Dhammapada Verse 388
Annatarabrahmana Pabbajita Vatthu
Bahitapapoti brahmano
samacariya1 "samano" ti vuccati
pabbajayamattano malam
tasma "pabbajito2" ti vuccati.
Verse 388: Because he has discarded evil he is
called a 'brahmana'; because he lives calmly he is called a 'samana'; and
because he gets rid of his impurities he is called a 'pabbajita'.
1. samacariya: lit., living calmly, i.e.,
practising for eradication of moral defilements.
2. pabbajita: one who leaves the household life
for the homeless life of a recluse; in Buddhism it means one who has given up
the impurities of the household life to become a bhikkhu.
The Story of a Brahmin Recluse
While residing at the Jetavana
monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (388) of this book, with reference to a
brahmin ascetic.
Once there was a brahmin ascetic
in Savatthi. One day, it occurred to him that the Buddha called his disciples
pabbajita bhikkhus and since he also was a recluse, he should also be called a
pabbajita. So he went to the Buddha and posed the question why he should not be
called a pabbajita. The Buddha's answer to him was this: "Just because
one is a recluse one does not automatically become a pabbajita; a pabbajita must
have other qualifications also."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as
follows:
| Verse 388: Because he
has discarded evil he is called a 'brahmana'; because he lives calmly
he is called a 'samana'; and because he gets rid of his impurities he
is called a 'pabbajita'. |
At the end of the discourse the brahmin attained Sotapatti Fruition.