Brāhmaṇadhammayāga Sutta

 

So said the Awakened One,

            the Arahant, as I heard it:

 

“Monks, I am a brahmin

devoted to charity, [1]

always giving with an open hand,

one who bears his last body, [2]

the unsurpassed physician,

the Surgeon of Dhamma.

 

And you are my true legitimate sons and daughters,

born of my mouth,

born of the Dhamma,

shaped by the Dhamma,

heirs of the Dhamma,

not heirs to material things. [3]

 

(1) There are two kinds of giving monks:

— The giving of material things

and the giving of Dhamma.

 

The most valuable kind of giving, monks, [4]

between the two,

 is the giving of Dhamma.

 

(2) There are two kinds of sharing monks:

— The sharing of material things

and the sharing of Dhamma.

 

The most valuable kind of sharing, monks,

between the two,

 is the sharing of Dhamma.

 

(3) There are two kinds of helping monks:

— Helping with material things

and helping with the Dhamma.

 

The most valuable kind of helping, monks,

between the two,

 is helping with the Dhamma.

 

(4) There are two kinds of charity monks: [5]

— Charity with material things

and the charity of Dhamma.

 

The most valuable kind of charity, monks,

between the two,

 is charity of Dhamma.“

 

 

This is what the Awakened One said.

Then he explained further:

 

 

“The Truth-Finder gives the Dhamma,

in a selfless sacrifice,

Empathetic towards all living beings,  [6]

 

That is the reason for beings’ deep respect,

for the foremost of beings,

amongst Devas and humans;

                        the one who has gone beyond beingness.”

 

 

This is what the Awakened One said, as I heard it.

 

 

[1] The PED makes a pertinent remark on the word ‘yācayogo’ and its use by the Buddha: “Freq. in ster. phrase mutta-cāga payata-pāṇī vossaggarata yāca-yoga dāna-saṁvibhāga-rata to denote great love of liberality.”

[2] Also found as ‘antimaṁ dehaṁ dhāreti.’ yācayogo sadā payatapāṇi antimadehadharo anuttaro bhisakko sallakatto. 

[3] Tassa me tumhe puttā orasā mukhato jātā dhammajā dhammanimmitā dhammadāyādā, no āmisadāyādā. As in vedic expression bramanimmitta…

[4] Etadaggaṁ

[5] Dvemāni, bhikkhave, dānāni— Dveme saṁvibhāgā— Dveme anuggahā— Dveme yāgā—

[6] “Yo dhammayāgaṁ ayajī amaccharī,Tathāgato sabbabhūtānukampī;