Dhammapada Verse 417
Nataputtakatthera Vatthu
Hitva manusakam yogam
dibbam yogam upaccaga
sabbayogavisamyuttam
tamaham brumi brahmanam.
Verse 417: Him I call a brahmana, who has
given up attachment to (sensual pleasures of) human life, has transcended
attachment to (sensual pleasures of) deva life and is completely free from all
attachment.
The Story of Thera Nataputtaka
While residing at the Jetavana
monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (417) of this book, with reference to Thera
Nataputtaka, who was the son of a dancer.
Once, the son of a dancer was
going round the streets singing and dancing when he had a chance to listen to a
discourse given by the Buddha. After listening to the discourse, he entered the
Order and attained arahatship soon afterwards. One day, while the Buddha and the
bhikkhus including Nataputtaka were going on an alms-round, they came across the
son of another dancer dancing in the street. Seeing the young man dancing, the
other bhikkhus asked Nataputtaka whether he still liked dancing. And Nataputtaka
answered, "No, I do not." The bhikkhus then went to the Buddha and
told him that Thera Nataputtaka was falsely claiming to have attained arahatship.
Thereby, the Buddha said, "Bhikkhus! Nataputtaka has gone beyond all
bonds of attachment; he has become an arahat."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as
follows:
| Verse 417: Him I call
a brahmana, who has given up attachment to (sensual pleasures of)
human life, has transcended attachment to (sensual pleasures of) deva
life and is completely free from all attachment. |