SN 1–11 The Group of Connected Discourses With Verses – Sagāthāvaggasaṁyutta > SN 7 Connected Discourses with Brahmins – Brāhmaṇasaṁyutta > SN 7.20 A Beggar

Linked Discourses 7.20 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 7.20

2. Lay Followers – 2. Upāsakavagga

SN 7.20 A Beggar – Bhikkhakasutta

At Sāvatthī.

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Then a begging brahmin went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him.

Atha kho bhikkhako brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi.

When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha,

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho bhikkhako brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Master Gotama, both you and I are beggars. What, then, is the difference between us?”

“ahampi kho, bho gotama, bhikkhako, bhavampi bhikkhako, idha no kiṁ nānākaraṇan”ti?

“You don’t become a beggar

“Na tena bhikkhako hoti,

just by begging from others.

yāvatā bhikkhate pare;

One who has undertaken domestic duties

Vissaṁ dhammaṁ samādāya,

has not yet become a bhikkhu.

bhikkhu hoti na tāvatā.

But one living a spiritual life

Yodha puññañca pāpañca,

who has banished both merit and evil,

bāhitvā brahmacariyaṁ;

and wanders having assessed the world,

Saṅkhāya loke carati,

is said to be a bhikkhu.”

sa ve bhikkhūti vuccatī”ti.

When he had spoken, the begging brahmin said to the Buddha,

Evaṁ vutte, bhikkhako brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Excellent, Master Gotama! Excellent! …

“abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe…

From this day forth, may Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”

upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.