Now, at that time it was the sabbath. The brahmin Jānussoṇi had bathed his head and dressed in a new pair of linen robes. Holding a handful of fresh grass, he stood to one side not far from the Buddha. Tena kho pana samayena jāṇussoṇi brāhmaṇo tadahuposathe sīsaṁnhāto navaṁ khomayugaṁ nivattho allakusamuṭṭhiṁ ādāya bhagavato avidūre ekamantaṁ ṭhito hoti.

The Buddha saw him, Addasā kho bhagavā jāṇussoṇiṁ brāhmaṇaṁ tadahuposathe sīsaṁnhātaṁ navaṁ khomayugaṁ nivatthaṁ allakusamuṭṭhiṁ ādāya ekamantaṁ ṭhitaṁ. and said, Disvāna jāṇussoṇiṁ brāhmaṇaṁ etadavoca: “Brahmin, why have you bathed your head and dressed in a new pair of linen robes? Why are you standing to one side holding a handful of fresh grass? “kiṁ nu tvaṁ, brāhmaṇa, tadahuposathe sīsaṁnhāto navaṁ khomayugaṁ nivattho allakusamuṭṭhiṁ ādāya ekamantaṁ ṭhito? What’s going on today with the brahmin clan?” Kiṁ nvajja brāhmaṇakulassā”ti?

“Worthy Gotama, today is the ceremony of descent for the brahmin clan.” “Paccorohaṇī, bho gotama, ajja brāhmaṇakulassā”ti.

“But how do the brahmins observe the ceremony of descent?” “Yathā kathaṁ pana, brāhmaṇa, brāhmaṇānaṁ paccorohaṇī hotī”ti?

“Well, worthy Gotama, on the sabbath the brahmins bathe their heads and dress in a new pair of linen robes. They make a heap of fresh cow dung and spread it with green grass. Then they make their beds between the boundary and the fire chamber. “Idha, bho gotama, brāhmaṇā tadahuposathe sīsaṁnhātā navaṁ khomayugaṁ nivatthā allena gomayena pathaviṁ opuñjitvā haritehi kusehi pattharitvā antarā ca velaṁ antarā ca agyāgāraṁ seyyaṁ kappenti. That night they rise three times and worship the fire with joined palms: Te taṁ rattiṁ tikkhattuṁ paccuṭṭhāya pañjalikā aggiṁ namassanti: ‘We descend, lord! We descend, lord!’ ‘paccorohāma bhavantaṁ, paccorohāma bhavantan’ti. And they serve the fire with abundant ghee, oil, and butter. Bahukena ca sappitelanavanītena aggiṁ santappenti. And when the night has passed they serve the brahmins with delicious fresh and cooked foods. Tassā ca rattiyā accayena paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena brāhmaṇe santappenti. That’s how the brahmins observe the ceremony of descent.” Evaṁ, bho gotama, brāhmaṇānaṁ paccorohaṇī hotī”ti.

“The ceremony of descent observed by the brahmins is quite different from that observed in the training of the Noble One.” “Aññathā kho, brāhmaṇa, brāhmaṇānaṁ paccorohaṇī hoti, aññathā ca pana ariyassa vinaye paccorohaṇī hotī”ti.

“But worthy Gotama, how is the ceremony of descent observed in the training of the Noble One? “Yathā kathaṁ pana, bho gotama, ariyassa vinaye paccorohaṇī hoti? Worthy Gotama, please teach me this.” Sādhu me bhavaṁ gotamo tathā dhammaṁ desetu yathā ariyassa vinaye paccorohaṇī hotī”ti.

“Well then, brahmin, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.” “Tena hi, brāhmaṇa, suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi; bhāsissāmī”ti.

“Yes, worthy sir,” Jānussoṇi replied. “Evaṁ, bho”ti kho jāṇussoṇi brāhmaṇo bhagavato paccassosi. The Buddha said this: Bhagavā etadavoca:

“It’s when a noble disciple reflects: “Idha, brāhmaṇa, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘Wrong view has a bad result ‘micchādiṭṭhiyā kho pāpako vipāko in both this life and the next.’ diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāyañcā’ti. Reflecting like this, they give up wrong view, So iti paṭisaṅkhāya micchādiṭṭhiṁ pajahati; they descend from wrong view. micchādiṭṭhiyā paccorohati.

‘Wrong thought has a bad result … ‘Micchāsaṅkappassa kho pāpako vipāko—in both this life and the next.’ diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāyañcā’ti. Reflecting like this, they give up wrong thought, So iti paṭisaṅkhāya micchāsaṅkappaṁ pajahati; they descend from wrong thought. micchāsaṅkappā paccorohati.

‘Wrong speech has a bad result … ‘Micchāvācāya kho pāpako vipāko—in both this life and the next.’ diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāyañcā’ti. Reflecting like this, they give up wrong speech, So iti paṭisaṅkhāya micchāvācaṁ pajahati; they descend from wrong speech. micchāvācāya paccorohati.

‘Wrong action has a bad result … ‘Micchākammantassa kho pāpako vipāko—in both this life and the next.’ diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāyañcā’ti. Reflecting like this, they give up wrong action, So iti paṭisaṅkhāya micchākammantaṁ pajahati; they descend from wrong action. micchākammantā paccorohati.

‘Wrong livelihood has a bad result … ‘Micchāājīvassa kho pāpako vipāko—in both this life and the next.’ diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāyañcā’ti. Reflecting like this, they give up wrong livelihood, So iti paṭisaṅkhāya micchāājīvaṁ pajahati; they descend from wrong livelihood. micchāājīvā paccorohati.

‘Wrong effort has a bad result … ‘Micchāvāyāmassa kho pāpako vipāko—in both this life and the next.’ diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāyañcā’ti. Reflecting like this, they give up wrong effort, So iti paṭisaṅkhāya micchāvāyāmaṁ pajahati; they descend from wrong effort. micchāvāyāmā paccorohati.

‘Wrong mindfulness has a bad result … ‘Micchāsatiyā kho pāpako vipāko—in both this life and the next.’ diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāyañcā’ti. Reflecting like this, they give up wrong mindfulness, So iti paṭisaṅkhāya micchāsatiṁ pajahati; they descend from wrong mindfulness. micchāsatiyā paccorohati.

‘Wrong immersion has a bad result … ‘Micchāsamādhissa kho pāpako vipāko—in both this life and the next.’ diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāyañcā’ti. Reflecting like this, they give up wrong immersion, So iti paṭisaṅkhāya micchāsamādhiṁ pajahati; they descend from wrong immersion. micchāsamādhimhā paccorohati.

‘Wrong knowledge has a bad result … ‘Micchāñāṇassa kho pāpako vipāko—in both this life and the next.’ diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāyañcā’ti. Reflecting like this, they give up wrong knowledge, So iti paṭisaṅkhāya micchāñāṇaṁ pajahati; they descend from wrong knowledge. micchāñāṇamhā paccorohati.

‘Wrong freedom has a bad result … ‘Micchāvimuttiyā kho pāpako vipāko—in both this life and the next.’ diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāyañcā’ti. Reflecting like this, they give up wrong freedom, So iti paṭisaṅkhāya micchāvimuttiṁ pajahati; they descend from wrong freedom. micchāvimuttiyā paccorohati. This is the ceremony of descent in the training of the Noble One.” Evaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, ariyassa vinaye paccorohaṇī hotī”ti.

“The ceremony of descent observed by the brahmins is quite different from that observed in the training of the Noble One. “Aññathā, bho gotama, brāhmaṇānaṁ paccorohaṇī, aññathā ca pana ariyassa vinaye paccorohaṇī hoti. And, worthy Gotama, the ceremony of descent observed by the brahmins is not worth a sixteenth part of a master of the ceremony of descent observed in the training of the Noble One. Imissā ca, bho gotama, ariyassa vinaye paccorohaṇiyā brāhmaṇānaṁ paccorohaṇī kalaṁ nāgghati soḷasiṁ. Excellent, worthy Gotama! … Abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe… From this day forth, may the worthy Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.” upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.

Sattamaṁ.