‘Let the venerable Gotama accept my food tomorrow, together with the assembly of Bhikkhus.’

This having been said, Bhagavat answered Keṇiya, the Jaṭila: ‘Large, O Keṇiya, is the assembly of Bhikkhus, one thousand two hundred and fifty Bhikkhus, and thou art intimate with the Brāmaṇas.’

A second time Keṇiya, the Jaṭila, said this to Bhagavat: ‘Although, O venerable Gotama, the assembly of Bhikkhus is large, one thousand two hundred and fifty Bhikkhus, and I am intimate with the Brāmaṇas, let the venerable Gotama accept my food to-morrow, together with the assembly of Bhikkhus.’

A second time Bhagavat said this to Keṇiya, the Jaṭila: ‘Large, O Keṇiya, is the assembly of Bhikkhus, one thousand two hundred and fifty Bhikkhus, and thou art intimate with the Brāmaṇas.’

A third time Keṇiya, the Jaṭila, said this to Bhagavat: ‘Although, O venerable Gotama, the assembly of Bhikkhus is large, one thousand two hundred and fifty Bhikkhus, and I am intimate with the Brāhmaṇas, yet let the venerable Gotama accept my food to-morrow, together with the assembly of Bhikkhus.’ Bhagavat assented by being silent.

Then Keṇiya, the Jaṭila, having learnt the assent of Bhagavat, after rising from his seat went to his hermitage, and having gone there he addressed his friends and servants, his relatives and kinsmen (as follows): ‘Let my venerable friends and servants, relatives and kinsmen hear me;—the Samaṇa Gotama has been invited by me to (take his) food (with me) to-morrow, together with the assembly of Bhikkhus; wherefore you must render me bodily service.’

‘Surely, O venerable one,’ so saying the friends and servants, relatives and kinsmen of Keṇiya, the Jaṭila, complying with his request, some of them dug fireplaces, some chopped firewood, some washed the vessels, some placed waterpots, some prepared seats. Keṇiya, the Jaṭila, on the other hand, himself provided a circular pavilion.

At that time the Brāmaṇa Sela lived at Āpaṇa, perfect in the three Vedas, vocabulary, Keṭubha, etymology, Itihāsa as the fifth (Veda), versed in metre, a grammarian, one not deficient in popular controversy and the signs of a great man, he taught three hundred young men the hymns. At that time Keṇiya, the Jaṭila, was intimate with the Brāhmaṇa Sela. Then the Brāmaṇa Sela surrounded by three hundred young men, walking on foot, arrived at the place where the hermitage of Keṇiya, the Jaṭila, was. And the Brāmaṇa Sela saw the Jaṭilas in Keṇiya’s hermitage, some of them digging fireplaces, some chopping firewood, some washing the vessels, some placing waterpots, some preparing seats, and Keṇiya, the Jaṭila, on the other hand, himself providing a circular pavilion; seeing Keṇiya, the Jaṭila, he said this: ‘Is the venerable Keṇiya to celebrate the marriage of a son or the marriage of a daughter, or is there a great sacrifice at hand, or has Bimbisāra, the king of Magadha, who has a large body of troops, been invited for to-morrow, together with his army?’

‘I am not to celebrate the marriage of a son or the marriage of a daughter, nor has Bimbisāra, the king of Magadha, who has a large body of troops, been invited for to-morrow, together with his army, yet a great sacrifice of mine is at hand. The Samaṇa Gotama, the Sakya son, gone out from the Sakya family, wandering about in Anguttarāpa with a large assembly of Bhikkhus, one thousand two hundred and fifty Bhikkhus, has reached Āpaṇa, and the following good praising words met the venerable Gotama: “And so he is Bhagavat, the venerable, the perfectly enlightened, endowed with science and works (vijjācaraṇa), the happy, knowing the world, the incomparable, the charioteer of men that are to be subdued, the master, the enlightened of gods and men, the glorious, he has been invited by me for to-morrow, together with the assembly of Bhikkhus.”’

‘Didst thou say that he is a Buddha, O venerable Keṇiya?’

‘Yes, I say, O venerable Sela, that he is a Buddha.’

‘Didst thou say that he is a Buddha, O venerable Keṇiya? ,

‘Yes, I say, O venerable Sela, that he is a Buddha.’

Then this occurred to the Brāhmaṇa Sela: ‘This sound “Buddha” is (indeed) rare, but in our hymns are to be found the thirty-two signs of a great man, and for a great man endowed with these there are two conditions, and no more: if he lives in a house he is a king, a universal (king), a just religious king, a lord of the four-cornered (earth), a conqueror, one who has obtained the security of his people (and) is possessed of the seven gems. These are his seven gems, namely, the wheel gem, the elephant gem, the horse gem, the pearl gem, the woman gem, the householder gem, and the chief gem as the seventh. He has more than a thousand sons, heroes, possessing great bodily strength and crushing foreign armies; he having conquered this ocean-girt earth without a rod and without a weapon, but by justice, lives (in a house). But if, on the other hand, he goes out from (his) house to the houseless state, he becomes a saint, a perfectly enlightened, one who has removed the veil in the world. And where, O venerable Keṇiya, dwells now that venerable Gotama, the saint and the perfectly enlightened?’

This having been said, Keṇiya, the Jaṭila, stretching out his right arm, spoke as follows to the Brāmaṇa Sela: ‘There, where yon blue forest line is, O venerable Sela.’

Then the Brāmaṇa Sela together with (his) three hundred young men went to the place where Bhagavat was. Then the Brāmaṇa Sela addressed those young men: ‘Come ye, venerable ones, with but little noise, walking step by step, for Bhagavats are difficult of access, walking alone like lions, and when I speak to the venerable Samaṇa Gotama, do ye not utter interrupting words, but wait ye venerable ones, for the end of my speech.’

Then the Brāmaṇa Sela went to the place where Bhagavat was, and having gone there he talked pleasantly with Bhagavat, and after having had some pleasant and remarkable conversation with him he sat down apart, and while sitting down apart Sela, the Brāhmaṇa, looked for the thirty-two signs of a great man on the body of Bhagavat. And the Brāmaṇa Sela saw the thirty-two signs of a great man on the body of Bhagavat with the exception of two; in respect to two of the signs of a great man he had doubts, he hesitated, he was not satisfied, he was not assured as to the member being enclosed in a membrane and as to his having a large tongue.

Then this occurred to Bhagavat: ‘This Brāmaṇa Sela sees in me the thirty-two signs of a great man with the exception of two, in respect to two of the signs of a great man he has doubts, he hesitates, he is not satisfied, he is not assured as to the member being enclosed in a membrane, and as to my having a large tongue.’ Then Bhagavat created such a miraculous creature that the Brāmaṇa Sela might see Bhagavat’s member enclosed in a membrane. Then Bhagavat having put out his tongue touched and stroked both his ears, touched and stroked both nostrils, and the whole circumference of his forehead he covered with his tongue.

Then this occurred to the Brāhmaṇa Sela: ‘The Samaṇa Gotama is endowed with the thirty-two signs of a great man, with them all, not with (only) some of them, and yet I do not know whether he is a Buddha or not; I have heard old and aged Brāhmaṇas, teachers and their previous teachers, say that those who are saints and perfectly enlightened manifest themselves when their praise is uttered. I think I shall praise the Samaṇa Gotama face to face in suitable stanzas.’ Then the Brāmaṇa Sela praised Bhagavat face to face in suitable stanzas:

‘Thou hast a perfect body, thou art resplendent, well-born, of beautiful aspect, thou hast a golden colour, O Bhagavat, thou hast very white teeth, thou art strong.

‘All the signs that are for a well-born man, they are on thy body, the signs of a great man.

‘Thou hast a bright eye, a handsome countenance, thou art great, straight, majestic, thou shinest like a sun in the midst of the assembly of the Samaṇas.

‘Thou art a Bhikkhu of a lovely appearance, thou hast a skin like gold; what is the use of being a Samaṇa to thee who art possessed of the highest beauty?

‘Thou deservest to be a king, a king of universal kings, a ruler of the four-cornered (earth), a conqueror, a lord of the jambu grove (i.e. India).

‘Khattiyas and wealthy kings are devoted to thee; rule, O Gotama, as a king of kings, a leader of men.’

‘I am a king, O Sela,’—so said Bhagavat,—’an incomparable, religious king (dhammarājan), with justice (dhammena) I turn the wheel, a wheel that is irresistible.’

‘Thou acknowledgest thyself (to be) perfectly enlightened (sambuddha),’—so said Sela, the Brāhmana,—’an incomparable, religious king; “with justice I turn the wheel,” so thou sayest, O Gotama.

‘Who is thy general, (who is thy) disciple, (who is) the successor of the master, who is to turn after thee the wheel of religion turned (by thee)? ‘

‘The wheel turned by me, O Sela,’—so said Bhagavat,—’the incomparable wheel of religion, Sāriputta is to turn after (me), he taking after Tathāgata.

‘What is to be known is known (by me), what is to be cultivated is cultivated (by me), what is to be left is left by me, therefore I am a Buddha, O Brāmaṇa.

‘Subdue thy doubt about me, have faith (in me), O Brāmaṇa, difficult (to obtain) is the sight of Buddhas repeatedly.

‘Of those whose manifestation is difficult for you (to obtain) in the world repeatedly, I am, O Brāmaṇa, a perfectly enlightened, an incomparable physician,

‘Most eminent, matchless, a crusher of Māra’s army; having subjected all enemies I rejoice secure on every side.’

Sela: ‘O venerable ones, pay attention to this: as the clearly-seeing (Buddha) says, (so it is): he is a physician, a great hero, and roars like a lion in the forest.

‘Who, having seen him, the most eminent, the matchless, the crusher of Māra’s army, is not appeased, even if he be, of black origin (kaṇhābhijātika).

‘He who likes me, let him follow after (me), he who does not like me, let him go away; I shall at once take the orders in the presence of him of excellent understanding (i.e. Buddha).’

The followers of Sela: ‘If this doctrine of the perfectly enlightened pleases thee, we also shall take the orders in the presence of him of excellent understanding.’

These three hundred Brāmaṇas asked with clasped hands (to be admitted into the order): ‘We want to cultivate a religious life, O Bhagavat, in thy presence.’

‘A religious life is well taught (by me), O Sela,’—so said Bhagavat,—’an instantaneous, an immediate (life), in which it is not in vain to become an ascetic to one who learns in earnest.’

Then the Brāmaṇa Sela together with his assembly took the robe and the orders in the presence of Bhagavat.

Then Keṇiya, the Jaṭila, by the expiration of that night, having provided in his hermitage nice hard food and soft food, let Bhagavat know the time (of the meal): ‘It is time, O venerable Gotama, the meal is prepared.’ Then Bhagavat in the morning, having put on his raiment and taken his bowl and robes, went to the Jaṭila Keṇiya’s hermitage, and having gone there he sat down on the prepared seat, together with the assembly of Bhikkhus. Then Keṇiya, the Jaṭila, satisfied and served with his own hands the assembly of Bhikkhus, with Buddha at their head, with nice hard food and soft food. Then Keṇiya, the Jaṭila, having gone up to Bhagavat who had finished eating and had taken his hand out of the bowl, took a low seat and sat down apart, and while Keṇiya, the Jaṭila, was sitting down apart, Bhagavat delighted him with these stanzas:

‘The principal thing in sacrifice is the sacred fire, the principal thing amongst the hymns is the Sāvitti, the king is the principal amongst men, and the sea the principal amongst waters (nadīnaṃ).

‘Amongst the stars the moon is the principal thing, the sun is the principal thing amongst the burning (objects), amongst those that wish for good works and make offerings the assembly (saṃgha) indeed is the principal.’

Then Bhagavat, having delighted Keṇiya, the Jaṭila, with these stanzas, rose from (his) seat and went away.

Then the venerable Sela together with his assembly leading a solitary, retired, strenuous, ardent, energetic life, lived after having in a short time in this existence by his own understanding ascertained and possessed himself of that highest perfection of a religious life for the sake of which men of good family rightly wander away from their houses to a houseless state; ‘birth (had been) destroyed, a religious life (had been) led, what was to be done (had been) done, there was nothing else (to be done) for this existence,’ so he perceived, and the venerable Sela together with his assembly became one of the saints.

Then the venerable Sela together with his assembly went to Bhagavat, and having gone (to him) he put his upper robe on one shoulder, and bending his joined hands towards Bhagavat he addressed him in stanzas:

‘Because we took refuge in thee on the eighth day previous to this, O thou clearly-seeing, in seven nights, O Bhagavat, we have been trained in thy doctrine.

‘Thou art Buddha, thou art the Master, thou art the Muni that conquered Māra, thou hast, after cutting off the affections, crossed over (the stream of existence) and taken over these beings.

‘The elements of existence (upadhi) have been overcome by thee, the passions have been destroyed by thee, thou art a lion not seizing on anything, thou hast left behind fear and danger.

‘These three hundred Bhikkhus stand here with clasped hands; stretch out thy feet, O hero, let the Nāgas worship the Master’s feet.’

Selasutta is ended.

8.
Sallasutta.

Without a cause and unknown is the life of mortals in this world, troubled and brief, and combined with pain.

For there is not any means by which those that have been born can avoid dying; after reaching old age there is death, of such a nature are living beings.

As ripe fruits are early in danger of falling, so mortals when born are always in danger of death.

As all earthen vessels made by the potter end in being broken, so is the life of mortals.

Both young and grown-up men, both those who are fools and those who are wise men, all fall into the power of death, all are subject to death.

Of those who, overcome by death, go to the other world, a father does not save his son, nor relatives their relations.

Mark! while relatives are looking on and lamenting greatly, one by one of the mortals is carried off, like an ox that is going to be killed.

So the world is afflicted with death and decay, therefore the wise do not grieve, knowing the terms of the world.

For him, whose way thou dost not know, either when he is coming or when he is going, not seeing both ends, thou grievest in vain.

If he who grieves gains anything, (although he is only) a fool hurting himself, let the wise man do the same.

Not from weeping nor from grieving will any one obtain peace of mind; (on the contrary), the greater his pain will be, and his body will suffer.

He will be lean and pale, hurting himself by himself, (and yet) the dead are not saved, lamentation (therefore) is of no avail.

He who does not leave grief behind, goes (only) deeper into pain; bewailing the dead he falls into the power of grief.

Look at others passing away, men that go (to what they deserve) according to their deeds, beings trembling already here, after falling into the power of death.

In whatever manner people think (it will come to pass), different from that it becomes, so great is the disappointment (in this world); see, (such are) the terms of the world.

Even if a man lives a hundred years or even more, he is at last separated from the company of his relatives, and leaves life in this world.

Therefore let one, hearing (the words of) the saint, subdue his lamentation; seeing the one that has passed away and is dead, (let him say): ‘He will not be found by me (any more).’

As a house on fire is extinguished by water, so also the wise, sensible, learned, clever man rapidly drives away sorrow that has arisen, as the wind a tuft of cotton.

He who seeks his own happiness should draw out his arrow (which is) his lamentation, and complaint, and grief.

He who has drawn out the arrow and is not dependent (on anything) will obtain peace of mind; he who has overcome all sorrow will become free from sorrow, and blessed (nibbuta).

Sallasutta is ended.

9.
Vāseṭṭhasutta.

So it was heard by me:

At one time Bhagavat dwelt at Icchānaṃkala, in the Icchānaṃkala forest. At that time many distinguished, wealthy Brāmaṇas lived at Icchānaṃkala, as the Brāmaṇa Caṃkin, the Brāmaṇa Tārukkha, the Brāmaṇa Pokkharasāti, the Brāhmana Jānussoṇi, the Brāmaṇa Todeyya, and other distinguished, wealthy Brāmaṇas.

Then this dialogue arose between the young men Vāsettha and Bhāradvāja while walking about:

‘How does one become a Brāmaṇa?’

The young man Bhāradvāja said: ‘When one is noble by birth on both sides, on the mother’s and on the father’s side, of pure conception up to the seventh generation of ancestors, not discarded and not reproached in point of birth, in this way one is a Brāmaṇa.’

The young man Vāseṭṭha said: ‘When one is virtuous and endowed with (holy) works, in this way he is a Brāmaṇa.’

Neither could the young man Bhāradvāja convince the young man Vāseṭṭha, nor could the young man Vāseṭṭha convince the young man Bhāradvāja. Then the young man Vāseṭṭha addressed the young man Bhāradvāja: ‘O Bhāradvāja, this Samaṇa Gotama, the Sakya son, gone out from the Sakya family, dwells at Icchānaṃkala, in the forest of Icchānaṃkala, and the following good praising words met the venerable Gotama: “And so he is Bhagavat, the venerable, the enlightened, the glorious, let us go, O venerable Bhāradvāja, let us go (to the place) where the Samaṇa Gotama is, and having gone there let us ask the Samaṇa Gotama about this matter, and as the Samaṇa Gotama replies so will we understand it.”’

‘Very well, O venerable one;’ so the young man Bhāradvāja answered the young man Vāseṭṭha.

Then the young men Vāseṭṭha and Bhāradvāja went (to the place) where Bhagavat was, and having gone, they talked pleasantly with Bhagavat, and after having had some pleasant and remarkable conversation (with him) they sat down apart. Sitting down apart the young man Vāseṭṭha addressed Bhagavat in stanzas:

‘We are accepted and acknowledged masters of the three Vedas, I am (a pupil) of Pokkharasāti, and this young man is (the pupil) of Tārukkha.

‘We are accomplished in all the knowledge propounded by those who are acquainted with the three Vedas, we are padakas (versed in the metre), veyyākaraṇas (grammarians?), and equal to our teachers in recitation (jappa).

‘We have a controversy regarding (the distinctions of) birth, O Gotama! Bhāradvāja says, one is a Brāmaṇa by birth, and I say, by deeds; know this, O thou clearly-seeing!

‘We are both unable to convince each other, (therefore) we have come to ask thee (who art) celebrated as perfectly enlightened.

‘As people adoring the full moon worship (her) with uplifted clasped hands, so (they worship) Gotama in the world.

‘We ask Gotama who has come as an eye to the world: Is a man a Brāhmaṇa by birth, or is he so by deeds? Tell us who do not know, that we may know a Brāmaṇa.’

‘I will explain to you, O Vāseṭṭha,’—so said Bhagavat,—’in due order the exact distinction of living beings according to species, for their species are manifold.

‘Know ye the grass and the trees, although they do not exhibit (it), the marks that constitute species are for them, and (their) species are manifold.

‘Then (know ye) the worms, and the moths, and the different sorts of ants, the marks that constitute species are for them, and (their) species are manifold.

‘Know ye also the four-footed (animals), small and great, the marks that constitute species are for them, and (their) species are manifold.

‘Know ye also the serpents, the long-backed snakes, the marks that constitute species are for them, and (their) species are manifold.

‘Then know ye also the fish which range in the water, the marks that constitute species are for them, and (their) species are manifold.

‘Then know ye also the birds that are borne along on wings and move through the air, the marks that constitute species are for them, and (their) species are manifold.

‘As in these species the marks that constitute species are abundant, so in men the marks that constitute species are not abundant.

‘Not as regards their hair, head, ears, eyes, mouth, nose, lips, or brows,

‘Nor as regards their neck, shoulders, belly, back, hip, breast, female organ, sexual intercourse,

‘Nor as regards their hands, feet, palms, nails, calves, thighs, colour, or voice are there marks that constitute species as in other species.

‘Difference there is in beings endowed with bodies, but amongst men this is not the case, the difference amongst men is nominal (only).

‘For whoever amongst men lives by cowkeeping,—know this, O Vāseṭṭha,—he is a husbandman, not a Brāmaṇa.’

‘And whoever amongst men lives by different mechanical arts,—know this, O Vāseṭṭha,—he is an artisan, not a Brāmaṇa.

‘And whoever amongst men lives by trade,—know this, O Vāseṭṭha,—he is a merchant, not a Brāmaṇa.

And whoever amongst men lives by serving others,—know this, O Vāseṭṭha,—he is a servant, not a Brāhmaṇa.

‘And whoever amongst men lives by theft,—know this, O Vāseṭṭha,—he is a thief, not a Brāhmaṇa.

‘And whoever amongst men lives by archery,—know this, O Vāseṭṭha,—he is a soldier, not a Brāmaṇa.

‘And whoever amongst men lives by performing household ceremonials,—know this, O Vāseṭṭha,—he is a sacrificer, not a Brāmaṇa.

‘And whoever amongst men possesses villages and countries,—know this, O Vāseṭṭha,—he is a king, not a Brāmaṇa.

‘And I do not call one a Brāmaṇa on account of his birth or of his origin from (a particular) mother; he may be called bhovādi, and he may be wealthy, (but) the one who is possessed of nothing and seizes upon nothing, him I call a Brāhmaṇa.

‘Whosoever, after cutting all bonds, does not tremble, has shaken off (all) ties and is liberated, him I call a Brāmaṇa.

‘The man who, after cutting the strap (i.e. enmity), the thong (i.e. attachment), and the rope (i.e. scepticism) with all that pertains to it, has destroyed (all) obstacles (i.e. ignorance), the enlightened (buddha), him I call a Brāmaṇa.

‘Whosoever, being innocent, endures reproach, blows, and bonds, the man who is strong in (his) endurance and has for his army this strength, him I call a Brāmaṇa.

‘The man who is free from anger, endowed with (holy) works, virtuous, without desire, subdued, and wearing the last body, him I call a Brāhmaṇa.

‘The man who, like water on a lotus leaf, or a mustard seed on the point of a needle, does not cling to sensual pleasures, him I call a Brāhmaṇa.

‘The man who knows in this world the destruction of his pain, who has laid aside (his) burden, and is liberated, him I call a Brāmaṇa.

‘The man who has a profound understanding, who is wise, who knows the true way and the wrong way, who has attained the highest good, him I call a Brāmaṇa.

‘The man who does not mix with householders nor with the houseless, who wanders about without a house, and who has few wants, him I call a Brāhmaṇa.