Brahmajala Sutta
(Discourse on the Net of Perfect Wisdom )

Part 1: Paribbajaka katha: about the (two) Wandering Ascetics

Silakkhandha Vagga, Digha Nikaya, Suttanta Pitaka

      1. Thus have I heard:

      Once the Bhagava¹ (the Exalted One) made a long journey from Rajagaha to Nalanda with a large company of bhikkhus² numbering five hundred. Suppiya, a wandering ascetic, was also making a long journey from Rajagaha to Nalanda together with his pupil, the youth Brahmadatta.

      In the course of the journey Suppiya, the wander ing ascetic, maligned the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Samgha in many ways. The youth Brahmadatta, the pupil of Suppiya, however, praised the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Samgha in many ways. Thus the teacher and the pupil, each saying things directly contradictory to the other, followed behind the Bhagava and the company of bhikkhus.

      2. Then the Bhagava went up to the King's Rest House at the Ambalatthika garden to put up there with his company of bhikkhus for one night. The wandering ascetic, Suppiya, approached the same Rest House with his pupil, the youth Brahmadatta, to put up there for one night. At the garden also, the wandering ascetic, Suppiya, maligned the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Samgha in many ways, whereas his pupil, the youth Brahmadatta, praised tho Buddha, the Dhamma and the Samgha in many ways. And in this manner the teachcr and the pupil were each saying things directly contradictory to the other.

      3. Then, as the night ended and the day dawned, the bhikkhus congregated in the pavilion when the following conversation arose: "Friends! How wonderful!

      And, indeed, how marvellous, friends, that what has never happened before has now happened! The Exalted One, the All-knowing, the All-seeing, the Homage-worthy, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened, understands with clear penetration the varied dispositions of sentient beings. (As an example of how there are varied dispositions of sentient beings, the bhikkhus continued to say:)³ This wandering ascetic, Suppiya, maligned the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Samgha in many ways, whereas his pupil, the youth Brahmadatta., praised the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Samgha in many ways. The teacher and the pupil, each saying things directly contradictory to the other, followed behind the Bhagava and the company of bhikkhus."

      4. The Bhagava, knowing the subject of their talk⁴ , came to the pavilion, took the seat prepared for him and asked: "Bhikkhus! What were you talking about as you are assembled here? What was the subject of your unfinished conversation before I came?" On thus being questioned, the bhikkhus told the Bhagava thus:

      "Venerable Sir! As the night ended and the day dawned, we congregated in this pavilion and the following conversation arose:

      'Friends! How wonderful! And, indeed, how marvellous, friends, that what has never happened before has now happened! The Exalted One, the All-knowing, the All-seeing, the Homage-Worthy, the Perfectly Self-Enlight ened, understands with clear penetration the varied dispositions of sentient beings. This wandering ascetic, Suppiya, maligned the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Samgha in many ways, whereas his pupil, the youth Brahmadat ta, praised the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Samgha in many ways. The teacher and the pupil, each say ing things directly contradictory to the other, followed behind the Bhagava and the company of bhikkhus."

      "This, Venerable Sir, was the unfinished conversation before the Bhagava came in.

      5. Bhikkhus! if others should malign the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Samgha, you must not feel resentment, nor displeasure, nor anger on that account.

      Bhikkhus! If you feel angry or displeased when others malign the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Samgha, it will only be harmful to you (because then you will not be able to practise the dhamma).

      Bhikkhus! If you feel angry or displeased when others malign the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Samgha, will you be able to discriminatc their good speech from bad?

      "No, indeed, Venerable Sir!" said the bhikkhus.

      If others malign me or the Dhamma, or the Samgha, you should explain (to them what is false as false, saying 'It is not so. It is not true. It is, indeed, not thus with us. Such fault is not to be found among us.'

      6. Bhikkhus! If others should praise the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Samgha, you should not, feel pleased, or delighted, or elated on that account.

      Bhikkhus! If you feel pleased, or delighted, or elated, when others praise me, or the Dhamma, or the Samgha, it will only be harmful to you.⁵

      Bhikkhus! If others praise me, or the Dhamma, or the Samgha, you should admit what is true as true, saying 'It is so. It is true. It is, indeed, thus with us. In fact, it is to be found among us.'

      1. Bhagava: This is the most frequently used appellation of the Buddha in the Suttanta Pitaka.

      2. Bhikkhus: A bhikkhu is a member of the Buddhist Order (the Samgha).

      3. As explained in the Commentary.

      4. The Buddha, through his faculty of knowing other people's minds and through his omniscience, already knew all that had happened and all that had been discussed in his absence. But it was customary for him to ask the bhikkhus or lay disciples what they had been discussing, as an introduction to a discourse he would give on the subject.

      5. Feeling of pleasure or delight due to faith in and devotion to the Buddha is meritorious (kusala dhamma). But when the feeling of pleasure or delight is tainted with personal attachment to the Buddha, it becomes demeritorious (akusala dhamma). Thus it will be an obstacle in practising the dhamma,and will be harmful to the striving for jhana, magga, phala.

     Part 1: Paribbajaka katha: about the (two) Wandering Ascetics