Aṅguttara Nikāya 10.167

Numbered Discourses 10.167

17. Jāṇussoṇivagga

17. With Jāṇussoṇī

Brāhmaṇapaccorohaṇīsutta

The Brahmin Ceremony of Descent

Tena kho pana samayena jāṇussoṇi brāhmaṇo tadahuposathe sīsaṁnhāto navaṁ khomayugaṁ nivattho allakusamuṭṭhiṁ ādāya bhagavato avidūre ekamantaṁ ṭhito hoti.

Now, at that time it was the Uposatha day. The brahmin Jānussoṇi had bathed his head and dressed in a new pair of linen robes. Holding a handful of fresh grass, he stood to one side not far from the Buddha.

Addasā kho bhagavā jāṇussoṇiṁ brāhmaṇaṁ tadahuposathe sīsaṁnhātaṁ navaṁ khomayugaṁ nivatthaṁ allakusamuṭṭhiṁ ādāya ekamantaṁ ṭhitaṁ. Disvāna jāṇussoṇiṁ brāhmaṇaṁ etadavoca: “kiṁ nu tvaṁ, brāhmaṇa, tadahuposathe sīsaṁnhāto navaṁ khomayugaṁ nivattho allakusamuṭṭhiṁ ādāya ekamantaṁ ṭhito? Kiṁ nvajja brāhmaṇakulassā”ti?

The Buddha saw him, and said, “Brahmin, why have you bathed your head and dressed in a new pair of linen robes? Why are you standing to one side holding a handful of fresh grass? What’s going on today with the brahmin clan?”

“Paccorohaṇī, bho gotama, ajja brāhmaṇakulassā”ti.

“Master Gotama, today is the ceremony of descent for the brahmin clan.”

“Yathā kathaṁ pana, brāhmaṇa, brāhmaṇānaṁ paccorohaṇī hotī”ti?

“But how do the brahmins observe the ceremony of descent?”

“Idha, bho gotama, brāhmaṇā tadahuposathe sīsaṁnhātā navaṁ khomayugaṁ nivatthā allena gomayena pathaviṁ opuñjitvā haritehi kusehi pattharitvā antarā ca velaṁ antarā ca agyāgāraṁ seyyaṁ kappenti. Te taṁ rattiṁ tikkhattuṁ paccuṭṭhāya pañjalikā aggiṁ namassanti: ‘paccorohāma bhavantaṁ, paccorohāma bhavantan’ti. Bahukena ca sappitelanavanītena aggiṁ santappenti. Tassā ca rattiyā accayena paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena brāhmaṇe santappenti. Evaṁ, bho gotama, brāhmaṇānaṁ paccorohaṇī hotī”ti.

“Well, Master Gotama, on the Uposatha day the brahmins bathe their heads and dress in a new pair of linen robes. They make a heap of fresh cow dung and spread it with green grass. Then they make their beds between the boundary and the fire chamber. That night they rise three times and worship the fire with joined palms: ‘We descend, lord! We descend, lord!’ And they serve the fire with abundant ghee, oil, and butter. And when the night has passed they serve the brahmins with delicious fresh and cooked foods. That’s how the brahmins observe the ceremony of descent.”

“Aññathā kho, brāhmaṇa, brāhmaṇānaṁ paccorohaṇī hoti, aññathā ca pana ariyassa vinaye paccorohaṇī hotī”ti.

“The ceremony of descent observed by the brahmins is quite different from that observed in the training of the Noble One.”

“Yathā kathaṁ pana, bho gotama, ariyassa vinaye paccorohaṇī hoti? Sādhu me bhavaṁ gotamo tathā dhammaṁ desetu yathā ariyassa vinaye paccorohaṇī hotī”ti.

“But Master Gotama, how is the ceremony of descent observed in the training of the Noble One? Master Gotama, please teach me this.”

“Tena hi, brāhmaṇa, suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi; bhāsissāmī”ti.

“Well then, brahmin, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

“Evaṁ, bho”ti kho jāṇussoṇi brāhmaṇo bhagavato paccassosi. Bhagavā etadavoca:

“Yes sir,” Jānussoṇi replied. The Buddha said this:

“Idha, brāhmaṇa, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘pāṇātipātassa kho pāpako vipāko diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāyañcā’ti. So iti paṭisaṅkhāya pāṇātipātaṁ pajahati; pāṇātipātā paccorohati.

“It’s when a noble disciple reflects: ‘Killing living creatures has a bad result in the present life and in lives to come.’ Reflecting like this, they give up killing living creatures, they descend from killing living creatures.

… ‘Adinnādānassa kho pāpako vipāko—diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāyañcā’ti. So iti paṭisaṅkhāya adinnādānaṁ pajahati; adinnādānā paccorohati.

… ‘Stealing has a bad result in the present life and in lives to come.’ Reflecting like this, they give up stealing, they descend from stealing.

… ‘Kāmesumicchācārassa kho pāpako vipāko—diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāyañcā’ti. So iti paṭisaṅkhāya kāmesumicchācāraṁ pajahati; kāmesumicchācārā paccorohati.

… ‘Sexual misconduct has a bad result in the present life and in lives to come.’ Reflecting like this, they give up sexual misconduct, they descend from sexual misconduct.

… ‘Musāvādassa kho pāpako vipāko—diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāyañcā’ti. So iti paṭisaṅkhāya musāvādaṁ pajahati; musāvādā paccorohati.

… ‘Lying has a bad result in the present life and in lives to come.’ Reflecting like this, they give up lying, they descend from lying.

… ‘Pisuṇāya vācāya kho pāpako vipāko—diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāyañcā’ti. So iti paṭisaṅkhāya pisuṇaṁ vācaṁ pajahati; pisuṇāya vācāya paccorohati.

… ‘Divisive speech has a bad result in the present life and in lives to come.’ Reflecting like this, they give up divisive speech, they descend from divisive speech.

… ‘Pharusāya vācāya kho pāpako vipāko—diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāyañcā’ti. So iti paṭisaṅkhāya pharusaṁ vācaṁ pajahati; pharusāya vācāya paccorohati.

… ‘Harsh speech has a bad result in the present life and in lives to come.’ Reflecting like this, they give up harsh speech, they descend from harsh speech.

… ‘Samphappalāpassa kho pāpako vipāko—diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāyañcā’ti. So iti paṭisaṅkhāya samphappalāpaṁ pajahati; samphappalāpā paccorohati.

… ‘Talking nonsense has a bad result in the present life and in lives to come.’ Reflecting like this, they give up talking nonsense, they descend from talking nonsense.

… ‘Abhijjhāya kho pāpako vipāko—diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāyañcā’ti. So iti paṭisaṅkhāya abhijjhaṁ pajahati; abhijjhāya paccorohati.

… ‘Covetousness has a bad result in the present life and in lives to come.’ Reflecting like this, they give up covetousness, they descend from covetousness.

… ‘Byāpādassa kho pāpako vipāko—diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāyañcā’ti. So iti paṭisaṅkhāya byāpādaṁ pajahati; byāpādā paccorohati.

… ‘Ill will has a bad result in the present life and in lives to come.’ Reflecting like this, they give up ill will, they descend from ill will.

… ‘Micchādiṭṭhiyā kho pāpako vipāko—diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāyañcā’ti. So iti paṭisaṅkhāya micchādiṭṭhiṁ pajahati; micchādiṭṭhiyā paccorohati. Evaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, ariyassa vinaye paccorohaṇī hotī”ti.

‘Wrong view has a bad result in the present life and in lives to come.’ Reflecting like this, they give up wrong view, they descend from wrong view. This is the ceremony of descent in the training of the Noble One.”

“Aññathā kho, bho gotama, brāhmaṇānaṁ paccorohaṇī hoti, aññathā ca pana ariyassa vinaye paccorohaṇī hoti. Imissā, bho gotama, ariyassa vinaye paccorohaṇiyā brāhmaṇānaṁ paccorohaṇī kalaṁ nāgghati soḷasiṁ. Abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe… upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.

“The ceremony of descent observed by the brahmins is quite different from that observed in the training of the Noble One. And, Master Gotama, the ceremony of descent observed by the brahmins is not worth a sixteenth part of the ceremony of descent observed in the training of the Noble One. Excellent, Master Gotama, excellent! … From this day forth, may Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”

Paṭhamaṁ.