1.1Evaṁ me sutaṁ—So I have heard.1.2ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.1.3Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi.Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms.1.4Tena kho pana samayena aggikabhāradvājassa brāhmaṇassa nivesane aggi pajjalito hoti āhuti paggahitā.Now at that time in the brahmin Bhāradvāja the Fire-Worshiper’s home the sacred flame had been kindled and the oblation prepared.1.5Atha kho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ sapadānaṁ piṇḍāya caramāno yena aggikabhāradvājassa brāhmaṇassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami.Wandering indiscriminately for almsfood in Sāvatthī, the Buddha approached Bhāradvāja the Fire-Worshiper’s house.

2.1Addasā kho aggikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ.Bhāradvāja the Fire-Worshiper saw the Buddha coming off in the distance2.2Disvāna bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:and said to him,2.3“tatreva, muṇḍaka;“Stop right there, shaveling!2.4tatreva, samaṇaka;Right there, fake ascetic!2.5tatreva, vasalaka, tiṭṭhāhī”ti.Right there, lowlife!”

3.1Evaṁ vutte, bhagavā aggikabhāradvājaṁ brāhmaṇaṁ etadavoca:When he said this, the Buddha said to him,3.2“jānāsi pana tvaṁ, brāhmaṇa, vasalaṁ vā vasalakaraṇe vā dhamme”ti?“But brahmin, do you know what is a lowlife or what are the qualities that make you a lowlife?”3.3“Na khvāhaṁ, bho gotama, jānāmi vasalaṁ vā vasalakaraṇe vā dhamme;“No I do not, worthy Gotama.3.4sādhu me bhavaṁ gotamo tathā dhammaṁ desetu, yathāhaṁ jāneyyaṁ vasalaṁ vā vasalakaraṇe vā dhamme”ti.Please, worthy Gotama, teach me this matter so I can understand what is a lowlife or what are the qualities that make you a lowlife.”3.5“Tena hi, brāhmaṇa, suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi; bhāsissāmī”ti.“Well then, brahmin, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”3.6“Evaṁ, bho”ti kho aggikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavato paccassosi.“Yes, worthy sir,” Bhāradvāja the Fire-Worshiper replied.3.7Bhagavā etadavoca:The Buddha said this:

4.1“Kodhano upanāhī ca,“Irritable and acrimonious,4.2pāpamakkhī ca yo naro;wicked and offensive,4.3Vipannadiṭṭhi māyāvī,a man deficient in view, deceitful:4.4taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.know him as a lowlife.

5.1Ekajaṁ vā dvijaṁ vāpi,He harms living creatures5.2yodha pāṇaṁ vihiṁsati;born of womb or of egg,5.3Yassa pāṇe dayā natthi,and has no kindness for creatures:5.4taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.know him as a lowlife.

6.1Yo hanti parirundhati,He destroys and devastates6.2gāmāni nigamāni ca;villages and towns,6.3Niggāhako samaññāto,a notorious oppressor:6.4taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.know him as a lowlife.

7.1Gāme vā yadi vā raññe,Whether in village or wilderness,7.2yaṁ paresaṁ mamāyitaṁ;he steals what belongs to others,7.3Theyyā adinnamādeti,taking what has not been given:7.4taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.know him as a lowlife.

8.1Yo have iṇamādāya,Having fallen into debt,8.2cujjamāno palāyati;when pressed to pay up he flees, saying8.3Na hi te iṇamatthīti,‘I don’t owe you anything!’:8.4taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.know him as a lowlife.

9.1Yo ve kiñcikkhakamyatā,Wanting some item or other,9.2panthasmiṁ vajantaṁ janaṁ;he attacks a person in the street9.3Hantvā kiñcikkhamādeti,and takes it:9.4taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.know him as a lowlife.

10.1Attahetu parahetu,For his own sake or the sake of another,10.2dhanahetu ca yo naro;or for the sake of wealth, a man10.3Sakkhipuṭṭho musā brūti,tells a lie when asked to bear witness:10.4taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.know him as a lowlife.

11.1Yo ñātīnaṁ sakhīnaṁ vā,He is spied among the partners¹11.2dāresu paṭidissati;of relatives and friends,11.3Sāhasā sampiyena vā,by force or seduction:11.4taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.know him as a lowlife.

12.1Yo mātaraṁ pitaraṁ vā,Though able, he does not look after12.2jiṇṇakaṁ gatayobbanaṁ;his mother and father12.3Pahu santo na bharati,when elderly, past their prime:12.4taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.know him as a lowlife.

13.1Yo mātaraṁ pitaraṁ vā,He hits or verbally abuses13.2Bhātaraṁ bhaginiṁ sasuṁ;his mother or father,13.3Hanti roseti vācāya,brother, sister, or mother-in-law:13.4Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.know him as a lowlife.

14.1Yo atthaṁ pucchito santo,When asked about the good,14.2Anatthamanusāsati;he teaches what is bad,14.3Paṭicchannena manteti,giving secretive advice:14.4Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.know him as a lowlife.

15.1Yo katvā pāpakaṁ kammaṁ,Having done a bad deed, he wishes,15.2Mā maṁ jaññāti icchati;‘May no one find me out!’15.3Yo paṭicchannakammanto,His deeds are underhand:15.4Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.know him as a lowlife.

16.1Yo ve parakulaṁ gantvā,When visiting another family16.2Bhutvāna sucibhojanaṁ;he eats their delicious food,16.3Āgataṁ nappaṭipūjeti,but does not return the honor:16.4Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.know him as a lowlife.

17.1Yo brāhmaṇaṁ samaṇaṁ vā,He deceives with lies17.2Aññaṁ vāpi vanibbakaṁ;ascetics and brahmins17.3Musāvādena vañceti,and other supplicants:17.4Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.know him as a lowlife.

18.1Yo brāhmaṇaṁ samaṇaṁ vā,When time comes to offer a meal18.2Bhattakāle upaṭṭhite;to brahmins or ascetics,18.3Roseti vācā na ca deti,he abuses them and does not give:18.4Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.know him as a lowlife.

19.1Asataṁ yodha pabrūti,He talks about what never happened,19.2Mohena paliguṇṭhito;being wrapped up in delusion,19.3Kiñcikkhaṁ nijigīsāno,chasing after some item or other:19.4Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.know him as a lowlife.

20.1Yo cattānaṁ samukkaṁse,He extols himself20.2Pare ca mavajānāti;and disparages others,20.3Nihīno sena mānena,brought down by his pride:20.4Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.know him as a lowlife.

21.1Rosako kadariyo ca,He’s a bully and a miser,21.2Pāpiccho maccharī saṭho;of corrupt wishes, stingy, and devious,21.3Ahiriko anottappī,shameless, imprudent:21.4Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.know him as a lowlife.

22.1Yo buddhaṁ paribhāsati,He insults the Buddha22.2Atha vā tassa sāvakaṁ;or his disciple,22.3Paribbājaṁ gahaṭṭhaṁ vā,whether lay or renunciate:22.4Taṁ jaññā vasalo iti.know him as a lowlife.

23.1Yo ve anarahaṁ santo,He claims to be a perfected one,23.2Arahaṁ paṭijānāti;when he really is no such thing.23.3Coro sabrahmake loke,In the world with its divinities,23.4Eso kho vasalādhamo;that crook is truly the lowest lowlife.23.5Ete kho vasalā vuttā,These who are called lowlifes23.6Mayā yete pakāsitā.I have revealed to you.

24.1Na jaccā vasalo hoti,You’re not a lowlife by birth,24.2Na jaccā hoti brāhmaṇo;nor by birth are you a brahmin.24.3Kammunā vasalo hoti,You’re a lowlife by your deeds,24.4Kammunā hoti brāhmaṇo.by deeds you’re a brahmin.

25.1Tadamināpi jānātha,And also you should know25.2Yathāmedaṁ nidassanaṁ;according to this example.25.3Caṇḍālaputto sopāko,A corpse-worker’s son of the dog-eating caste25.4Mātaṅgo iti vissuto.became renowned as Mātaṅga.

26.1So yasaṁ paramaṁ patto,Mātaṅga achieved the highest fame26.2Mātaṅgo yaṁ sudullabhaṁ;so very hard to find.26.3Āgacchuṁ tassupaṭṭhānaṁ,Lots of aristocrats and brahmins26.4Khattiyā brāhmaṇā bahū.came to serve him.

27.1Devayānaṁ abhiruyha,He ascended the stainless highway27.2Virajaṁ so mahāpathaṁ;that leads to the heavens;27.3Kāmarāgaṁ virājetvā,having discarded sensual desire,27.4Brahmalokūpago ahu;he was reborn in a realm of divinity.27.5Na naṁ jāti nivāresi,His birth did not prevent him27.6Brahmalokūpapattiyā.from rebirth in the realm of divinity.

28.1Ajjhāyakakule jātā,Those born in a brahmin family28.2Brāhmaṇā mantabandhavā;who recite as kinsmen of the hymns,28.3Te ca pāpesu kammesu,are often discovered28.4Abhiṇhamupadissare.in the midst of wicked deeds.

29.1Diṭṭheva dhamme gārayhā,Blameworthy in this very life,29.2Samparāye ca duggati;and in lives to come, a bad destination.29.3Na ne jāti nivāreti,Their birth does not prevent them29.4Duggatyā garahāya vā.from blame or bad destiny.

30.1Na jaccā vasalo hoti,You’re not a lowlife by birth,30.2Na jaccā hoti brāhmaṇo;nor by birth are you a brahmin.30.3Kammunā vasalo hoti,You’re a lowlife by your deeds,30.4Kammunā hoti brāhmaṇo”ti.by deeds you’re a brahmin.”

31.1Evaṁ vutte, aggikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:When he had spoken, the brahmin Bhāradvāja the Fire-Worshiper said to the Buddha,31.2“abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe…“Excellent, worthy Gotama! Excellent! …31.3upāsakaṁ 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.”

31.4Vasalasuttaṁ sattamaṁ.