇa, what is the rule? Not by farming, not by trade, not by cattle-herding, not by archery, not by government service, not by some other craft, but only by going about for alms, not despising the bowl. He, having handed over the teacher's fee to his teacher, seeks a wife both by the rule and by what is not the rule, both by purchase and by sale, and also a brahmin woman given with water. He goes to a brahmin woman and also goes to a warrior woman and also goes to a merchant woman and also goes to a worker woman and also goes to an outcaste woman and also goes to a hunter's woman and also goes to a basket-maker's woman and also goes to a chariot-maker's woman and also goes to a refuse-scavenger's woman and also goes to a pregnant woman and also goes to a nursing woman and also goes to a woman in fertile season and also goes to a woman out of fertile season. His brahmin wife is for the purpose of sensual pleasure and also for the purpose of sport and also for the purpose of delight and also for the purpose of offspring; the brahmin's brahmin wife is such. He does not remain within the boundary of the ancient brahmins; he transgresses it. 'The brahmin, not remaining within the boundary of the ancient brahmins, transgresses it' - therefore, Doṇa, a brahmin is called one who has broken the boundary. Thus indeed, Doṇa, a brahmin is one who has broken the boundary.
"And how, Doṇa, is a brahmin a brahmin-outcast? Here, Doṇa, a brahmin is well-born on both sides - on his mother's side and on his father's side, of pure descent up to the seventh generation of ancestors, unassailed and irreproachable with respect to birth. He practises the holy life of a student for forty-eight years, studying the sacred hymns. Having practised the holy life of a student for forty-eight years, having studied the sacred hymns, he seeks a teacher's fee for his teacher either righteously or unrighteously, either by ploughing or by trade or by cattle-keeping or by archery or by government service or by some other craft, or even by the practice of going for alms, not despising the bowl.
"Having given the teacher's fee to his teacher, he seeks a wife either righteously or unrighteously, either by purchase or by sale, even a brahmin woman given with water. He goes to a brahmin woman and also goes to a warrior woman and also goes to a merchant woman and also goes to a worker woman and also goes to an outcaste woman and also goes to a hunter's woman and also goes to a basket-maker's woman and also goes to a chariot-maker's woman and also goes to a refuse-scavenger's woman and also goes to a pregnant woman and also goes to a nursing woman and also goes to a woman in fertile season and also goes to a woman out of fertile season. His brahmin wife is for the purpose of sensual pleasure and also for the purpose of sport and also for the purpose of delight and also for the purpose of offspring; the brahmin's brahmin wife is such. He earns his living by all kinds of work. The brahmins say this to him - 'Why does the venerable one, claiming to be a brahmin, earn his living by all kinds of work?' He speaks thus: 'Just as, my dear, fire burns what is pure and burns what is impure, yet fire is not defiled by that; so too, my dear, even if a brahmin earns his living by all kinds of work, the brahmin is not defiled by that.' 'He earns his living by all kinds of work' - therefore, Doṇa, a brahmin is called a brahmin-outcast. Thus, Doṇa, a brahmin is a brahmin-outcast.
"Those, Doṇa, who were the ancient sages of the brahmins, the makers of the sacred hymns, the transmitters of the sacred hymns, whose ancient hymn passages are now sung, recited, and collected by the brahmins of today, who sing along with them, recite along with them, repeat what was spoken, recite what was recited, teach what was taught, as follows - Aṭṭhaka, Vāmaka, Vāmadeva, Vessāmitta, Yamadaggi, Aṅgīrasa, Bhāradvāja, Vāseṭṭha, Kassapa, Bhagu; they declare these five kinds of brahmins - one equal to Brahmā, one equal to a god, one who keeps the boundaries, one who has broken the boundaries, and a brahmin outcast as the fifth. Which of them are you, Doṇa?"
"This being so, Master Gotama, we do not even fulfil the brahmin-outcast. Excellent, Master Gotama! Etc. May Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge from this day forth for life." The second.