Ja 179 The Story about (the Proud Brahmin) Satadhamma
(Satadhammajātaka)
In the present many monks are found to be earning their living in a wrong way, throwing away their chance of true gains in the dispensation. The Buddha tells a story of a proud brahmin called Satadhamma who took food from the Bodhisatta, who was an outcaste at the time, and could never forgive himself for it.
1. Tañ-ca appañ-ca ucchiṭṭhaṁ, tañ-ca kicchena no adā,
Sohaṁ brāhmaṇajātiko, yaṁ bhuttaṁ tam-pi uggatan-ti.
That is but small leftovers, given to us with difficulty, I am born a northern brahmin, whose food is also high class.
In this connection, this is the meaning in brief: my food, that is but small leftovers, that the outcaste did not give to me approvingly, then pressing him he gave with difficulty, with trouble, but I am a pure born brahmin, because of that, my food, along with my blood, is high class.
2. Evaṁ Dhammaṁ niraṁkatvā, yo adhammena jīvati,
Satadhammo va lābhena, laddhena pi na nandatī ti.
Thus, disregarding the Dhamma, he who lives without the Dhamma, like Satadhamma, having gained, does not rejoice in what is gained.
In this connection, Dhamma means the Dhamma of one with purified livelihood and virtue.
Disregarding means removing, putting aside.
Without the Dhamma means having wrong livelihood through what is reckoned as inappropriate begging in twenty-one ways.
Satadhamma, this is his name. Santadhamma is also a reading.
Does not rejoice means just as the young man Satadhamma, thinking: “I gained the leftovers of an outcaste,” does not rejoice in those gains, just so in this dispensation the young man of good family who goes forth, enjoying the gains received through inappropriate begging, does not rejoice, is not satisfied, thinking: “I live in a way that is blamed by the Buddha,” he becomes depressed. Therefore for the young man Satadhamma, making his livelihood through inappropriate begging, having entered the wilderness, thinking: It is better to die a miserable death of one lacking support.