154. （一五四）婆罗婆堂经

I have heard thus:

At one time, the Buddha was traveling in the country of Shravasti, staying at the Deer Park Hall of the Mother of the Deer.

At that time, there were two people, the Brahmins Vasistha and Bharadvaja, who shaved their beards and hair, put on the saffron robes, and went forth from home to practice the path with true faith. When the Brahmins saw this, they strongly criticized and scolded them, saying, "The Brahmin caste is superior, the others are inferior; the Brahmin caste is white, the others are all black; only Brahmins can attain purity, non-Brahmins cannot; Brahmins are the sons of Brahma, born from his mouth, transformed by Brahma. You have abandoned the superior and followed the inferior, abandoned the white and followed the black. Those shaven-headed monks are bound by the black, cutting off the lineage and having no offspring. Therefore, what you have done is greatly evil, a grave offense."

At that time, the World-Honored One then rose from his afternoon meditation, came down from the hall, and walked in the open air in the shadow of the hall, expounding the profound and subtle Dharma to the monks. Venerable Vasistha saw from afar that the World-Honored One had risen from his afternoon meditation, come down from the hall, and was walking in the open air in the shadow of the hall, expounding the profound and subtle Dharma to the monks. Having seen this, he said, "Virtuous Bharadvaja! Know that the World-Honored One has risen from his afternoon meditation, come down from the hall, and is walking in the open air in the shadow of the hall, expounding the profound and subtle Dharma to the monks. Virtuous Bharadvaja! Let us go together to see the Buddha. Perhaps we can hear the Dharma from the Buddha because of this."

Then Vasistha and Bharadvaja went to where the Buddha was, bowed their heads to his feet, and walked behind him.

The World-Honored One turned around and said to the two of them, "Vasistha! When you two Brahmins left your Brahmin families, shaved your heads and beards, put on the saffron robes, left home out of true faith, became homeless, and studied the path, did the Brahmins not criticize you much?"

They replied, "Yes, World-Honored One! When the Brahmins saw us, they criticized us very harshly, to the point of extreme suffering."

The World-Honored One asked, "Vasistha! How did the Brahmins criticize you so harshly and severely?"

They replied, "World-Honored One! When the Brahmins saw us, they said, 'The Brahmin caste is superior, the others are inferior; the Brahmin caste is white, the others are all black; Brahmins attain purity, non-Brahmins do not attain purity; Brahmins are born from the mouth of Brahma, created by Brahma. You have abandoned the superior and followed the inferior, abandoned the white and followed the black. Those shaven-headed monks are bound by the black, cutting off the lineage without offspring. Therefore, what you have done is greatly evil, a grave offense.' World-Honored One! When the Brahmins saw us, they criticized us so harshly and severely."

The World-Honored One said, "Vasistha! What those Brahmins say is extremely evil and shameless. Why is that? It is because they are ignorant, do not understand well, do not know the good field, and cannot know themselves. They say, 'We Brahmins are born from the mouth of Brahma, created by Brahma.' Why is that? Vasistha! In my unsurpassed wisdom, practice, and realization, I do not speak of birth superiority, caste, or arrogance: 'They agree with my views, they do not agree with my views, because of sitting, because of water, because of the scriptures they study.' Vasistha! If there is marriage, then one should speak of birth, speak of caste, speak of arrogance: 'They agree with my views, they do not agree with my views, because of sitting, because of water, because of the scriptures they study.' Vasistha! If one calculates birth, caste, and arrogance, then one is far removed from my unsurpassed wisdom, practice, and realization. Vasistha! Speaking of birth, speaking of caste, speaking of arrogance: 'They agree with my views, they do not agree with my views, because of sitting, because of water, because of the scriptures they study' is different from my unsurpassed wisdom, practice, and realization. Furthermore, Vasistha! There are three kinds of people who quarrel with each other, mixing good and bad dharmas, which are praised and not praised by the sages. What are the three? The kshatriya caste, the brahmin caste, and the householder caste. Vasistha! What do you think? Is it not the case that a kshatriya commits killing, taking what is not given, engaging in sexual misconduct, false speech, up to wrong views, and so do householders, but not brahmins?"

They replied, "World-Honored One! Kshatriyas can also commit killing, taking what is not given, engaging in sexual misconduct, false speech, up to wrong views, and Brahmins and householders are also like this."

The World-Honored One asked, "Vasistha! What do you think? Is it not the case that Brahmins are free from killing, have abandoned killing, are free from taking what is not given, engaging in sexual misconduct, false speech, up to are free from wrong views and have attained right views, and so are Kshatriyas and householders?"

They replied, "World-Honored One! Brahmins can also be free from killing, have abandoned killing, are free from taking what is not given, engaging in sexual misconduct, false speech, up to are free from wrong views and have attained right views, and so are Kshatriyas and householders."

The World-Honored One asked, "Vasistha! What do you think? Are there immeasurable evil and unwholesome dharmas that are practiced by Kshatriyas and householders, but not by Brahmins? Are there immeasurable wholesome dharmas that are practiced by Brahmins, but not by Kshatriyas and householders?"

They replied, "World-Honored One! If there are immeasurable evil and unwholesome dharmas, then Kshatriyas and householders can also practice them, and so can Brahmins. If there are immeasurable wholesome dharmas, then Brahmins can also practice them, and so can Kshatriyas and householders."

Vasistha! If there are immeasurable evil and unwholesome dharmas that are practiced exclusively by Kshatriyas and householders, not by Brahmins, and if there are immeasurable wholesome dharmas that are practiced exclusively by Brahmins, not by Kshatriyas and householders, then those Brahmins can say, 'We Brahmins are the sons of Brahma, born from his mouth, created by Brahma.' Why is that? Vasistha! When a Brahmin girl is first married, and after marriage, when she is seen to be pregnant, and after being pregnant, when she gives birth, whether a boy or a girl. Vasistha! In this way, those Brahmins are also like worldly people, born through the birth canal. Yet they falsely claim to be slandering Brahma, saying, 'We Brahmins are the sons of Brahma, born from his mouth, created by Brahma.'

"Vasistha! If a son of a noble family, of various noble families, of various names, renounces his various families, shaves his beard and hair, puts on the monastic robe, leaves home out of true faith, becomes a homeless ascetic, and studies the path under me, he should say, 'We Brahmins are the sons of Brahma, born from his mouth, created by Brahma.' Why is that? Vasistha! That son of a noble family enters my true Dharma and Vinaya, accepts my true Dharma and Vinaya, attains the other shore, cuts off doubts and crosses over confusion, without hesitation, and attains fearlessness in the World-Honored One's Dharma. Therefore he should say, 'We Brahmins are the sons of Brahma, born from his mouth, created by Brahma.' Vasistha! That Brahma is said to be the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the Perfectly Enlightened One. Brahma is the Tathāgata, the cool one, the one without afflictions, the one without heat, the one who is not apart from suchness, that is the Tathāgata. Vasistha! What do you think? Do the Shakyas respect, honor, and serve King Prasenajit of Kosala with a humble mind?"

They replied, "Yes, World-Honored One!"

The World-Honored One asked, "Vasistha! What do you think? If the Shakyas respect, honor, and serve King Prasenajit of Kosala with a humble mind, does King Prasenajit of Kosala then respect, honor, and serve me with a humble mind?"

He replied to the World-Honored One, "It is not extraordinary for the Shakyas to respect, honor, and serve King Prasenajit of Kosala with a humble mind. It is extraordinary for King Prasenajit of Kosala to respect, honor, and serve the World-Honored One with a humble mind."

The World-Honored One said, "Vasistha! King Prasenajit of Kosala does not think like this, and does not respect, honor, and serve me with a humble mind, thinking, 'The Shakyamuni Gautama has a very high caste, while my caste is low. The Shakyamuni Gautama has a lot of wealth, while I have little. The Shakyamuni Gautama has the most excellent appearance, while my appearance is not excellent. The Shakyamuni Gautama has great spiritual power, while my spiritual power is small. The Shakyamuni Gautama has good wisdom, while I have bad wisdom.' Vasistha! King Prasenajit of Kosala only respects, honors, and serves the Dharma with a humble mind, and respects, honors, and serves me with a humble mind for the sake of the Dharma.

At that time, the World-Honored One told the bhikṣus, "Vasistha! Sometimes this world is completely destroyed. When this world is destroyed, if there are sentient beings born in the Ābhāsvara Heaven, they are born there with a wonderful form, with all limbs and faculties complete, subsisting on joy, with their own light, rising in the sky, with pure form, abiding for a long time. Vasistha! Sometimes this great earth is filled with water. On that great body of water, the wind blows and stirs it, causing it to coagulate and form a substance, combining and aggregating. It is like curdled milk, coagulated by churning, combining and aggregating. In this way, Vasistha! Sometimes this great earth is filled with water. On that great body of water, the wind blows and stirs it, causing it to coagulate and form a substance, combining and aggregating. From this, the taste of earth arises, with color, smell, and taste. What is the color? It is like the color of fresh butter and clarified butter. What is the taste? It is like the taste of honey balls.

Vasistha! Sometimes when this world is being formed again, if there are sentient beings born in the Ābhāsvara Heaven, when their lifespan, karma, and blessings are exhausted, they are reborn as humans here. After being reborn here, they are born with a wonderful form, with all limbs and faculties complete, subsisting on joy, with their own light, rising in the sky, with pure form, abiding for a long time. Vasistha! At that time, there were no sun, moon, or stars in the world, no day or night, no months or half-months, no seasons or years. Vasistha! At that time, there were no fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, masters, or slaves, only sentient beings. Then, a sentient being was greedy and gluttonous, and thought, 'What is this earth essence? I should try it with my finger.' At that time, the sentient being tried the earth essence with his finger. When the sentient beings knew about the earth essence, they wanted to eat it. At that time, the sentient beings thought, 'Why eat the earth essence with my finger, tiring myself? I should now try to scoop it with my hand and eat it.' At that time, the sentient beings scooped the earth essence with their hands and ate it. Among those sentient beings, there were some who saw others scooping the earth essence with their hands and eating it, and thought, 'This is really good, this is really wonderful. We should also scoop the earth essence with our hands and eat it.' At that time, those sentient beings scooped the earth essence with their hands and ate it. When those sentient beings ate the earth essence with their hands, their bodies became thicker, heavier, and firmer. If they had pure form before, it disappeared and darkness naturally arose. Vasistha! It is the nature of the world that when darkness arises, the sun and moon will appear. When the sun and moon appear, the stars will appear. When the stars appear, day and night will be established. When day and night are established, there will be months and half-months, seasons and years. They lived on the earth essence for a long time.

Vasistha! If there are sentient beings who eat a lot of earth essence, they will have an ugly appearance. If they eat little earth essence, they will have a wonderful appearance. From this, we know that there are superior and inferior appearances. Because of the superiority and inferiority of appearances, sentient beings will despise each other, saying, 'My appearance is superior, yours is inferior.' Because of the superiority and inferiority of appearances, they will give rise to contempt and evil dharmas. Therefore, the earth essence will disappear. After the earth essence disappears, those sentient beings will gather together, lamenting and crying, saying, 'Alas, the earth essence! Alas, the earth essence!' It is like people today who savor delicious things without speaking the original words. Although they receive and uphold them, they do not know the meaning. This explanation of contemplating the meaning is also like this. Vasistha! After the earth essence disappears, those sentient beings will find earth fat, with color, smell, and taste. What is the color? It is like the color of fresh butter and clarified butter. What is the taste? It is like the taste of honey balls. They will eat this earth fat and live for a long time.

Vasistha! If there are sentient beings who eat a lot of earth fat, they will have an ugly appearance. If they eat little earth fat, they will have a wonderful appearance. From this, we know that there are superior and inferior appearances. Because of the superiority and inferiority of appearances, sentient beings will despise each other, saying, 'My appearance is superior, yours is inferior.' Because of the superiority and inferiority of appearances, they will give rise to contempt and evil dharmas. Therefore, the earth fat will disappear. After the earth fat disappears, those sentient beings will gather together, lamenting and crying, saying, 'Alas, the earth fat! Alas, the earth fat!' It is like people today who are criticized by others without speaking the original words. Although they receive and uphold them, they do not know the meaning. This explanation of contemplating the meaning is also like this. Vasistha! After the earth fat disappears, those sentient beings will find brahman, with color, smell, and taste. What is the color? It is like the color of a lotus flower. What is the taste? It is like the taste of a soft honey ball. They will eat this brahman and live for a long time.

Vasistha! If there are sentient beings who eat a lot of brahman, they will have an ugly appearance. If they eat little brahman, they will have a wonderful appearance. From this, we know that there are superior and inferior appearances. Because of the superiority and inferiority of appearances, sentient beings will despise each other, saying, 'My appearance is superior, yours is inferior.' Because of the superiority and inferiority of appearances, they will give rise to contempt and evil dharmas. Therefore, the brahman will disappear. After the brahman disappears, those sentient beings will gather together, lamenting and crying, saying, 'Alas, the brahman! Alas, the brahman!' It is like people today who are touched by the suffering of the dharmas without speaking the original words. Although they receive and uphold them, they do not know the meaning. This explanation of contemplating the meaning is also like this.

Vasistha! After the brahman disappears, those sentient beings will find naturally grown rice, white and pure without husks, also without bran and chaff, four inches long, harvested in the morning and growing in the evening, harvested in the evening and growing in the morning. The cooked rice has a salty taste and no vitality. Sentient beings eat this naturally grown rice. After those sentient beings eat this naturally grown rice, those sentient beings will give rise to various forms, some sentient beings will be born with male forms, and some sentient beings will be born with female forms. If those sentient beings are born with male and female forms, when they see each other, they will say, 'Evil sentient beings are born, evil sentient beings are born.'

Vasistha! Those who are born as evil sentient beings refer to women. If those sentient beings are born with male and female forms, those sentient beings will then watch each other, and when they watch each other, they will look at each other with their eyes. When they look at each other, they will become attached to each other. When they are attached to each other, they will become passionate. When they are passionate, they will engage in sexual activity. When they see sexual activity, they will hit and throw them with sticks, stones, or clods of earth, and say, 'Oh! Evil sentient beings do improper things.' Why do sentient beings do this? It is like when people welcome a new bride today, they scatter flowers and hang flower garlands, saying, 'May the new bride be safe, may the new bride be safe.' What was once despised is now loved. Vasistha! If there are sentient beings who dislike, despise, and are ashamed of impure dharmas, they will then leave the crowd for one day, two days, up to six or seven days, half a month, one month, up to one year. Vasistha! If there are sentient beings who want to engage in this impure conduct, they will then build a house and say, 'Do evil here, do evil here.' Vasistha! This is the first cause and condition for the arising of the household system in the world. The first wisdom of the past is in accordance with the Dharma, not contrary to the Dharma. The person who upholds the Dharma is honored.

Among them, there was a lazy sentient being who thought, 'Why do I have to go and get naturally grown rice every day? I might as well get enough for one day.' So he got enough rice for one day. Then a sentient being said to him, 'Sentient being! Come and get rice together.' He replied, 'I have already gotten enough for one day. You go and get it yourself.' When that sentient being heard this, he thought, 'This is really good, this is really wonderful. I might as well get enough rice for two days.' So he got enough rice for two days. Then a sentient being said to him, 'Sentient being! Come and get rice together.' He replied, 'I have already gotten enough rice for two days. You go and get it yourself.' When that sentient being heard this, he thought, 'This is really good, this is really wonderful. I might as well get enough rice for seven days.' So that sentient being then got enough rice for seven days. As those sentient beings took and accumulated naturally grown rice, that naturally grown rice then grew husks and bran. When harvested for seven days, it also grew husks and bran. Wherever it was harvested, it would not grow again.

"Then those sentient beings gathered together, wept bitterly, and said, 'We have given rise to evil and unwholesome dharmas, namely, storing up rice for later. Why is that? We originally had wonderful forms, were born from the mind, had all our faculties complete, subsisted on joy, had our own radiance, ascended through the sky, and abided in purity for a long time. We gave rise to earth flavors with form, smell, and taste. What is the form? It is like the color of fresh butter and clarified butter. What is the taste? It is like the taste of honey pills. We subsisted on earth flavors and abided in the world for a long time. If we ate too much earth flavor, we would have an ugly appearance. Those who ate little earth flavor had a wonderful appearance. From this we knew that there were superior and inferior forms. Because of the superiority and inferiority of forms, we each looked down on each other, saying, "My form is superior, your form is inferior." Because of the superiority and inferiority of forms, we gave rise to contempt and evil dharmas. Therefore, the earth flavor disappeared. After the disappearance of the earth flavor, we gave rise to earth fat with form, smell, and taste. What is the form? It is like the color of fresh butter and clarified butter. What is the taste? It is like the taste of honey pills. We subsisted on earth fat and abided in the world for a long time. If we ate too much earth fat, we would have an ugly appearance. Those who ate little earth fat had a wonderful appearance. From this we knew that there were superior and inferior forms. Because of the superiority and inferiority of forms, we each looked down on each other, saying, "My form is superior, your form is inferior." Because of the superiority and inferiority of forms, we gave rise to contempt and evil dharmas. Therefore, the earth fat disappeared. After the disappearance of the earth fat, we gave rise to naturally grown rice with form, smell, and taste. What is the form? It is like the color of a kadamba flower. What is the taste? It is like the taste of honey pills. We subsisted on naturally grown rice and abided in the world for a long time. If we ate too much naturally grown rice, we would have an ugly appearance. Those who ate little naturally grown rice had a wonderful appearance. From this we knew that there were superior and inferior forms. Because of the superiority and inferiority of forms, we each looked down on each other, saying, "My form is superior, your form is inferior." Because of the superiority and inferiority of forms, we gave rise to contempt and evil dharmas. Therefore, the naturally grown rice disappeared. After the disappearance of the naturally grown rice, we thought, 'Should we build fields and set up boundaries?'"

Then those sentient beings built fields and set up boundaries. Among them, there was a sentient being who had his own rice, but he entered someone else's field and stole their rice. The owner saw him and said, 'Oh no! Oh no! Evil sentient being, how could you do this? You have your own rice, but you enter someone else's field and steal their rice. You should leave now and never do it again.' But that sentient being went to steal someone else's rice again and again, and the owner saw him again and again. He then took him by the fist and dragged him to the assembly, saying, 'This sentient being has his own rice, but he enters my field and steals my rice.' But that sentient being also said to the assembly, 'This sentient being took me by the fist and dragged me to the assembly.'

Then those sentient beings gathered together and wept bitterly, saying, 'We have given rise to evil and unwholesome dharmas, namely, guarding fields. Why is that? Because of guarding fields, we have disputes, losses, and exhaustion. We accuse each other and fight with our fists. We should choose one among us who is the most upright and handsome, and establish him as the lord of the fields. If there is something to be scolded, he should scold. If there is something to be expelled, he should expel. The rice we obtain should be properly delivered to him.' Then among those sentient beings, they chose the most upright and handsome one to be the lord of the fields. If there was something to be scolded, he scolded. If there was something to be expelled, he expelled. If there was rice, it was properly delivered to him. This lord of the fields was called a kṣatriya. He made sentient beings enjoy the Dharma and protected those who practiced precepts. This king was called a king. This is the first cause and condition for the kṣatriya caste to appear in the world. The first wise one, according to the Dharma, not contrary to the Dharma, is the Dharma king.

Then those sentient beings who saw guarding as a disease, a boil, and a thorn, abandoned guarding and relied on non-affliction, building grass and leaf huts to practice meditation. They went into villages, towns, and royal cities every morning to beg for food. Many sentient beings saw them and gave them offerings, showing respect and reverence, saying, 'These sentient beings see guarding as a disease, a boil, and a thorn. They have abandoned guarding and rely on non-affliction, building grass and leaf huts to practice meditation. These venerable ones have abandoned harmful and unwholesome dharmas. They are brāhmaṇas. This is called a brāhmaṇa.

Those sentient beings who practiced meditation but did not attain meditation, practiced austerities but did not attain austerities, practiced seclusion but did not attain seclusion, practiced single-mindedness but did not attain single-mindedness, practiced diligence but did not attain diligence, abandoned non-affliction and returned to villages, towns, and royal cities, building four-pillared houses and composing texts. When many sentient beings saw this, they no longer gave offerings, showed respect, or revered them, saying, 'These sentient beings originally saw guarding as a disease, a boil, and a thorn. They abandoned guarding and relied on non-affliction, building grass and leaf huts to practice meditation. They did not attain meditation, did not attain austerities, did not attain seclusion, did not attain single-mindedness, and did not attain diligence. They abandoned non-affliction and returned to villages, towns, and royal cities, building four-pillared houses and composing texts. These venerable ones are again learning extensive knowledge, not practicing meditation. This is extensive knowledge. This is called extensive knowledge.

Then those sentient beings each went to various places to engage in farming. This farming in various places is called vaiśya. This is the first cause and condition for the existence of the vaiśya caste in the world, the oldest and foremost wisdom, in accordance with the Dharma, not contrary to the Dharma, revered by those who follow the Dharma.

Vāseṭṭha, when these three castes arose in the world, then the fourth caste of śramaṇas was known. How was it known that when these three castes arose in the world, then the fourth caste of śramaṇas was known? Among the kṣatriya caste, a son of a noble family was able to rebuke and detest unwholesome dharmas, to shave off his hair and beard, put on the saffron robes, leave home out of true faith, become homeless, and practice the path, thinking: 'I shall become a śramaṇa and practice the holy life.' He then became a śramaṇa and practiced the holy life. Similarly, among the brāhmaṇa caste and the vaiśya caste, a son of a noble family was also able to rebuke and detest unwholesome dharmas, to shave off his hair and beard, put on the saffron robes, leave home out of true faith, become homeless, and practice the path, thinking: 'I shall become a śramaṇa and practice the holy life.' He then became a śramaṇa and practiced the holy life. Vāseṭṭha, when these three castes arose in the world, then the fourth caste of śramaṇas was known.

Vāseṭṭha, I now explain these three castes in detail. How are they broadly divided into three? A son of a noble family of the kṣatriya caste, who practices unwholesome bodily, verbal, and mental actions, upon the destruction of the body and the end of life, will experience only suffering. Similarly, a son of a noble family of the brāhmaṇa caste and the vaiśya caste, who practices unwholesome bodily, verbal, and mental actions, upon the destruction of the body and the end of life, will experience only suffering. Vāseṭṭha, a son of a noble family of the kṣatriya caste, who practices wholesome bodily, verbal, and mental actions, upon the destruction of the body and the end of life, will experience only happiness. Similarly, a son of a noble family of the brāhmaṇa caste and the vaiśya caste, who practices wholesome bodily, verbal, and mental actions, upon the destruction of the body and the end of life, will experience only happiness. Vāseṭṭha, a son of a noble family of the kṣatriya caste, who practices both wholesome and unwholesome bodily, verbal, and mental actions, and also protects against unwholesome actions, upon the destruction of the body and the end of life, will experience both suffering and happiness. Similarly, a son of a noble family of the brāhmaṇa caste and the vaiśya caste, who practices both wholesome and unwholesome bodily, verbal, and mental actions, and also protects against unwholesome actions, upon the destruction of the body and the end of life, will experience both suffering and happiness.

Vāseṭṭha, a son of a noble family of the kṣatriya caste, who cultivates the seven factors of awakening, contemplates well and observes well, knows and sees thus: his mind is liberated from the taints of desire, existence, and ignorance. Having been liberated, he knows and sees liberation, the end of rebirth, the establishment of the holy life, the task accomplished, the work done, and he does not enter into any future existence. Similarly, a son of a noble family of the brāhmaṇa caste and the vaiśya caste, who cultivates the seven factors of awakening, contemplates well and observes well, knows and sees thus: his mind is liberated from the taints of desire, existence, and ignorance. Having been liberated, he knows and sees liberation, the end of rebirth, the establishment of the holy life, the task accomplished, the work done, and he does not enter into any future existence. Vāseṭṭha, this is how these three castes are broadly distinguished. Brahmadatta spoke this verse:

The noble one of the kṣatriya caste, who is the most honored among humans, is said to
be of noble birth and lineage, who seeks learning and practice, is praised by gods and humans.

Vāseṭṭha, Brahmadatta spoke this verse well, not badly. He sang it well, not badly. He recited it well, not badly. He said:

The noble one of the kṣatriya caste, who is the most honored among humans, is said to
be of noble birth and lineage, who seeks learning and practice, is praised by gods and humans.

Why is that? I also say:

The noble one of the kṣatriya caste, who is the most honored among humans, is said to
be of noble birth and lineage, who seeks learning and practice, is praised by gods and humans.

The Buddha spoke thus. The Venerable Vāsiṭṭha, Bhāradvāja, and the other bhikṣus, having heard the Buddha's words, rejoiced and practiced accordingly.