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Mv I 2
PTS: Mv I 1.2 | CS: vin.mv.01.02
Ajapālakathā
"line by line"
The Discussion of the Goatherd’s (Banyan Tree)
by
Ven. Khematto Bhikkhu
Alternate translations/layout: reading layout

(Mv.I.2.1) [4] athakho bhagavā sattāhassa accayena tamhā samādhimhā vuṭṭhahitvā bodhirukkhamūlā yena ajapālanigrodho tenupasaṅkami upasaṅkamitvā ajapālanigrodharukkhamūle sattāhaṁ ekapallaṅkena nisīdi vimuttisukhapaṭisaṁvedī.

Then, with the passing of seven days, after emerging from that concentration, the Blessed One went from the root of the Bodhi tree — the tree of awakening — to the Goatherd’s Banyan tree, and sat at the root of the Goatherd’s Banyan tree for seven days in one session, sensitive to the bliss of release.

(Mv.I.2.2) athakho aññataro huṁhukajātiko brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sārāṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi.

Then a certain overbearing brahman went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with him. After an exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, he stood to one side.

ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho so brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca kittāvatā nu kho bho gotama brāhmaṇo hoti katame ca pana brāhmaṇakaraṇā dhammāti.

As he was standing there, he said to the Blessed One, “To what extent, Master Gotama, is one a brahman? And which are the qualities that make one a brahman?”

(Mv.I.2.3) athakho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi

Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:

yo brāhmaṇo bāhitapāpadhammo

nīhuṁhuko nikkasāvo yatatto

vedantagū vūsitabrahmacariyo

“Any brahman

who has banished evil qualities,[1]

— not overbearing,

not stained,

his mind controlled —

gone to the end of wisdom,[2]

the holy life completed:

dhammena so brahmavādaṁ vadeyya

yassussadā natthi kuhiñci loketi.

Rightly would that brahman

speak the holy teaching.

He has no swelling of pride[3]

anywhere in the world.” [Ud 1:4]

Ajapālanigrodhakathā niṭṭhitā.

The Discussion of the Goatherd’s Banyan Tree is finished.

Notes

1.
This line contains a wordplay on the words brāhmaṇa and bāhita (banished) – the same wordplay used in Dhp 388 and Ud 1.5.
2.
This line plays with the term vedanta, which can mean “end of wisdom,” “end of the Vedas,” or “supplement to the Vedas.” In the latter two cases, it would be a term referring to a brahman-by-birth who has studied all the Vedas and their supplements, but the Buddha is obviously giving this term a different meaning here.
3.
See Sn 4.10 and Sn 4.14.
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