Dhānañjānisuttaṃ – To The Brahmin Dhānanjāni

MAJJHIMA NIKĀYA II
II. 5. 7. Dhānañjānisuttaṃ
(97) To the Brahmin Dhānanjāni

I heard thus. At one time the Blessed One was living in the squirrels’ sanctuary in the bamboo grove in Rājagaha. At that time venerable Sāriputta was touring the southern hilly regions with a large community of bhikkhus. A certain bhikkhu who had spent the rains in Rajagaha approached venerable Sāriputta and exchanged friendly greetings and sat on side.

Venerable Sāriputta asked him. ‘Venerable one, is the Blessed One without ailments and has he a light living?’

“Yes, venerable one, the Blessed One is without ailments and has a light living.’

“How is the Community of bhikkhus, are they without ailments, and with a light living?’

“Yes, venerable one, the Community of bhikkhus, too are without ailments and they too have a light living.’

“Venerable one, there is the Brahmin Dhānanjāni, who has power over fields and grains. Is he without ailments and in good health?’

“The Brahmin Dhānanjāni is powerful and in good health.’

“How is he living diligently?’

“Venerable one where’s diligence to the Brahmin Dhānanjāni? On account of the kings he plunders the Brahmin householders. On account of the Brahmin householders he plunders the kings. His wife who had faith, brought from a family, which had faith in the Blessed One, has died. Now he has brought a wife from a family, which has no faith and she has not faith.’

“We heard something that should not be heard, about the negligence of the Brahmin Dhānanjāni. Indeed we should meet the brahamin Dhānanjāni and have a conversation about this.’

Venerable Sāriputta abiding as long as he wished in the southern hilly regions, left on a tour to reach Rajagaha in stages. Venerable Sāriputta was then abiding in the squirrels’ sanctuary in the bamboo grove in Rajagaha. Venerable Sāriputta put on robes in the morning and taking bowl and robes entered Rajagaha for alms. At that time the Brahmin Dhānanjāni was milking the cows out side the city close to it. Venerable Sāriputta having gone the alms round, and after the meal was over approached the Brahmin Dhānanjāni. The Brahmin, seeing venerable Sāriputta approaching in the distance said. ‘Good sir, Sāriputta, there is milk, the time to partake has not elapsed yet,’

“Useless, Brahmin, I have finished with today’s meal, I will be spending the day under that tree come there.’

The Brahmin Dhānanjāni agreeing, after partaking his meal approached venerable Sāriputta, exchanged friendly greetings and sat on a side. Then venerable Sāriputta asked. ‘Brahmin, do you live diligently?’

“Good, sir, Sāriputta, where is diligence to me. I have to support my mother and father, sons and wife, my servants and workmen. I have to do what should be done for my friends and co-associates. I have to do what should be done for my blood relations and guests. I have to think of those who are dead and gone. Have to attend to the needs of recluses and Brahmins. Have to see to the needs of the king, and also please myself.’

“Dhānanjāni, a certain person for the purpose of supporting mother and father was unvirtuous and misbehaved himself. He was pulled along to hell by the warders on account of misbehaving and lack of virtues. If he told the warders, I was unvirtuous and misbehaved to support my mother and father, would he be spared by the warders of hell? Or if the mother and father said, this one was unvirtuous and misbehaved for the purpose of supporting us, would he be spared? ‘Good sir, Sāriputta, they would not spare, they would pull him. along even when wailing,’

If he told the warders, I was unvirtuous and misbehaved to support my sons and wife, would he be spared by the warders of hell? Or if the wife and children said, this one was unvirtuous and misbehaved for the purpose of supporting us, would he be spared?’

“Good sir, Sāriputta, they would not spare, they would pull him along even when wailing,’

If he told the warders, I was unvirtuous and misbehaved to support my servants and workmen, would he be spared by the warders of hell? Or if the servants and workmen said, this one was unvirtuous and misbehaved for the purpose of supporting us, would he be spared? ‘Good sir, Sāriputta, they would not spare, they would pull him along even when wailing.’

If he told the warders, I was unvirtuous and misbehaved to support my friends and blood relations, would he be spared by the warders of hell? Or if the friends and blood relations said, this one was unvirtuous and misbehaved for the purpose of supporting us, would he be spared?’

“Good sir, Sāriputta, they would not spare, they would pull along even when wailing.’

If he told the warders, I was unvirtuous and misbehaved to support my guests would he be spared by the warders of hell? Or if the guests said, this one was unvirtuous and misbehaved for the purpose of supporting us, would he be spared?

“Good sir, Sāriputta, they would not spare, they would pull him along even when wailing.’

If he told the warders, I was unvirtuous and misbehaved to give gifts to my dead and gone, would he be spared by the warders of hell? Or if they said, this one was unvirtuous and misbehaved on account of us, would he be spared?’

“Good sir, Sāriputta, they would not spare, they would pull him along even when wailing.’

If he told the warders, I was unvirtuous and misbehaved to attend on the recluses and brahmins, would he be spared by the warders of hell? Or if the recluses and brahmins said, this one was unvirtuous and misbehaved for the purpose of supporting us, would he be spared?

“Good sir, Sāriputta, they would not spare, they would pull him along even when wailing.’

If he told the warders, I was unvirtuous and misbehaved, doing the duties of the king, would the warders of hell spare him? Or if the king said, this one was unvirtuous and misbehaved doing my duties, would he be spared?’

“Good sir, Sāriputta, they would not spare, they would pull him along even when wailing.’

“Dhānanjāni, a certain person for the purpose of growing the self and pleasing it was unvirtuous and misbehaved himself. He was pulled along to hell by the warders on account of misbehaving and lack of virtues. If he told the warders, I was unvirtuous and misbehaved to grow myself and please it, would the warders of hell spare him? Or if the others said, this one was unvirtuous and misbehaved trying to grow the self and please it, would he be spared? ‘Good sir, Sāriputta, they would not spare, they would pull him along even when wailing.’

“Dhānanjāni, What is superior to be unvirtuous and misbehaved to support mother and father or to support them become virtuous with right conduct?’

“Good sir Sāriputta, supporting mother and father become virtuous with right conduct is superior to lack of virtues and misbehaviour. Virtues and right conduct is superior to lack of virtues and misbehaviour.’

“Dhānanjāni, there is a rightful livelihood, doing which you could support mother and father and accumulate merit. What is superior to be unvirtuous and misbehaved to support sons and wife or to support them become virtuous with right conduct?’

“Good sir Sāriputta, supporting sons and wife become virtuous with right conduct is superior to lack of in virtues and misbehaviour. Virtues and right conduct is superior to lack of virtues and misbehaviour.’

“Dhānanjāni, there is a rightful livelihood, doing which you could support sons and wife and accumulate merit. What is superior to be unvirtuous and misbehaved to support slaves and workmen or to support them become virtuous with right conduct?’

“Good sir Sāriputta, supporting slaves and workmen become virtuous with right conduct is superior to lack of virtues and misbehaviour. Virtues and right conduct is superior to lack of virtues and misbehaviour.’

“Dhānanjāni, there is a rightful livelihood, doing which you could support slaves and workmen and accumulate merit. What is superior to be unvirtuous and misbehaved to care for friends and co-associates or to care for them become virtuous with right conduct?’

“Good sir Sāriputta, to care for friends and co-associates become virtuous with right conduct is superior to lack of virtues and misbehaviour. Virtues and right conduct is superior to lack of virtues and misbehaviour.’

“Dhānanjāni, there is a rightful livelihood, doing which you could care for friends and co-associates and accumulate merit. What is superior to be unvirtuous and misbehaved to support blood relations or to support them become virtuous with right conduct?’

“Good sir Sāriputta, to support blood relations become virtuous with right conduct is superior to lack of virtues and misbehaviour. Virtues and right conduct is superior to lack of virtues and misbehaviour.’

“Dhānanjāni, there is a rightful livelihood, doing which you could care for blood relations, do what should be done and accumulate merit. What is superior to be unvirtuous and misbehaved to wait on guests or to support them become virtuous with right conduct?’

“Good sir Sāriputta, to attend to the needs of guests, become virtuous with right conduct is superior than waiting on them lacking in virtues and misbehaving. Virtues and right conduct is superior to lack of virtues and misbehaviour.’

“Dhānanjāni, there is a rightful livelihood, doing which you could attend to the needs of guests and accumulate merit. What is superior to be unvirtuous and misbehaved to give gifts to the dead and gone or to become virtuous with right conduct and give gifts to the dead and gone?’

“Good sir Sāriputta, to give gifts to the dead and gone become virtuous with right conduct is superior to lack of virtues and misbehaviour. Virtues and right conduct is superior to lack of virtues and misbehaviour.’

“Dhānanjāni, there is a rightful livelihood, doing which you could give gifts to the dead and gone and accumulate merit. What is superior to be unvirtuous and misbehaved to care for recluses and Brahmins or to care for them become virtuous with right conduct?’

“Good sir Sāriputta, to care for recluses and Brahmins become virtuous with right conduct is superior to lack of virtues and misbehaviour. Virtues and right conduct is superior to lack of virtues and misbehaviour.’

“Dhānanjāni, there is a rightful livelihood, doing which you could care for recluses and Brahmins and accumulate merit. What is superior to be unvirtuous and misbehaved to serve the king or to become virtuous with right conduct and serve him?’

“Good sir Sāriputta, to serve the king become virtuous with right conduct is superior to lack of virtues and misbehaviour. Virtues and right conduct is superior to lack of virtues and misbehaviour.’

“Dhānanjāni, there is a rightful livelihood, doing which you could serve the king and accumulate merit. What is superior to be unvirtuous and misbehaved to embellish and and grow the self or to become virtuous with right conduct to embellish and grow the self?’

“Good sir Sāriputta, to embellish and grow the self, become virtuous with right conduct is superior to lack of virtues and misbehaviour. Virtues and right conduct is superior to lack of virtues and misbehaviour.’

“Dhānanjāni, there is a rightful livelihood, doing which you could embellish and grow the self and accumulate merit.

The brahmln Dhānanjāni approving and delighting in the words of venerable Sāriputta, got up from his seat and went away.

After some time the Brahmin Dhānanjāni was seriously ill. He called a certain man and said. ‘Come, good man, approach the Blessed One and worship the Blessed One for my sake, with your head at his feet, then tell the Blessed One, venerable sir the Brahmin Dhānanjāni is seriously ill. He said, that he worships the feet of the Blessed One with his head at the feet of the Blessed One. Then approach venerable Sāriputta and worship venerable Sāriputta for my sake, with your head at his feet, then tell venerable Sāriputta, sir, the Brahmin, Dhānanjāni is seriously ill. He worships the feet of venerable Sāriputta with his head at the feet. He also says. Good, if venerable Sāriputta could approach the Brahmin Dhānanjāni out of compassion,’

That man agreeing, approached the Blessed One, worshipped the feet of the Blessed One with his head at the feet and sat on a side. Then he said. ‘Venerable sir, the Brahmin Dhānanjāni is seriously ill, and he worships the feet of the Blessed One with his head at the feet of the Blessed One, ‘ Then he approached venerable Sāriputta and worshipped the feet of venerable Sāriputta with his head at the feet of venerable Sāriputta, sitting on a side said. ‘Venerable sir, the Brahmin Dhānanjāni is seriously ill. He worships the feet of venerable Sāriputta with his head at your feet. He also says, it is good if venerable Sāriputta could approach the Brahmin Dhānanjāni out of compassion. Venerable Sāriputta agreed in silence. Then venerable SSāriputta put on robes and taking bowl and robes, approached the house of the Brahmin Dhānanjāni, and sat on the prepared seat. Venerable Sāriputta asked the Brahmin. ‘How are you feeling, would you survive? Are the unpleasant feelings decreasing or increasing? Are they increasing showing the end?’

“Good sir, Sāriputta, I’m feeling bad, will not survive. The unpleasant feelings increase, they increase up to the end. It is like a strong man was carving my top with the sharp edge of a sword. In this manner my top is disturbed with much air. Good sir Sāriputta,

I’m feeling bad, will not survive. The unpleasant feelings increase, they increase up to the end. It is like a strong man was giving a head wrap with a band. Like this there is a lot of pain, in my head.

Good sir Sāriputta, I’m feeling bad, will not survive. The unpleasant feelings increase, they increase up to the end. It is like a butcher, or his apprentice was carving my belly with a sharp butcher’s knife Like this a lot of air is disturbing my belly. Good sir Sāriputta, I’m feeling bad, will not survive. The unpleasant feelings increase, they increase up to the end. It is like two strong men were pulling along a weaker one with his hands and feet to a pit of burning embers and scorching him. Like this there is a lot of burning in my body. Good sir Sāriputta, I’m feeling bad, will not survive. The unpleasant feelings increase, they increase up to the end.’

“Dhānanjāni, what is better, birth in hell or in the animal world?

“Good sir, Sāriputta, the animal world is better than birth in hell.’

“Dhānanjāni, what is better, birth in the animal world or in the sphere of ghosts?’

“Good sir, Sāriputta, the sphere of ghosts is better than the animal world.’

“Dhānanjāni, what is better, birth in the sphere of ghosts, or birth as a human?’

“Good sir, Sāriputta, birth as a human is better than the sphere of ghosts.’

“Dhānanjāni, what is better, birth as a human or birth with the retinue of the guardian gods?’

“Good sir, Sāriputta, birth with the retinue of the guardian gods is better than human birth.’

“Dhānanjāni, what is better, birth with the retinue of the guardian gods or in the retinue of the thirty-three gods?’

“Good sir, Sāriputta, birth with the retinue of the thirty-three gods is better then birth with the guardian gods.’

“Dhānanjāni, what is better, birth with the Titan gods, or in the retinue of the thirty-three gods?’

“Good sir, Sāriputta, birth with the Titan gods is better, than birth with the retinue of the thirty-three gods.’

“Dhānanjāni, what is better, birth with the Titan gods, or with the happy gods?’

“Good sir, Sāriputta, birth with the happy gods is better than birth with Titan gods, ‘ .

“Dhānanjāni, what is better, birth with the gods of creation or with the gods of, lords of creations?’

“Good sir, Sāriputta, of the gods of creation, the lords of creations are superior.’

“Dhānanjāni, what is better, birth with the gods of the lords of creations, or the world of Brahmā?’

“Did good sir, Sāriputta, say, it is the world of Brahmā, is it the world of Brahmā?’

Then it occurred to venerable Sāriputta, these Brahmins intend to be born in the world of Brahmā. I will show him the path, to be born with Brahmā, and said. ‘DhānanjāniI will teach you the path to the world of Brahmā, listen carefully,’

The Brahmin Dhānanjāni agreed.

Venerable Sāriputta said. ‘Brahmin, this is the method to be born with Brahmā. Dhānanjāni. The bhikkhu pervades one direction with thoughts of loving kindness, so too the second, the third, the fourth, above, below, across, in every respect, in all circumstances, the entire world, is pervaded with the thought of loving kindness grown great and immeasurable without anger and ill will. Dhānanjāni this is the method to be born with Brahmā. Again Dhānanjāni, the bhikkhu pervades one direction with the thought of compassion, …re…. with intrinsic joy, …re… with equanimity, so too the second, the third, the fourth, above, below, across, in every respect, in all circumstances, the entire world, is pervaded with equanimity grown great and immeasurable without anger and ill will. Dhānanjāni this is the method to be born with Brahmā.’

“Then good sir Sāriputta, worship the feet of the Blessed One for my sake and also tell the Blessed One. ‘Venerable sir, the Brahmin Dhānanjāni is seriously ill. He worships the feet of the Blessed One.’

Venerable Sāriputta, established his consciousness in the lower brahmā world, when it should had been raised to a higher degree, got up from his seat and went away. Soon after venerable Sāriputta had gone away, the Brahmin Dhānanjāni died and was born in the world of Brahmā.

The Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus. ‘Bhikkhus, Sāriputta, has established the consciousness of the Brahmin Dhānanjāni for birth in the world of Brahmā, when he should have raised it to a higher degree, got up from his seat and came away.’

Venerable Sāriputta, approached the Blessed One, worshipped, sat on a side and said. ‘Venerable sir, the Brahmin Dhānanjāni is seriously ill and he said. ‘I worship the feet of the Blessed One with my head at the feet of the Blessed One.’

“Sāriputta, when the mind of the Brahmin Dhānanjāni, could have been raised to a higher degree, why did you establish it in the lower Brahmā world?’

“Venerable sir, it occurred to me thus these Brahmins intend to be born in the world of Brahmā. I will show him the path, to be born with Brahmā.’

Sāriputta, the Brahmin Dhānanjāni died and is born in the world of Brahmā.