1.1PTS 1.163Atha kho tikaṇṇo brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ …pe…Then Tikaṇṇa the brahmin went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him.1.2ekamantaṁ nisinno kho tikaṇṇo brāhmaṇo bhagavato sammukhā tevijjānaṁ sudaṁ brāhmaṇānaṁ vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati:Seated to one side, in front of the Buddha, Tikaṇṇa praised the brahmins who were proficient in the three Vedas,1.3“evampi tevijjā brāhmaṇā, itipi tevijjā brāhmaṇā”ti.“Such are the brahmins, masters of the three Vedic knowledges! Thus are the brahmins, masters of the three Vedic knowledges!”

2.1“Yathā kathaṁ pana, brāhmaṇa, brāhmaṇā brāhmaṇaṁ tevijjaṁ paññāpentī”ti?“But brahmin, how do the brahmins describe a brahmin who is master of the three Vedic knowledges?”

2.2“Idha, bho gotama, brāhmaṇo ubhato sujāto hoti mātito ca pitito ca, saṁsuddhagahaṇiko yāva sattamā pitāmahayugā, akkhitto anupakkuṭṭho jātivādena, ajjhāyako, mantadharo, tiṇṇaṁ vedānaṁ pāragū sanighaṇḍukeṭubhānaṁ sākkharappabhedānaṁ itihāsapañcamānaṁ, padako, veyyākaraṇo, lokāyatamahāpurisalakkhaṇesu anavayoti.“Worthy Gotama, it’s when a brahmin is well born on both his mother’s and father’s side, stemming from a clean vessel, with irrefutable and impeccable genealogy back to the seventh paternal generation. He recites and remembers the hymns, and has mastered the three Vedas, together with their vocabularies and ritual performance, their phonology and word classification, and the testaments as fifth. He knows them word-by-word, and their grammar. He is well versed in cosmology and the marks of a great man.2.3Evaṁ kho, bho gotama, brāhmaṇā brāhmaṇaṁ tevijjaṁ paññāpentī”ti.That’s how the brahmins describe a brahmin who is master of the three Vedic knowledges.”

3.1“Aññathā kho, brāhmaṇa, brāhmaṇā brāhmaṇaṁ tevijjaṁ paññāpenti, aññathā ca pana ariyassa vinaye tevijjo hotī”ti.“Brahmin, a master of three knowledges according to the brahmins is quite different from a master of the three knowledges in the training of the Noble One.”

3.2“Yathā kathaṁ pana, bho gotama, ariyassa vinaye tevijjo hoti?“But worthy Gotama, how is one a master of the three knowledges in the training of the Noble One?3.3Sādhu me bhavaṁ gotamo tathā dhammaṁ desetu yathā ariyassa vinaye tevijjo hotī”ti.Worthy Gotama, please teach me this.”

3.4“Tena hi, brāhmaṇa, suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi; bhāsissāmī”ti.“Well then, brahmin, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

3.5“Evaṁ, bho”ti kho tikaṇṇo brāhmaṇo bhagavato paccassosi.“Yes, worthy sir,” Tikaṇṇa replied.3.6Bhagavā etadavoca:The Buddha said this:

4.1PTS 1.164“Idha, brāhmaṇa, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.“Brahmin, it’s when a mendicant, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected.4.2Vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ cetaso ekodibhāvaṁ avitakkaṁ avicāraṁ samādhijaṁ pītisukhaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.As the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, they enter and remain in the second absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of immersion, with internal clarity and mind at one, without placing the mind and keeping it connected.4.3Pītiyā ca virāgā upekkhako ca viharati sato ca sampajāno, sukhañca kāyena paṭisaṁvedeti yaṁ taṁ ariyā ācikkhanti: ‘upekkhako satimā sukhavihārī’ti tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.And with the fading away of rapture, they enter and remain in the third absorption, where they meditate with equanimity, mindful and aware, experiencing for themselves the bliss of which the noble ones declare, ‘Equanimous and mindful, one meditates in bliss.’4.4Sukhassa ca pahānā dukkhassa ca pahānā, pubbeva somanassadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamā adukkhamasukhaṁ upekkhāsatipārisuddhiṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.With the giving up of pleasure and pain, and the disappearance of former happiness and sadness, they enter and remain in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness.

5.1So evaṁ samāhite citte parisuddhe pariyodāte anaṅgaṇe vigatūpakkilese mudubhūte kammaniye ṭhite āneñjappatte pubbenivāsānussatiñāṇāya cittaṁ abhininnāmeti.When their mind has become immersed in samādhi like this—purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable—they extend it toward recollection of past lives.5.2So anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati, seyyathidaṁ—ekampi jātiṁ dvepi jātiyo tissopi jātiyo catassopi jātiyo pañcapi jātiyo dasapi jātiyo vīsampi jātiyo tiṁsampi jātiyo cattārīsampi jātiyo paññāsampi jātiyo jātisatampi jātisahassampi jātisatasahassampi, anekepi saṁvaṭṭakappe anekepi vivaṭṭakappe anekepi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭakappe: ‘amutrāsiṁ evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto evaṁvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī evamāyupariyanto, so tato cuto amutra udapādiṁ. Tatrāpāsiṁ evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto evaṁvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī evamāyupariyanto, so tato cuto idhūpapanno’ti. Iti sākāraṁ sauddesaṁ anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati.They recollect many kinds of past lives. That is: one, two, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred, a thousand, a hundred thousand rebirths; many eons of the world contracting, many eons of the world expanding, many eons of the world contracting and expanding. They remember: ‘There, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn somewhere else. There, too, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn here.’ And so they recollect their many kinds of past lives, with features and details.5.3Ayamassa paṭhamā vijjā adhigatā hoti;This is the first knowledge that they attain.5.4avijjā vihatā, vijjā uppannā; tamo vihato, āloko uppanno yathā taṁ appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato.Ignorance is banished and knowledge has arisen; darkness is banished and light has arisen, as happens for a meditator who is diligent, keen, and resolute.

6.1PTS 1.165So evaṁ samāhite citte parisuddhe pariyodāte anaṅgaṇe vigatūpakkilese mudubhūte kammaniye ṭhite āneñjappatte sattānaṁ cutūpapātañāṇāya cittaṁ abhininnāmeti.When their mind has become immersed in samādhi like this—purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable—they extend it toward knowledge of the death and rebirth of sentient beings.6.2So dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena satte passati cavamāne upapajjamāne hīne paṇīte suvaṇṇe dubbaṇṇe, sugate duggate yathākammūpage satte pajānāti: ‘ime vata bhonto sattā kāyaduccaritena samannāgatā …pe… manoduccaritena samannāgatā ariyānaṁ upavādakā micchādiṭṭhikā micchādiṭṭhikammasamādānā, te kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapannā. Ime vā pana bhonto sattā kāyasucaritena samannāgatā, vacīsucaritena samannāgatā, manosucaritena samannāgatā ariyānaṁ anupavādakā sammādiṭṭhikā sammādiṭṭhikammasamādānā, te kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapannā’ti. Iti dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena satte passati cavamāne upapajjamāne hīne paṇīte suvaṇṇe dubbaṇṇe, sugate duggate yathākammūpage satte pajānāti.With clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, they see sentient beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. They understand how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds: ‘These dear beings did bad things by way of body, speech, and mind. They denounced the noble ones; they had wrong view; and they chose to act out of that wrong view. When their body broke up, after death, they were reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. These dear beings, however, did good things by way of body, speech, and mind. They never denounced the noble ones; they had right view; and they chose to act out of that right view. When their body broke up, after death, they were reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.’ And so, with clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, they see sentient beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. They understand how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds.6.3Ayamassa dutiyā vijjā adhigatā hoti;This is the second knowledge that they attain.6.4avijjā vihatā, vijjā uppannā; tamo vihato, āloko uppanno yathā taṁ appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato.Ignorance is banished and knowledge has arisen; darkness is banished and light has arisen, as happens for a meditator who is diligent, keen, and resolute.

7.1So evaṁ samāhite citte parisuddhe pariyodāte anaṅgaṇe vigatūpakkilese mudubhūte kammaniye ṭhite āneñjappatte āsavānaṁ khayañāṇāya cittaṁ abhininnāmeti.When their mind has become immersed in samādhi like this—purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable—they extend it toward knowledge of the ending of defilements.7.2So ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ dukkhasamudayo’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodho’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti;They truly understand: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering’.7.3‘ime āsavā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ āsavasamudayo’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ āsavanirodho’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ āsavanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti.They truly understand: ‘These are defilements’ … ‘This is the origin of defilements’ … ‘This is the cessation of defilements’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of defilements’.7.4Tassa evaṁ jānato evaṁ passato kāmāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccati, bhavāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccati, avijjāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccati;Knowing and seeing like this, their mind is freed from the defilements of sensuality, desire to be reborn, and ignorance.7.5vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ hoti.When they’re freed, they know they’re freed.

7.6‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānāti.They understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.’7.7Ayamassa tatiyā vijjā adhigatā hoti;This is the third knowledge that they attain.7.8avijjā vihatā, vijjā uppannā; tamo vihato, āloko uppanno yathā taṁ appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharatoti.Ignorance is banished and knowledge has arisen; darkness is banished, and light has arisen, as happens for a meditator who is diligent, keen, and resolute.

8.1Anuccāvacasīlassa,For someone whose ethical conduct doesn’t waver,8.2nipakassa ca jhāyino;who is alert, practicing absorption;8.3Cittaṁ yassa vasībhūtaṁ,whose mind is mastered,8.4ekaggaṁ susamāhitaṁ.unified, serene.

9.1Taṁ ve tamonudaṁ dhīraṁ,That attentive one dispels the darkness,9.2tevijjaṁ maccuhāyinaṁ;master of the three knowledges, conqueror of death.9.3Hitaṁ devamanussānaṁ,For the welfare of gods and humans,9.4āhu sabbappahāyinaṁ.he has given up everything, they say.

10.1Tīhi vijjāhi sampannaṁ,Accomplished in the three knowledges,10.2asammūḷhavihārinaṁ;living without confusion,10.3Buddhaṁ antimadehinaṁ,bearing the final body,10.4taṁ namassanti gotamaṁ.they revere the awakened Gotama.

11.1Pubbenivāsaṁ yo vedī,∥One who knows their past lives,11.2saggāpāyañca passati;sees heaven and places of loss,11.3Atho jātikkhayaṁ patto,and has attained the ending of rebirth,11.4abhiññāvosito muni.a sage of perfect insight—

12.1Etāhi tīhi vijjāhi,it’s because of these three knowledges12.2tevijjo hoti brāhmaṇo;that a brahmin is a master of the three knowledges.12.3Tamahaṁ vadāmi tevijjaṁ,That’s who I call a three-knowledge master,12.4nāññaṁ lapitalāpananti.and not the other <j>who repeats what they are told.

13.1PTS 1.166Evaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, ariyassa vinaye tevijjo hotī”ti.This, brahmin, is a master of the three knowledges in the training of the Noble One.”

13.2“Aññathā, bho gotama, brāhmaṇānaṁ tevijjo, aññathā ca pana ariyassa vinaye tevijjo hoti.“Worthy Gotama, a master of three knowledges according to the brahmins is quite different from a master of the three knowledges in the training of the Noble One.13.3Imassa ca pana, bho gotama, ariyassa vinaye tevijjassa brāhmaṇānaṁ tevijjo kalaṁ nāgghati soḷasiṁ.And, worthy Gotama, a master of three knowledges according to the brahmins is not worth a sixteenth part of a master of the three knowledges in the training of the Noble One.

14.1Abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe…Excellent, worthy Gotama! Excellent! …14.2upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.From this day forth, may the worthy Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”

14.3Aṭṭhamaṁ.