Exploring the Path - Pāli Course

This short sutta, concludes with the same verses as presented in the previous lesson¹ and is found in Aṅguttaranikāyo in the chapter of ‘ten’, the Dasakanipātapāḷi.

Here the Buddha replies to a Brāhmin by the name of Saṅgārava who quite regularly visits the Buddha with some concern or question². The Buddha’s answer summarises the Eightfold Noble Path³ and offers a good opportunity to practice pronunciation and is fun to recite aloud.

The sutta like many others uses a common term of introduction here:

‘ … Atha kho yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā….’

which is a fixed phrase that describes the incidents of how and where someone approaches and addresses the Bhagavā. It is indicated by the relative and demonstrative pronouns: yene—tene: by what—by that. The commentary explains:

‘Where the—yena—Bhagavā was, there —tene— he approached.’

After the Buddha has been approached, greeted and one has sat down at one side —abhivādetvā ekamantaṃ nisīdi— the following opening phrase is used:

•      ‘… sammodanīyaṃ kathaṃ sārāṇīyaṃ vītisāretvā ekamantaṃ nisīdi …’— ‘…sat down after the exchange of friendly greetings and the pleasing exchange of remembrance of past experiences, reminiscent tales…’

Compared to this phrase one will find likewise the following introductory situations:

•      ‘… ekamantaṃ nisīdi …’ — ‘just sitting down on one side’

•      ‘… tenañjaliṃ paṇāmetvā ekamantaṃ nisīdi …’ — ‘sitting down with folded hands on one side’

•      ‘… nāmagottaṃ sāvetvā⁴ ekamantaṃ nisīdi …’  — ‘sitting down on one side by introducing one’s name’

•      ‘…tuṇhībhūtā ekamantaṃ nisīdi…’ — ‘sitting down on one side in silence’

In the current sutta, Brāhmin Saṅgārava, addresses the Buddha with the term: ‘bho’—‘friend, my dear’, which shows that as Brāhmin he felt superior⁵. The usual respectful address would have been ‘bhante’. In general ‘bho’ is used among equals, friends and address to inferiors. A similar address in between equals among Bhikkhus is ‘āvuso’.

The Brāhmins, who felt themselves the highest caste⁶ used to imply their own superiority by this address. Buddha always refuted the superiority of one caste over the other. Whoever may belong to a Khattiyā; Brāhmaṇā; Vessā, Suddā or a Caṇḍālā cast, whether one was superior or not was decided only by one’s wholesome or unwholesome actions of body, speech and mind. According to the Buddha whoever was to destroy the defilements and became an Arahant, regardless of which cast they were from, was made superior purely by their practice and the supreme virtue of Dhamma⁷.

At one time, when dwelling at Sāvatthi the Buddha arose after his meditation for a walk in the open and was then joined by the two Brāhmins, Vāseṭṭho and Bhāradvāja.⁸ Here a talk ensued where the Buddha explained to these two:

There is an interesting incident related in the Dhātuvibhaṅgasutta.¹⁴ Here the Buddha visits the former king Pukkusāti of Takkasila who went forth under the Bhagavā without ever having seen him. He had gained inspiration from the inscription on a golden plate that he had received as a present of king Bimbisāra. The engraving highlighted the qualities of the tiratana. The Buddha joined Pukkusāti, in Rājagaha, who was staying overnight in the ‘workshop’ —‘kumbhakārāvesane¹⁵’— of a potter named Bhaggava.¹⁶ As Pukkusāti didn’t know and recognise the Buddha he also addressed him as friend¹⁷ - but when he had realized it was the Buddha based on the profoundness of the exposition the Buddha gave, Pukkusāti bowed down and apologized for not having addressed the Buddha correctly and asked for forgiveness in the following way:

Here the Buddha accepts this apology and requests it to be used as groundwork rather than a mere confession. Insight into one’s wrongdoing along with strong determination to avoid any repetition in future is a rare opportunity and essential tool for anyone who realizes that he has done something wrong, called ‘vuddhi ariyassa vinaye’ — ‘Growth in the Noble One’s Discipline’: