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SN 7.8PTS (1st ed) SN 1.1661 min read

With Bhāradvāja the Fire-Worshiper

Aggikasutta

A brahmin conducting a fire sacrifice invites the Buddha to accept the blessed milk-rice, claiming that the Buddha is a true brahmin.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 7.8Linked Discourses 7.8
  • 0.21. Arahantavagga1. The Perfected Ones

0.3AggikasuttaWith Bhāradvāja the Fire-Worshiper

1.1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.

1.2Tena kho pana samayena aggikabhāradvājassa brāhmaṇassa sappinā pāyaso sannihito hoti:Now at that time ghee and milk-rice had been set out for the brahmin Bhāradvāja the Fire-Worshiper, who thought,1.3“aggiṁ juhissāmi, aggihuttaṁ paricarissāmī”ti.“I will serve the sacred flame! I will perform the fire sacrifice!”

2.1Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya rājagahaṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi.Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Rājagaha for alms.2.2Rājagahe sapadānaṁ piṇḍāya caramāno yena aggikabhāradvājassa brāhmaṇassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi.Wandering indiscriminately for almsfood in Rājagaha, he approached Bhāradvāja the Fire-Worshiper’s home and stood to one side.

2.3Addasā kho aggikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ piṇḍāya ṭhitaṁ.Bhāradvāja the Fire-Worshiper saw him standing for alms2.4Disvāna bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:and addressed him in verse:

3.1“Tīhi vijjāhi sampanno,“One who’s accomplished in the three knowledges,13.2jātimā sutavā bahū;of good birth and ample learning,3.3Vijjācaraṇasampanno,accomplished in knowledge and conduct3.4somaṁ bhuñjeyya pāyasan”ti.may enjoy this milk-rice.”2

4.1“Bahumpi palapaṁ jappaṁ,“Even one who mutters many prayers4.2na jaccā hoti brāhmaṇo;is no brahmin by birth4.3Antokasambu saṅkiliṭṭho,if they’re filthy and corrupt within,4.4kuhanāparivārito.with a following gained by fawning.

5.1Pubbenivāsaṁ yo vedī,One who knows their past lives,35.2saggāpāyañca passati;sees heaven and places of loss,5.3Atho jātikkhayaṁ patto,and has attained the ending of rebirth,5.4abhiññāvosito muni.is a sage of perfect insight.

6.1Etāhi tīhi vijjāhi,Because of these three knowledges6.2tevijjo hoti brāhmaṇo;a brahmin is a master of the three knowledges.6.3Vijjācaraṇasampanno,Accomplished in knowledge and conduct,6.4somaṁ bhuñjeyya pāyasan”ti.they may enjoy this milk-rice.”

7.1“Bhuñjatu bhavaṁ gotamo.“May the worthy Gotama eat!7.2Brāhmaṇo bhavan”ti.The worthy one is a brahmin.”

8.1“Gāthābhigītaṁ me abhojaneyyaṁ,“Food enchanted by a verse isn’t fit for me to eat.48.2Sampassataṁ brāhmaṇa nesa dhammo;That’s not the principle of those who see, brahmin.8.3Gāthābhigītaṁ panudanti buddhā,The Buddhas cast aside things enchanted with verses.8.4Dhamme sati brāhmaṇa vuttiresā.Since there is such a principle, brahmin, <j>that’s how they live.5

9.1Aññena ca kevalinaṁ mahesiṁ,Serve with other food and drink9.2Khīṇāsavaṁ kukkuccavūpasantaṁ;the consummate one, the great seer,9.3Annena pānena upaṭṭhahassu,with defilements ended and remorse stilled.9.4Khettañhi taṁ puññapekkhassa hotī”ti.For he is the field for the seeker of merit.”

10.1Evaṁ vutte, aggikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:When he had spoken, the brahmin Bhāradvāja the Fire-Worshiper said to the Buddha,10.2“abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe…“Excellent, worthy Gotama! …” …10.3aññataro ca panāyasmā aggikabhāradvājo arahataṁ ahosīti.And Venerable Bhāradvāja the Fire-Worshiper became one of the perfected.

Translator’s notes

  1. For him, the “three knowledges” would have been the Vedas.

    ↩ sn7.8:3.1

  2. An oblation of milk-rice may be offered to various deities, and is commonly associated with fertility rites. It should be offered to brahmins (eg. Khādira Gṛhyasūtra 4.3; Pāraskara Gṛhyasūtra 3.9.8; Gobhila Gṛhyasūtra 3.8, 4.6.13; Śāṅkhāyana Gṛhyasūtra 3.11.16, 4.16.5), but only those who study the Vedas (Gautama Dharmasūtra 1.5.30). It should not be cooked for one’s own consumption (Manu 5.7). It counteracts inauspicious dreams (Śāṅkhāyana Āraṇyaka 11.4). Manu 3.271 says such an offering is efficacious for a year. Compare Snp 3.4, where rice cake is offered instead.

    Somaṁ is so imaṁ, not a reference to soma.

    ↩ sn7.8:3.4

  3. This verse sets out the Buddha’s “three knowledges”: recollection of past lives, clairvoyance of rebirth, and ending of rebirth.

    ↩ sn7.8:5.1

  4. See SN 2.9:7.3 and note. Also note that, while gāthā is sometimes said to exclude Vedic verse, this is not the case (see eg. Rig Veda 1.190.01, 8.71.14, 8.92.02; Atharva Veda 10.10.20, 15.6.4, 20.103.1; 3.2.4.16; Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 3.5.3.11, 13.1.5.6; Chāndogya Upaniṣad 4.17.9). It was, however, said to be a distinct form of verse within the broader Vedic corpus (Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 11.5.6.8, 11.5.7.10).

    ↩ sn7.8:8.1

  5. “Since there is such a principle” is dhamme sati, “there being the law of nature”.

    ↩ sn7.8:8.4