Aṅguttara Nikāya
Pañcaka-Nipāta
XX. Brāhmaṇa Vagga

The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Fives
Chapter XX: The Brāman

Sutta 194

Kāraṇapāli Suttaɱ

Brāhman Kāraṇapālin

Translated by E. M. Hare

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[171]

[1] Thus have I heard:

The Exalted One was once dwelling near Vesālī,
at the Gabled Hall,
in Mahāvana.

Now at that time brāhman Karaṇapālin^[1]
built a building for the Licchavis.

And brāhman [172] Kāraṇapālin
saw brāhman Piṅgiyānin^[2] some way off,
coming along;
and on seeing him (approach), he said:

'Pray^[3] now,
whence comes his honour Piṅgiyānin
so early in the day?

'I am come here, sir,
from the presence of the recluse Gotama.'

'Well, what thinks his honour Piṅgiyānin
of the recluse Gotama's clarity in wisdom;^[4]
does he think him a wise man?'^[5]

'But who am I [to him], sir;
and who am I to judge of his clarity?

Is it not one who is like him
that can alone judge
the recluse Gotama's clarity in wisdom?

'Lofty indeed is the praise
with which his honour Piṅgiyānin
praises the recluse Gotama.'

'But who am I [to him], sir;
and who am I to praise the recluse Gotama?

Verily, praised by the praised^[6]
is his honour Gotama,
chief among devas and men.'

'But what good thing
does his honour Piṅgiyānin see
to have so great faith in the recluse Gotama?

'Just,^[7] sir, as a man,
well satisfied with some choice savour,
longs not for other savours that are mean;
even so, sir, whenever one hears his honour Gotama's Dhamma,
whether in the sayings,
the psalms,
the catechisms
or the marvels —
none longs for the talks of others:
the many-folk,
recluses
or brāhmans.

[173] Just,^[8] sir, as a man,
overcome by hunger and weakness,
may come upon a honey cake and,
whenever he taste,
enjoy the sweet, delicious savour;
even so, sir, whenever one hears his honour Gotama's Dhamma,
whether in the sayings,
psalms,
catechisms
or marvels —
he wins elation,^[9]
wins serenity of mind.

Just, sir, as a man may come upon a stick of sandalwood,
yellow or red, and,
wherever he smell,
at the root,
in the middle,
at the top —
may come upon an exceeding fair,
delicious smell:
even so, sir, whenever one hears his honour Gotama's Dhamma,
whether in the sayings,
psalms,
catechisms
or marvels —
he finds joy,
finds happiness.

Just,^[10] sir, as a clever physician
might in a trice
take away the sickness
of one sick and ailing,
grievously ill;
even so, sir, whenever one hears his honour Gotama's Dhamma,
whether in the sayings,
psalms,
catechisms
or marvels —
grief,
lamentation,
suffering,
sorrow
and despair
vanish away.

Just,^[10] sir, as a man,
tortured by heat,
by heat forspent,
wearied,
craving
and thirsty,
might come to a pool,
clear,
sweet,
cool,
limpid,
a lovely resting-place,
and might plunge therein,
bathe and drink,
and allay all woe,
fatigue
and fret;
even so, sir, whenever one hears his honour Gotama's Dhamma,
whether in the sayings,
psalms,
catechisms
or marvels —
all woe,
fatigue
and fret
is wholly allayed.'

And when he had thus spoken,
brāhman Karaṇapalin arose from his seat,
arranged his upper robe on his shoulder,
set his right knee on the ground,
and, bending forth his outstretched hands
towards the Exalted One,
three times uttered this utterance:^[11]

'Honour to him, the Exalted One, arahant, fully enlightened.

Honour to him, the Exalted One, arahant, fully enlightened.

Honour to Mm, the Exalted One, arahant, fully enlightened.'

(Then said he:)

'Wonderful is it, Master Piṅgiyānin, [174]
wonderful is it, Master Piṅgiyānin!|| ||

'Tis just as if one had set upright a thing toppled over,
opened out a covered thing,
showed a blind man along the road,
brought an oil lamp into the dark,
so that those that had eyes could see objects —
it is just thus that Dhamma has been blazed^[12] abroad by his honour Piṅgiyānin in manifold ways.

'I, too,^[13] Master Piṅgiyānin,
go to that exalted Gotama for refuge,
to Dhamma
and to the monk-Order;
let his honour Piṅgiyānin look upon me as a lay-disciple,
to that refuge gone,
henceforth as long as life lasts!'

^[1] I cannot find mention of this brāhman elsewhere; Comy. observes that he built buildings for rajahs' families; getting up early, he was having the unfinished walls of a gateway built; he (also) looked after the feeding of the aged. The text reads 'Licchavīnaɱ kammantaɱ kāreti'; according to Childers (quoting Senart's Kaccāyanappakaraṇaɱ) kāreti with acc. and gen. means: he causes someone (gen.) to do something (acc.); see his Dict. s.v.

^[2] Nor cam I trace this brāhman elsewhere except in the next sutta; Comy. observes that he was established in the fruit of a Non-returner.

^[3] All this to the similes recurs at M. i, 175; ii, 208 of others. The br. K. addresses br. P. by bhavaɱ and after conversion by bho, speaking of the B. as samana firstly, latterly as bhavantaɱ (so S.e. but v.l. bhagavantaɱ); br. P. addresses br. K. by bho, speaking of the B. as samaṇa and bhavaɱ.

^[4] Paññāveyyattiya.

^[5] Our text, S.e. and M. ii maññe-ti, but M. i and our Comy. maññati, explaining: 'bhavaɱ P. samaṇaɱ Gotamaɱ paṇḍito ti maññati, udāhu no?'

^[6] Pasattha-pasattho. Lord Chalmers: 'praise upon praise is his,' but our Comy. instances, among others, Pasenadi, Bimbisāra, Cankī, Visākhā, Sakka, Brahmā, observing: pasatthehi va pasattho-ti pi, pasatthapasattho.

^[7] Cf. Psalm cvii, 9 for a similar sentiment.

^[8] This recurs at M. i, 114; Cf. Psalm xxxiv, 8; our text should read sādu-rasaɱ or sāduɱ with M.

^[9] Attamanatā, with Bu., but see P.E.D.

^[10] Cf. above, § 162.

^[11] Cf. M. ii, 209; D. ii, 288.

^[12] Pakāsito

^[13] Es'ahaɱ