The Discourse about the Banyan Tree (UD1.4)

Thus I heard: At one time the Gracious One was dwelling near Uruvelā, on the bank of the river Nerañjarā, at the root of the Goatherds’ Banyan tree, in the first period after attaining Awakening. Then at that time the Gracious One was sitting in one cross-legged posture for seven days experiencing the happiness of freedom. Then with the passing of those seven days, the Gracious One arose from that concentration.

Then a certain brāhmaṇa who was by nature a grumbler went to the Gracious One, and after going, he exchanged greetings with the Gracious One. After exchanging courteous talk and greetings, he stood on one side. While stood on one side that brāhmaṇa said this to the Gracious One:

“To what extent, dear Gotama, is one a brāhmaṇa? And again what things make one a brāhmaṇa?”

Then the Gracious One, having understood the significance of it, on that occasion uttered this exalted utterance:

“That brāhmaṇa who has removed bad things,
Not grumbling, free from blemish, self-restrained,
With perfect understanding, and the spiritual life accomplished,
Righteously he might speak a word about the Brahman,
For him there is no arrogance anywhere in the world.”

Translated by Bhikkhu Ānandajoti from the Buddha Jayanthi Tripitaka text. Version 2.2, revised February 2008.

The text and translation, together with detailed notes and discussions, may be found in multiple formats on the translator’s website, Ancient Buddhist Texts.

Used by kind permission of Bhikkhu Ānandajoti.

The original translation was released under the following licence: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Bhikkhu Sujato.