Today's Beautiful Gem: `Who is a Brahmin?' from `Dhammapada'.

1) "na jaTAhi na gottena na jaccA hoti brAhmaNo
yamhi saccan ca dhammo ca so sucI so ca brAhmaNo

"Not by matted hair, nor by family, nor by birth does one become a
brAhmaNa. But in whom there exist both truth and righteousness,
pure is he, a brAhmaNa is he.

2) "paMsukUladharaM jantuM kisaM dhamanisanthataM
ekaM vanasmiM jhAyanaM tam ahaM brUmi brAhmaNaM

"The person who wears dust-heap robes, who is lean, whose veins
stand out, who meditates alone in the forest, him I call a
brAhmaNa.

3) "na c'AhaM brAhmaNaM brUmi yonijaM mattisambhavaM
bhovAdi nAma so hoti sa ce hoti sakincano
akincanaM anAdAnaM tam ahaM brUmi brAhmaNaM

"I do not call him a brAhmaNa merely because he is born of a
womb or sprung from a brahmin mother. He is merely a `Dear
addresser' if he be with impediments. He who is free from
impediments, free from clinging, him I call a brAhmaNa.

4) "akkosaM vadhabandhan ca aduTTho yo titikkhati
khantibalaM balANIkaM tam ahaM brUmi brAhmaNaM

"He who, without anger, endures reproach, flogging and punishments,
whose power and the potent army is patience, him I call a brAhmaNa.

5) "gambhIrapannaM medhAviM maggamaggasa kovidaM
uttamatthaM anuppattaM tam ahaM brUmi brAhmaNaM

"He whose knowledge is deep, who is wise, who is skilled in the
right and wrong way, who has reached the highest goal, him I
call brAhmaNa.

6) "usabhaM pavaraM vIraM mahesiM vijitAvinaM
anejaM nahAtakaM buddhaM tam ahaM brUmi brAhmaNaM"

"The fearless, the noble, the hero, the great sage, the conqueror,
the desireless, the cleanser, the enlightened, him I call brAhmaNa."

Om s'aantih: Peace! - J. K. Mohana Rao

<:><:><:><:><:><:><:><:><:><:><:><:>277<:><:><:><:><:><:><:><:><:><:><:><:>