(6) Vasala sutta

Next sutta is Vasala sutta.^[1] —Bhagavat who resided at Savathi in getavana in the park of Anathpindika, one morning went out dressed in his robe and taking his bowl to beg for alms entered Savatthi and started begging for alms from door to door went to the house of the Bramhana Aggikabharadvaja where offering was being rendered before fire. Now when Bhagavat was seen coming Brahmana Aggikabharadvaga asked him to stay, as because he was an outcast. On hearing this Bhagavata wanted to know that what an outcast was and what was the thing that made one an outcast. On hearing to his question Gotama offered to reply to him what made one an outcast or what were the things that made one on outcast. Thus Brahmana Aggikavaravaja was replied.

He is an outcast who is possessed with anger, hatred, wickedness and hypocricy and takes for granted wrong views in life and is full of deceit, that person is considered to be an outcast.

The person who harms other living beings no matter he is once and twice born and has no compassion or feeling towards other living things is also considered to be an outcast.

One who is possessed with enmity and makes plants and plots and is destructive to vinsages and to us is also considered to be an outcast.

He is also considered to be an outcast who is given to theft and tries to acquire or poccess their property as his own or tries to control over things that is not their own may that been in the villages or the woods.

One who takes debt and tries to deny at the time of its returning therefore is not excmpted from the category of being an outcast.

Killing a person without any valid reason to some one who has caused no real harm is also an outcast.

Giving to much priority to wealth and speak falsely or stand as a fallen withness forsake is also an outcast.

One who involvs with wifes of other people or relations with or without their consent is also considered to be an outcast.

People with money, wealth capability and capacity those not take care or look ofter their parents past their youth also falls in the category of an outcast.

Misbehaviour towards parent, sister, brother mother-in-law and other relatives are also considered to be an outcast.

While playing role of a teacher when one instead of teaching what is good gives contrary lesson and teaches what is ought not to be taught is also considered to be an outcast.

On countening a wrong deed one suppose that he might escape the punishment and hide his deed from the others is also considered an outcast.

The next criterion of being an outcast in that when one enjoying good food and in return does not honour or give in credit of it is considered to be an outcast.

Deceiving a Brahamana or a samana or medicant of many kind is also deed of an outcast.

Addressing Brahmana or samana by not giving him alms or disturbing him at his meal time is also deed of an outcast.

Predicting something under ignorance makes one an outcast.

Be poccessed by pride and despising others is also an act of an outcast.

Being avaricious and the provoker, full sinfull desires, wickedness, envy shamelesness devoid of fear of sinning is an outcast.

Disrespect of Buddha or any of his disciple or followers, may be wandering or residing is an outcast.

The lowest in the category of being an outcast belongs those people who are thieves and are full of treachery yet pretend to be sent or made a Brahman.

One becomes an outcast not by birth nor does one becomes a brahman by birth but the position is aquired by his deeds.

Gautama now revealed an example of one kandala belonging to the sopata cast popularly know as Matanga Matanga reached the highest fame, quite an unattainable passion and well respected and serve by many khatiya and brahmana. He succeded in riding the vehicles of God on high rodes free of dust and devoid of all sexual desires reaches the Brahma world. He reaching the high position did not care for his family But similar people born and brought up by the same family and being groomed under same condition instead of reaching of Brahma world had do face the flame of help due to their sinful deed.

After receiving such Enlightened surmons from the great Lord Gautama Bhagavat is overjoyed over-whelmed he rises out in delight that Gautama’s teaching were like oil lamp that shows way in a path who has gone a straight and reveals all the hidden knowledge and bring illumination, he request Gautama to accept him as his follower and gave him refuge.

Vasala Sutta forms the next Sutta which is the seventh Sutta of the Uragavagga of the Sutta Nipata. This Sutta was preached to a brahmin named Aggikabharadvaja, at Savatthi. This brahmin insulted Buddha by calling him an outcast when he went to ask for alms but on the Brahmins request Buddha preached him this Sutta, because Buddha had told him that he was not made by his birth but by his deeds and this Sutta is included in the Parittas.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The Brahmana Aggikabharadvaga is converted by Buddha, after hearing his defivition of an out cast, illustrated by the story of Matainga told in the Matavigagataka. Comp sp. Hardy. The Legends and Theories of the Buddhists, p. 49-Text and translation in Alwis’s Buddhis Nirvana. p.119.