Vasala Sutta The way to know an outcast

Ven. Mahanuwara
Sasanawanse Thera
Aramkele Monastery Kumbukwewa

A good deed never makes anyone repent. Therefore, the noblest of all is the service rendered towards the progress of mental and moral discipline in the conduct of life. The Buddha wanted to liberate man from the chimeras and myths, under whose mystification he is pining away.

“Excellent, O Venerable Gotama! Excellent! It is as if O Venerable Gotama, a man were to set upright that which was overturned or were to reveal that which was hidden, or were to point out the way to one who has gone astray, or were to hold a lamp amidst the darkness, so that whoever has eyes may see, even so has the Dhamma been expounded in various ways by the Venerable Gotama.”

An outcast is a person who is driven away from home friends or society or who has no place in society.

The following ethos is applicable to the whole field of moral science. Behaviour is a mirror in which every one displays his own image.

A good deed never makes anyone repent. Therefore, the noblest of all is the service rendered towards the progress of mental and moral discipline in the conduct of life. The Buddha wanted to liberate man from the chimeras and myths, under whose mystification he is pining away.

* A man who is irritable, rancorous, vicious, detractive perverted in views and deceitful know him as an outcast.

* Whoever in this world harms living beings - in whom there is no compassion for living beings - know him as an outcast.

Whoever destroys and besieges villages and hamlets, and is known as an oppressor - know him as an outcast.

* Whether in the village or in the forest whoever appropriates by theft what belongs to others, or what is not given - know him an an outcast.

* Whoever having really taken a debt, flees, when pressed, saying,” There is no debt to you.” - know him as an outcast.

*Whoever desiring some trifle, kills a man going along the road, and pillages something - know him as an outcast.

* Who for his own sake, or for the sake of others, or for the sake of wealth, utters lies, when asked as a witness - know him as an outcast.

* Whoever by force or with consent is seen transgressing with the wives of relatives or friends - know him as an outcast.

* Whoever being rich, does not support his aged mother and father who have passed their youth - know him as an outcast.

* whoever strikes, or by speech, annoys his mother, father, brother, sister or mother-in-law - know him as an outcast.

* Whoever, when questioned about what is good counsels what is wrong and teacher in a concealing way - know him as an outcast.

* whoever having done an evil deed wishes that it may not be known to others, and is concealed in actions - know him as an outcast.

* Whoever, having gone to another’s house and partaken a choice food, does not honour him in return when he comes - know him as an outcast.

* Whoever deceives by falsehood a Brahmana or an ascetic or any other mendicant - know him as an outcast.

* Whoever by speech annoys a Brahmana or ascetic when meal-time has came and does not give food - know him as an outcast.

* Whoever in this world shrouded in ignorance, predicts what is not, expecting something. - know him as an outcast.

* Whoever exalts himself and despises others and is debased by his pride. - know him as an outcast.

* Whoever is annoying, avaricious of base desires, selfish, deceitful, shameless and fearless in evil action - know him as an outcast.

* Whoever reviles the Buddha or a disciple of his, be he a recluse or a householder - know him as an outcast.

Whoever without being an arahant claims to be an arahant is a thief in the whole universe he is the lowest outcast.

Those whom I have described to you are indeed called outcasts.

* Not by birth is one an outcast, not by birth is one a Brahmana, by deeds is one a Brahmana.

* Know that by this: Just as this example given by me; Sopaka the son of an outcast was well known as Matanga: He reached the highest fame.

Know it as such by this illustration. There was a son of an outcast known as Matanga.

* This Matanga attained to the highest glory difficult to obtain. Many warriors and Brahmana’s came to minister unto him.

* Mounting the celestial vehicle along the passionless highway he soared the Brahma, realm having discarded sense-desires. Birth did not prevent him from being reborn in the Brahama realm.

* There are Brahmins born in the family of preceptors, kinsmen of (veda) hymns. They too are frequently seen addicted to evil deeds.

* In this life itself they are despised; in the next they get a woeful state. Birth does not preclude them either from a woeful state or from condemnation.

* By birth one is not an outcast. By birth one is not a Brahmana. By deeds is one an outcast, By deeds is one a Brahmana.

When this was spoken the Brahmana Aggika Bharadvaja addressed the blessed One as follows:

“Excellent, O Venerable Gotama! Excellent! It is as if O Venerable Gotama, a man were to set upright that which was overturned or were to reveal that which was hidden, or were to point out the way to one who has gone astray, or were to hold a lamp amidst the darkness, so that whoever has eyes may see, even so has the Dhamma been expounded in various ways by the Venerable Gotama.”

“And I seek refuge in the Venerable Gotama, the Dhamma, and the order of disciples. May the Venerable Gotama receive me as a follower who has taken refuge from this very day to life’s end.