Chapter XXVI - BRAHMANA VAGGA - The Brahmana

 

HARM NOT AN ARAHANT

Na brahmanassa pahareyya n'assa muncetha brahmano
Dhi brahmanassa hantaram tato dhi yassa muncati. [389]

AN ARAHANT DOES NOT RETALIATE

Na brahmanass' etada kinci seyyo yada nisedho manaso piyehi
Yato yato himsamano nivattati tato tato sammatimeva dukkham. [390]

XXVI: 07 No one should strike an Arahant

The Venerable Sariputta was often praised by many people for his patience and forbearance. His pupils usually said, 'Our teacher is a man of great patience and extreme endurance. If he is abused or even beaten by others, he does not lose his temper but remains calm and composed.' A certain brahmin holding wrong views declared he would provoke Sariputta into anger. When he saw Sariputta, on his almsround, he went and hit him on his back with his hand. Sariputta did not even look around to see who was the person who hit him, but proceeded on his way as if nothing had happened. The brahmin felt ashamed at what he had done. He got down on his knees at the feet of Sariputta, admitted his grevious mistake and asked for pardon. The brahmin then continued: 'Venerable Sir! Should you forgive me, kindly come to my house for almsfood.'

In the evening other bhikkhus reported to the Buddha that Sariputta had gone for almsfood to the house of a brahmin who had beaten him. Further they commented that the brahmin was sure to get bolder and he would soon be assaulting other bhikkhus also. The Buddha replied, 'Bhikkhus, a true brahmin does not beat another true brahmin, only an ordinary man or an ordinary brahmin would beat an Arahant in anger and ill-will.'