Patna Dhammapada - 3: The Chapter about Brahmins

Chinna sūtraṁ parākrāmma, bhavaṁ praṇuda, brāhmaṇa,
Strive and cut off the thread, remove continuity, brahmin,

saṅkhārāṇāṁ khayaṁ ñāttā, akathaso si, brāhmaṇa.
knowing the destruction of the conditioned, you are ... It is unclear whether akathaso is a scribal error, as we have only one manuscript, but it doesn’t give any meaning, as far as I can see. brahmin.

Chinda sotaṁ parakkamma, kāme panuda, brāhmaṇa,
Strive and cut off the stream, remove desire, brahmin,

saṅkhārānaṁ khayaṁ ñatvā, akataññūsi, brāhmaṇa.
knowing the destruction of the conditioned, be one who knows that which is not made,
brahmin.

Yamhi Dhammaṁ vijāneyā, vddhamhi daharamhi vā,
That one from whom one learned Dhamma, whether old or young,

sakkacca naṁ namasseyā, aggihotraṁ va brāhmaṇo.
with respect bow down to him, like a brahmin (bows) at fire-sacrifice.

Yamhā Dhammaṁ vijāneyya Sammāsambuddhadesitaṁ,
That one from whom one learned Dhamma taught by the Perfect Sambuddha,

sakkaccaṁ taṁ namasseyya, aggihuttaṁ va brāhmaṇo.
with respect bow down to him, like a brahmin (bows) at fire-sacrifice.

Yamhi Dhammaṁ vijāneyā Sammasambuddhadeśitaṁ,
That one from whom one learned Dhamma taught by the Perfect Sambuddha,

tam eva apacāyeyā, aggihotraṁ va brāhmaṇo.
you should honor him, like a brahmin (honors) the fire-sacrifice.

Yamhā Dhammaṁ vijāneyya Sammāsambuddhadesitaṁ,
That one from whom one learned Dhamma taught by the Perfect Sambuddha,

sakkaccaṁ taṁ namasseyya, aggihuttaṁ va brāhmaṇo.
with respect bow down to him, like a brahmin (bows) at fire-sacrifice.

Na jaṭāhi na gotreṇa, na jāccā hoti brāhmaṇo,
Not because of matted hair, family or birth is one a true brahmin,

yo tu bāhati pāpāni, aṇutthūlāni sabbaśo,
he who wards off wickedness, small or great, in every way,

bāhanā eva pāpānāṁ, brahmaṇo ti pravuccati.
through warding off wickedness, he is called a brahmin.

Na jaṭābhir na gotreṇa, na jātyā brāhmaṇaḥ smtaḥ,
Not because of matted hair, family or birth is one thought of as a brahmin,

yas tu vāhayate pāpāny aṇusthūlāni sarvaśaḥ,
he who leads off wickedness, small or great, in every way,

vāhitatvāt tu pāpānāṁ, brāhmaṇo vai nirucyate.
through leading off wickedness, he is called a brahmin.

Na jaṭāhi na gottena, na jaccā hoti brāhmaṇo,
Not because of matted hair, family or birth is one a true brahmin,

yamhi saccañ-ca Dhammo ca, so sucī so va brāhmaṇo.
in whom there is truth and Dhamma, that one is pure, that one is surely a brahmin.

Vārī pukkharapatte vā, ārāgre-r-iva sāsavo,
Like water on the lotus leaf, like a mustard seed on a needle,

yo na lippati kāmesu, tam ahaṁ brūmi brāhmaṇaṁ.
he who is unsmeared by desires, that one I say is a brahmin.

Vāri pokkharapatte va, āragge-r-iva sāsapo,
Like water on the lotus leaf, like a mustard seed on a needle,

yo na lippati kāmesu, tam-ahaṁ brūmi brāhmaṇaṁ.
he who is unsmeared by desires, that one I say is a brahmin.

Udayaṁ tapati ādicco, ratrim ābhāti candramā,
The sun is radiant when it rises, the moon shines by night,

sannaddho khattiyo tapati, jhāyiṁ tapati brāhmaṇo,
the accoutred noble is radiant, the meditating brahmin is radiant,

atha sabbe ahorātte Buddho tapati tejasā.
yet during every day and night the Buddha is radiant through his power.

Divā tapati ādicco, rattiṁ ābhāti candimā,
The sun is radiant by day, the moon shines by night,

sannaddho khattiyo tapati, jhāyī tapati brāhmaṇo,
the accoutred noble is radiant, the meditating brahmin is radiant,

atha sabbam-ahorattiṁ Buddho tapati tejasā.
yet every day and night the Buddha is radiant through his power.

Yassa pāram apāram vā pārāpāraṁ na vijjati,
For whom the near shore, the far shore or both do not exist,

vītajjaraṁ visaṁyuttaṁ, tam ahaṁ brūmi brāhmaṇaṁ.
free of fever, detached, that one I say is a brahmin.

Yassa pāraṁ apāraṁ vā pārāpāraṁ na vijjati,
For whom the near shore, the far shore or both do not exist,

vītaddaraṁ visaṁyuttaṁ, tam-ahaṁ brūmi brāhmaṇaṁ.
free of anxiety, detached, that one I say is a brahmin.

Yadā dayesu dhammesu pāragū hoti brāhmaṇo,
When a brahmin has, through two things, crossed over,

athassa sabbe saṁyogā atthaṁ gacchanti jānato.
then, for one who knows, all the fetters are laid to rest.

Yadā dvayesu dhammesu pāragū hoti brāhmaṇo,
When a brahmin has, through two things, crossed over,

athassa sabbe saṁyogā atthaṁ gacchanti jānato.
then, for one who knows, all the fetters are laid to rest.

Sa khu so khīṇasaṁyogo, khīṇamānapunabbhavo,
He who destroyed the fetter, destroyed conceit and continued existence,

Saṅghāvasevī, Dhammaṭṭho, saṅghaṁ na upeti vedagū.
living in the Community, standing by Dhamma, the knowing one does not approach society. There is a play on the meanings of saṅgha here.

Ye ca kho chinnasaṁsayā khīṇamānapunabbhavā,
Those who cut off doubts, destroyed conceit and continued existence,

te ve pāraṁ gatā loke, ye pattā āsavakkhayaṁ.
they have crossed to the other side in this world, those who have attained the destruction of the pollutants.

—————

Ārogyaṁ sammad aññāya, āsavānaṁ parikkhayā,
Knowing good health, through the destruction of the pollutants,

saṅkhāya sevī, Dhammaṭṭho, saṅkhaṁ na upeti vedagū.
living reflectively, standing by Dhamma, the knowing one cannot be defined.

Akakkaśiṁ vinnapaṇiṁ girāṁ saccam udīraye,
(Whoever) should speak a word of truth that is informed and is not coarse,

tāya nābhiṣape The verb is different here in Patna. It is not sure if this is the correct interpretation as we would expect abhisape. kañci, tam ahaṁ brūmi brāhmaṇaṁ.
through which no one would be cursed, that one I say is a brahmin.

Akakkasaṁ viññapaniṁ giraṁ saccaṁ udīraye,
(Whoever) should speak a word of truth that is informed and is not coarse,

yāya nābhisaje kañci, tam-ahaṁ brūmi brāhmaṇaṁ.
through which no one would be angry, that one I say is a brahmin.

Asaṁsaṭṭhaṁ ghaṭṭhehi anagārehi cūbhayaṁ,
(Whoever) doesn’t mix with either householders or the houseless,

anokasāriṁ appicchaṁ, tam ahaṁ brūmi brāhmaṇaṁ.
wandering homeless, with few desires, that one I say is a brahmin.

Asaṁsaṭṭhaṁ gahaṭṭhehi anāgārehi cūbhayaṁ,
(Whoever) doesn’t mix with either householders or the houseless,

anokasāriṁ appicchaṁ, tam-ahaṁ brūmi brāhmaṇaṁ.
wandering homeless, with few desires, that one I say is a brahmin.

Yassa kāyena vācāya manasā nāsti dukkataṁ,
For whom there is no wrong-doing bodily, verbally or mentally,

saṁvtaṁ trisu ṭṭhāṇesu, tam ahaṁ brūmi brāhmaṇaṁ.
being restrained in (these) three things, that one I say is a brahmin.

Yassa kāyena vācāya manasā natthi dukkataṁ,
For whom there is no wrong-doing bodily, verbally or mentally,

saṁvutaṁ tīhi ṭhānehi, tam-ahaṁ brūmi brāhmaṇaṁ.
being restrained in (these) three things, that one I say is a brahmin.

Mā brāhmaṇassa prahare, nāssa mucceya There is a difference in passive/active in the verbs used in Patna and Pāḷi, but it is not clear whether this should affect the meaning, as there is confusion between the verbs even in Pāḷi. brāhmaṇo,
A brahmin should not hit a brahmin, nor should he abandon him,

dhī brāhmaṇassa hantāraṁ, yassa vā su na The insertion of a negative here, which is not found in any of the parallels – if that is how we should parse the line – makes the meaning very difficult. I have not seen a way to resolve this problem. muccati.
woe to the one who strikes a brahmin, and to the one who does not abandon him.

Na brāhmaṇassa pah^areyya, nāssa muñcetha brāhmaṇo,
A brahmin should not hit a brahmin, nor should he abandon him,

dhī brāhmaṇassa hantāraṁ, tato: dhī yassa muñcati.
woe to the one who strikes a brahmin, further: woe to the one who abandons him.

Mātaraṁ paṭhamaṁ hantā, rājānaṁ do ca khattiye,
Destroying mother first, and (then) two noble kings,

rāṣṭaṁ sānucaraṁ hantā, anigho carati brāhmaṇo.
destroying a kingdom and its followers, the brahmin lives untroubled.

Mātaraṁ pitaraṁ hantvā, rājāno dve ca khattiye,
Destroying mother and father, and (then) two noble kings,

raṭṭhaṁ sānucaraṁ hantvā, anīgho yāti brāhmaṇo.
destroying a kingdom and its followers, the brahmin proceeds untroubled. The Pāḷi commentary explains this as meaning: Destroying craving and conceit, and the two: eternalism and annhilationism, destroying passionate delight in the twelve sense spheres, one without pollutants proceeds untroubled. Same interpretation could be given for the Patna verse but with the exclusion of conceit.

Gambhīrapraññaṁ medhāviṁ, māggāmāggassa kovidaṁ,
The deeply wise sagacious one, skilled in what is path and not path,

uttamāttham anuprāttaṁ, tam ahaṁ brūmi brāhmaṇaṁ.
who has reached the ultimate good, that one I say is a brahmin.

Gambhīrapaññaṁ medhāviṁ, maggāmaggassa kovidaṁ,
The deeply wise sagacious one, skilled in what is path and not path,

uttamatthaṁ anuppattaṁ, tam-ahaṁ brūmi brāhmaṇaṁ.
who has reached the ultimate good, that one I say is a brahmin.

Jhāyiṁ virajam āsīnaṁ, katakiccaṁ anāsavaṁ,
The meditator sitting down, the one who is dustless, who has done his duty, without pollutants,

uttamātthaṁ anuprāttaṁ, tam ahaṁ brūmi brāhmaṇaṁ.
who has reached the ultimate good, that one I say is a brahmin.

Jhāyiṁ virajam-āsīnaṁ, katakiccaṁ anāsavaṁ,
The meditator sitting down, the one who is dustless, who has done his duty, without pollutants,

uttamatthaṁ anuppattaṁ, tam-ahaṁ brūmi brāhmaṇaṁ.
who has reached the ultimate good, that one I say is a brahmin.