sutta » an » an5 » Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.192

Doṇabrāhmaṇasutta

With the Brahmin Doṇa

Atha kho doṇo brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi.
Then Doṇa the brahmin went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him.

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho doṇo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
When the greetings and polite conversation were over, Doṇa sat down to one side, and said to the Buddha:

“Sutaṁ metaṁ, bho gotama:
“Mister Gotama, I have heard that

‘na samaṇo gotamo brāhmaṇe jiṇṇe vuḍḍhe mahallake addhagate vayoanuppatte abhivādeti vā paccuṭṭheti vā āsanena vā nimantetī’ti.
the ascetic Gotama doesn’t bow to old brahmins, the elderly and senior, who are advanced in years and have reached the final stage of life; nor does he rise in their presence or offer them a seat.

Tayidaṁ, bho gotama, tatheva.
And this is indeed the case,

Na hi bhavaṁ gotamo brāhmaṇe jiṇṇe vuḍḍhe mahallake addhagate vayoanuppatte abhivādeti vā paccuṭṭheti vā āsanena vā nimanteti.
for Mister Gotama does not bow to old brahmins, elderly and senior, who are advanced in years and have reached the final stage of life; nor does he rise in their presence or offer them a seat.

Tayidaṁ, bho gotama, na sampannamevā”ti.
This is not appropriate, Mister Gotama.”

“Tvampi no, doṇa, brāhmaṇo paṭijānāsī”ti?
“Doṇa, do you too claim to be a brahmin?”

“Yañhi taṁ, bho gotama, sammā vadamāno vadeyya:
“Mister Gotama, if anyone should be rightly called

‘brāhmaṇo ubhato sujāto—
a brahmin, it’s me.

mātito ca pitito ca, saṁsuddhagahaṇiko, yāva sattamā pitāmahayugā akkhitto anupakkuṭṭho jātivādena, ajjhāyako mantadharo, tiṇṇaṁ vedānaṁ pāragū sanighaṇḍukeṭubhānaṁ sākkharappabhedānaṁ itihāsapañcamānaṁ, padako veyyākaraṇo lokāyatamahāpurisalakkhaṇesu anavayo’ti, mameva taṁ, bho gotama, sammā vadamāno vadeyya.

Ahañhi, bho gotama, brāhmaṇo ubhato sujāto—

mātito ca pitito ca, saṁsuddhagahaṇiko, yāva sattamā pitāmahayugā akkhitto anupakkuṭṭho jātivādena, ajjhāyako mantadharo, tiṇṇaṁ vedānaṁ pāragū sanighaṇḍukeṭubhānaṁ sākkharappabhedānaṁ itihāsapañcamānaṁ, padako veyyākaraṇo lokāyatamahāpurisalakkhaṇesu anavayo”ti.
For I am well born on both my mother’s and father’s side, of pure descent, with irrefutable and impeccable genealogy back to the seventh paternal generation. I recite and remember the hymns, and have mastered the three Vedas, together with their vocabularies and ritual performance, their phonology and word classification, and the testaments as fifth. I know them word-by-word, and their grammar. I am well versed in cosmology and the marks of a great man.”

“Ye kho te, doṇa, brāhmaṇānaṁ pubbakā isayo mantānaṁ kattāro mantānaṁ pavattāro, yesamidaṁ etarahi brāhmaṇā porāṇaṁ mantapadaṁ gītaṁ pavuttaṁ samihitaṁ tadanugāyanti tadanubhāsanti bhāsitamanubhāsanti sajjhāyitamanusajjhāyanti vācitamanuvācenti, seyyathidaṁ—aṭṭhako, vāmako, vāmadevo, vessāmitto, yamadaggi, aṅgīraso, bhāradvājo, vāseṭṭho, kassapo, bhagu;
“Doṇa, the ancient brahmin seers were Aṭṭhaka, Vāmaka, Vāmadeva, Vessāmitta, Yamadaggi, Aṅgīrasa, Bhāradvāja, Vāseṭṭha, Kassapa, and Bhagu. They were the authors and propagators of the hymns, whose hymnal was sung and propagated and compiled in ancient times. These days, brahmins continue to sing and chant it. They continue chanting what was chanted, reciting what was recited, and teaching what was taught.

tyāssume pañca brāhmaṇe paññāpenti—
Those seers described five kinds of brahmins.

brahmasamaṁ, devasamaṁ, mariyādaṁ, sambhinnamariyādaṁ, brāhmaṇacaṇḍālaṁyeva pañcamaṁ.
A brahmin who is equal to the Divinity, one who is equal to a god, one who toes the line, one who crosses the line, and the fifth is a brahmin corpse-worker.

Tesaṁ tvaṁ doṇa, katamo”ti?
Which one of these are you, Doṇa?”

“Na kho mayaṁ, bho gotama, pañca brāhmaṇe jānāma, atha kho mayaṁ brāhmaṇātveva jānāma.
“Mister Gotama, we don’t know about these five kinds of brahmins. We just know the word ‘brahmin’.

Sādhu me bhavaṁ gotamo tathā dhammaṁ desetu yathā ahaṁ ime pañca brāhmaṇe jāneyyan”ti.
Mister Gotama, please teach me this matter so I can learn about these five brahmins.”

“Tena hi, brāhmaṇa, suṇohi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi; bhāsissāmī”ti.
“Well then, brahmin, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

“Evaṁ, bho”ti kho doṇo brāhmaṇo bhagavato paccassosi.
“Yes sir,” Doṇa replied.

Bhagavā etadavoca:
The Buddha said this:

“Kathañca, doṇa, brāhmaṇo brahmasamo hoti?
“Doṇa, how is a brahmin equal to the Divinity?

Idha, doṇa, brāhmaṇo ubhato sujāto hoti—
It’s when a brahmin is well born on both the mother’s and the father’s sides, coming from a clean womb back to the seventh paternal generation, with irrefutable and impeccable genealogy.

mātito ca pitito ca, saṁsuddhagahaṇiko, yāva sattamā pitāmahayugā akkhitto anupakkuṭṭho jātivādena.

So aṭṭhacattālīsavassāni komārabrahmacariyaṁ carati mante adhīyamāno.
For forty-eight years he leads the boy’s spiritual life studying the hymns.

Aṭṭhacattālīsavassāni komārabrahmacariyaṁ caritvā mante adhīyitvā ācariyassa ācariyadhanaṁ pariyesati dhammeneva, no adhammena.
Then he seeks a fee for his tutor, but only by legitimate means, not illegitimate.

Tattha ca, doṇa, ko dhammo?
In this context, Doṇa, what is legitimate?

Neva kasiyā na vaṇijjāya na gorakkhena na issatthena na rājaporisena na sippaññatarena, kevalaṁ bhikkhācariyāya kapālaṁ anatimaññamāno.
Not by farming, trade, raising cattle, archery, government service, or one of the professions, but solely by living on alms, not scorning the alms bowl.

So ācariyassa ācariyadhanaṁ niyyādetvā kesamassuṁ ohāretvā kāsāyāni vatthāni acchādetvā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajati.
Having offered the fee to his tutor, he shaves off his hair and beard, dresses in ocher robes, and goes forth from the lay life to homelessness.

So evaṁ pabbajito samāno mettāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṁ tathā tatiyaṁ tathā catutthaṁ, iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ mettāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā viharati.
Then they meditate spreading a heart full of love to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, they spread a heart full of love to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will.

Karuṇā …pe…
They meditate spreading a heart full of compassion …

muditā …
rejoicing …

upekkhāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṁ tathā tatiyaṁ tathā catutthaṁ, iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ upekkhāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā viharati.
equanimity to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, they spread a heart full of equanimity to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will.

So ime cattāro brahmavihāre bhāvetvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ brahmalokaṁ upapajjati.
Having developed these four divine meditations, when the body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a realm of divinity.

Evaṁ kho, doṇa, brāhmaṇo brahmasamo hoti.
That’s how a brahmin is equal to the Divinity.

Kathañca, doṇa, brāhmaṇo devasamo hoti?
And how is a brahmin equal to a god?

Idha, doṇa, brāhmaṇo ubhato sujāto hoti—
It’s when a brahmin is well born on both the mother’s and the father’s sides …

mātito ca pitito ca, saṁsuddhagahaṇiko, yāva sattamā pitāmahayugā akkhitto anupakkuṭṭho jātivādena.

So aṭṭhacattālīsavassāni komārabrahmacariyaṁ carati mante adhīyamāno.

Aṭṭhacattālīsavassāni komārabrahmacariyaṁ caritvā mante adhīyitvā ācariyassa ācariyadhanaṁ pariyesati dhammeneva, no adhammena.

Tattha ca, doṇa, ko dhammo?

Neva kasiyā na vaṇijjāya na gorakkhena na issatthena na rājaporisena na sippaññatarena, kevalaṁ bhikkhācariyāya kapālaṁ anatimaññamāno.

So ācariyassa ācariyadhanaṁ niyyādetvā dāraṁ pariyesati dhammeneva, no adhammena.
Having offered the fee to his tutor, he seeks a wife, but only by legitimate means, not illegitimate.

Tattha ca, doṇa, ko dhammo?
In this context, Doṇa, what is legitimate?

Neva kayena na vikkayena, brāhmaṇiṁyeva udakūpassaṭṭhaṁ.
Not by buying or selling, he only accepts a brahmin woman by the pouring of water.

So brāhmaṇiṁyeva gacchati, na khattiyiṁ na vessiṁ na suddiṁ na caṇḍāliṁ na nesādiṁ na veniṁ na rathakāriṁ na pukkusiṁ gacchati, na gabbhiniṁ gacchati, na pāyamānaṁ gacchati, na anutuniṁ gacchati.
He has sex only with a brahmin woman. He does not have sex with a woman from a family of aristocrats, peasants, menials, corpse-workers, hunters, bamboo-workers, chariot-makers, or scavengers. Nor does he have sex with women who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or outside the fertile phase of the menstrual cycle.

Kasmā ca, doṇa, brāhmaṇo na gabbhiniṁ gacchati?
And why does the brahmin not have sex with a pregnant woman?

Sace, doṇa, brāhmaṇo gabbhiniṁ gacchati, atimīḷhajo nāma so hoti māṇavako vā māṇavikā vā.
If a brahmin had sex with a pregnant woman, the boy or girl would be born in too much filth.

Tasmā, doṇa, brāhmaṇo na gabbhiniṁ gacchati.
That’s why the brahmin doesn’t have sex with a pregnant woman.

Kasmā ca, doṇa, brāhmaṇo na pāyamānaṁ gacchati?
And why does the brahmin not have sex with a breastfeeding woman?

Sace, doṇa, brāhmaṇo pāyamānaṁ gacchati, asucipaṭipīḷito nāma so hoti māṇavako vā māṇavikā vā.
If a brahmin had sex with a breastfeeding woman, the boy or girl would drink back the semen.

Tasmā, doṇa, brāhmaṇo na pāyamānaṁ gacchati.
That’s why the brahmin doesn’t have sex with a breastfeeding woman.

Tassa sā hoti brāhmaṇī neva kāmatthā na davatthā na ratatthā, pajatthāva brāhmaṇassa brāhmaṇī hoti.
And why does the brahmin not have sex outside the fertile phase of the menstrual cycle? Because his brahmin wife is not there for sensual pleasure, fun, and enjoyment, but only for procreation.

So methunaṁ uppādetvā kesamassuṁ ohāretvā kāsāyāni vatthāni acchādetvā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajati.
Having ensured his progeny through sex, he shaves off his hair and beard, dresses in ocher robes, and goes forth from the lay life to homelessness.

So evaṁ pabbajito samāno vivicceva kāmehi …pe… catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.
When he has gone forth, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, he enters and remains in the first absorption … second absorption … third absorption … fourth absorption.

So ime cattāro jhāne bhāvetvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati.
Having developed these four absorptions, when the body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.

Evaṁ kho, doṇa, brāhmaṇo devasamo hoti.
That’s how a brahmin is equal to god.

Kathañca, doṇa, brāhmaṇo mariyādo hoti?
And how does a brahmin toe the line?

Idha, doṇa, brāhmaṇo ubhato sujāto hoti—
It’s when a brahmin is well born on both the mother’s and the father’s sides …

mātito ca pitito ca, saṁsuddhagahaṇiko, yāva sattamā pitāmahayugā akkhitto anupakkuṭṭho jātivādena.

So aṭṭhacattālīsavassāni komārabrahmacariyaṁ carati mante adhīyamāno.

Aṭṭhacattālīsavassāni komārabrahmacariyaṁ caritvā mante adhīyitvā ācariyassa ācariyadhanaṁ pariyesati dhammeneva, no adhammena.

Tattha ca, doṇa, ko dhammo?

Neva kasiyā na vaṇijjāya na gorakkhena na issatthena na rājaporisena na sippaññatarena, kevalaṁ bhikkhācariyāya kapālaṁ anatimaññamāno.

So ācariyassa ācariyadhanaṁ niyyādetvā dāraṁ pariyesati dhammeneva, no adhammena.

Tattha ca, doṇa, ko dhammo?

Neva kayena na vikkayena, brāhmaṇiṁyeva udakūpassaṭṭhaṁ.
Not by buying or selling, he only accepts a brahmin woman by the pouring of water.

So brāhmaṇiṁyeva gacchati, na khattiyiṁ na vessiṁ na suddiṁ na caṇḍāliṁ na nesādiṁ na veniṁ na rathakāriṁ na pukkusiṁ gacchati, na gabbhiniṁ gacchati, na pāyamānaṁ gacchati, na anutuniṁ gacchati.

Kasmā ca, doṇa, brāhmaṇo na gabbhiniṁ gacchati?

Sace, doṇa, brāhmaṇo gabbhiniṁ gacchati, atimīḷhajo nāma so hoti māṇavako vā māṇavikā vā.

Tasmā, doṇa, brāhmaṇo na gabbhiniṁ gacchati.

Kasmā ca, doṇa, brāhmaṇo na pāyamānaṁ gacchati?

Sace, doṇa, brāhmaṇo pāyamānaṁ gacchati, asucipaṭipīḷito nāma so hoti māṇavako vā māṇavikā vā.

Tasmā, doṇa, brāhmaṇo na pāyamānaṁ gacchati.

Tassa sā hoti brāhmaṇī neva kāmatthā na davatthā na ratatthā, pajatthāva brāhmaṇassa brāhmaṇī hoti.

So methunaṁ uppādetvā tameva puttassādaṁ nikāmayamāno kuṭumbaṁ ajjhāvasati, na agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajati.
Having ensured his progeny through sex, his child makes him happy. Because of this attachment he stays in his family property, and does not go forth from the lay life to homelessness.

Yāva porāṇānaṁ brāhmaṇānaṁ mariyādo tattha tiṭṭhati, taṁ na vītikkamati.
As far as the line of the ancient brahmins extends, he doesn’t cross over it.

‘Yāva porāṇānaṁ brāhmaṇānaṁ mariyādo tattha brāhmaṇo ṭhito taṁ na vītikkamatī’ti, kho, doṇa, tasmā brāhmaṇo mariyādoti vuccati.
That’s why he’s called a brahmin who toes the line.

Evaṁ kho, doṇa, brāhmaṇo mariyādo hoti.
That’s how a brahmin toes the line.

Kathañca, doṇa, brāhmaṇo sambhinnamariyādo hoti?
And how does a brahmin cross the line?

Idha, doṇa, brāhmaṇo ubhato sujāto hoti—
It’s when a brahmin is well born on both the mother’s and the father’s sides …

mātito ca pitito ca, saṁsuddhagahaṇiko, yāva sattamā pitāmahayugā akkhitto anupakkuṭṭho jātivādena.

So aṭṭhacattālīsavassāni komārabrahmacariyaṁ carati mante adhīyamāno.

Aṭṭhacattālīsavassāni komārabrahmacariyaṁ caritvā mante adhīyitvā ācariyassa ācariyadhanaṁ pariyesati dhammeneva, no adhammena.

Tattha ca, doṇa, ko dhammo?

Neva kasiyā na vaṇijjāya na gorakkhena na issatthena na rājaporisena na sippaññatarena, kevalaṁ bhikkhācariyāya kapālaṁ anatimaññamāno.

So ācariyassa ācariyadhanaṁ niyyādetvā dāraṁ pariyesati dhammenapi adhammenapi kayenapi vikkayenapi brāhmaṇimpi udakūpassaṭṭhaṁ.
Having offered a fee for his tutor, he seeks a wife by both legitimate and illegitimate means. That is, by buying or selling, as well as accepting a brahmin woman by the pouring of water.

So brāhmaṇimpi gacchati khattiyimpi gacchati vessimpi gacchati suddimpi gacchati caṇḍālimpi gacchati nesādimpi gacchati venimpi gacchati rathakārimpi gacchati pukkusimpi gacchati gabbhinimpi gacchati pāyamānampi gacchati utunimpi gacchati anutunimpi gacchati.
He has sex with a brahmin woman, as well as with a woman from a family of aristocrats, peasants, menials, corpse-workers, hunters, bamboo workers, chariot-makers, or scavengers. And he has sex with women who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or outside the fertile phase of the menstrual cycle.

Tassa sā hoti brāhmaṇī kāmatthāpi davatthāpi ratatthāpi pajatthāpi brāhmaṇassa brāhmaṇī hoti.
His brahmin wife is there for sensual pleasure, fun, and enjoyment, as well as for procreation.

Yāva porāṇānaṁ brāhmaṇānaṁ mariyādo tattha na tiṭṭhati, taṁ vītikkamati.
As far as the line of the ancient brahmins extends, he crosses over it.

‘Yāva porāṇānaṁ brāhmaṇānaṁ mariyādo tattha brāhmaṇo na ṭhito taṁ vītikkamatī’ti kho, doṇa, tasmā brāhmaṇo sambhinnamariyādoti vuccati.
That’s why he’s called a brahmin who crosses the line.

Evaṁ kho, doṇa, brāhmaṇo sambhinnamariyādo hoti.
That’s how a brahmin crosses the line.

Kathañca, doṇa, brāhmaṇo brāhmaṇacaṇḍālo hoti?
And how is a brahmin a brahmin corpse-worker?

Idha, doṇa, brāhmaṇo ubhato sujāto hoti—
It’s when a brahmin is well born on both the mother’s and the father’s sides, coming from a clean womb back to the seventh paternal generation, with irrefutable and impeccable genealogy.

mātito ca pitito ca, saṁsuddhagahaṇiko, yāva sattamā pitāmahayugā akkhitto anupakkuṭṭho jātivādena.

So aṭṭhacattālīsavassāni komārabrahmacariyaṁ carati mante adhīyamāno.
For forty-eight years he leads the virginal spiritual life studying the hymns.

Aṭṭhacattālīsavassāni komārabrahmacariyaṁ caritvā mante adhīyitvā ācariyassa ācariyadhanaṁ pariyesati dhammenapi adhammenapi
Then he seeks a fee for his tutor by legitimate means and illegitimate means.

kasiyāpi vaṇijjāyapi gorakkhenapi issatthenapi rājaporisenapi sippaññatarenapi, kevalampi bhikkhācariyāya, kapālaṁ anatimaññamāno.
By farming, trade, raising cattle, archery, government service, or one of the professions, not solely by living on alms, not scorning the alms bowl.

So ācariyassa ācariyadhanaṁ niyyādetvā dāraṁ pariyesati dhammenapi adhammenapi kayenapi vikkayenapi brāhmaṇimpi udakūpassaṭṭhaṁ.
Having offered a fee for his tutor, he seeks a wife by both legitimate and illegitimate means. That is, by buying or selling, as well as accepting a brahmin woman by the pouring of water.

So brāhmaṇimpi gacchati khattiyimpi gacchati vessimpi gacchati suddimpi gacchati caṇḍālimpi gacchati nesādimpi gacchati venimpi gacchati rathakārimpi gacchati pukkusimpi gacchati gabbhinimpi gacchati pāyamānampi gacchati utunimpi gacchati anutunimpi gacchati.
He has sex with a brahmin woman, as well as with a woman from a family of aristocrats, peasants, menials, corpse-workers, hunters, bamboo workers, chariot-makers, or scavengers. And he has sex with women who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or outside the fertile phase of the menstrual cycle.

Tassa sā hoti brāhmaṇī kāmatthāpi davatthāpi ratatthāpi pajatthāpi brāhmaṇassa brāhmaṇī hoti.
His brahmin wife is there for sensual pleasure, fun, and enjoyment, as well as for procreation.

So sabbakammehi jīvikaṁ kappeti.
He earns a living by any kind of work.

Tamenaṁ brāhmaṇā evamāhaṁsu:
The brahmins say to him,

‘kasmā bhavaṁ brāhmaṇo paṭijānamāno sabbakammehi jīvikaṁ kappetī’ti?
‘My good man, why is it that you claim to be a brahmin, but you earn a living by any kind of work?’

So evamāha:
He says,

‘seyyathāpi, bho, aggi sucimpi ḍahati asucimpi ḍahati, na ca tena aggi upalippati;
‘It’s like a fire that burns both pure and filthy things, but doesn’t become corrupted by them.

evamevaṁ kho, bho, sabbakammehi cepi brāhmaṇo jīvikaṁ kappeti, na ca tena brāhmaṇo upalippati.
In the same way, my good man, if a brahmin earns a living by any kind of work, he is not corrupted by that.’

Sabbakammehi jīvikaṁ kappetī’ti kho, doṇa, tasmā brāhmaṇo brāhmaṇacaṇḍāloti vuccati.
A brahmin is called a brahmin corpse-worker because he earns a living by any kind of work.

Evaṁ kho, doṇa, brāhmaṇo brāhmaṇacaṇḍālo hoti.
That’s how a brahmin is a brahmin corpse-worker.

Ye kho te, doṇa, brāhmaṇānaṁ pubbakā isayo mantānaṁ kattāro mantānaṁ pavattāro yesamidaṁ etarahi brāhmaṇā porāṇaṁ mantapadaṁ gītaṁ pavuttaṁ samīhitaṁ tadanugāyanti tadanubhāsanti bhāsitamanubhāsanti sajjhāyitamanusajjhāyanti vācitamanuvācenti, seyyathidaṁ—aṭṭhako, vāmako, vāmadevo, vessāmitto, yamadaggi, aṅgīraso, bhāradvājo, vāseṭṭho, kassapo, bhagu;
Doṇa, the ancient brahmin seers were Aṭṭhaka, Vāmaka, Vāmadeva, Vessāmitta, Yamadaggi, Aṅgīrasa, Bhāradvāja, Vāseṭṭha, Kassapa, and Bhagu. They were the authors and propagators of the hymns, whose hymnal was sung and propagated and compiled in ancient times. These days, brahmins continue to sing and chant it. They continue chanting what was chanted, reciting what was recited, and teaching what was taught.

tyassume pañca brāhmaṇe paññāpenti—
Those seers described five kinds of brahmins.

brahmasamaṁ, devasamaṁ, mariyādaṁ, sambhinnamariyādaṁ, brāhmaṇacaṇḍālaṁyeva pañcamaṁ.
A brahmin who is equal to the Divinity, one who is equal to a god, one who toes the line, one who crosses the line, and the fifth is a brahmin corpse-worker.

Tesaṁ tvaṁ, doṇa, katamoti?
Which one of these are you, Doṇa?”

Evaṁ sante mayaṁ, bho gotama, brāhmaṇacaṇḍālampi na pūrema.
“This being so, Mister Gotama, I don’t even qualify as a brahmin corpse-worker.

Abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe… upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.
Excellent, Mister Gotama! … From this day forth, may Mister Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”

Dutiyaṁ.