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HIS ENEMIES
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speculation on the universe’ to be sure of me, Master Gotama, in speaking rightly that thing should be said; for I, Master Gotama, am so born . . . so skilled ...”
“Dona, those Brahmin-sages of old, mantramakers, mantra-sayers, whose ancient collection of mantra verses, hymns and sayings, Brahmins know every hymn, every say, every word the word, ever have the sayings said to wit: Atthaka, Vamaka, Vamadeva. Vassamitta, Yamadaggi, Angirasa, Bharadvaja, have declared: the Brahma-like, the deva-like, the bounded, the breaker of bounds, and fifthly, the Brahmin outcast, which of them, Dona, are you?”
“We know not of these five Brahmins, Master Gotama ; yet we know that we are Brahmins. It were well for me if Master Gotama would teach me Dhamma so that I may know of them five.”
“Then listen, Brahma, give heed and I will speak!”
“Yes sir,” replied he; and the Exalted One said:
“And how, Dona, becomes a Brahmin Brahmalike ?”
“Take the case, Dona, of a Brahmin who is well born on both sides, pure in descent as far back as seven generations, both of mother and father, unchallenged and without reproach in point of birth—he for eight and forty years leads to the Brahma-life of virginity, applying himself to the teacher’s fee for teaching according to Dhamma, not non-Dhamma.
“And what there is Dhamma, Dona? Never as ploughman nor trader nor cowherd nor bowman nor rajah’s man nor by any craft (to get his living), but solely by going about for alms, despising not the beggar’s bowl.
“And he hands over the teacher’s fee for teaching, has his hair-beard shaved off, dons the yellow robe and goes forth from the home to the homeless life.
“And thus gone forth, he abides in mind pervading with amity one world quarter, so a second,
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