N°26: The Brahmin
२६. ब्राह्मणवर्गः षड्विंशः
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Bravely cross the river; overcome all your passions. Go beyond the world of fragments and discover the immortal spark that is at the beginning of life.
छिन्धि स्रोतः पराक्रम्य कामान् प्रणुद ब्राह्मण ।
संस्कारणां क्षयं ज्ञात्वाऽकृतज्ञोऽसि ब्राह्मण ॥ १॥
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Cross the river bravely; overcome all your passions. Go beyond thinking in terms of what you like and what you don't like and all the buoys will melt away.
यदा द्वयोर्धर्मयोः पारगो भवति ब्राह्मणः ।
अथाऽस्य सर्वे संयोगा अस्तं गच्छन्ति जानतः ॥ २॥
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What is a true Brahmin?
I call a Brahmin all who at the same time don't have anything they like and don't like; free from the chains of fear.
यस्य पारं अपारं वा पारापारं न विद्यते ।
वीतदरं विसंयुक्तं तमहं ब्रवीमि ब्राह्मणम् ॥ ३॥
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Who is the true Brahmin? I call a Brahmin anyone who has trained the mind to be still and has achieved the supreme purpose of life.
ध्यायिनं विरजमासीनं कृतकृत्यं अनास्रवम् ।
उत्तमार्थमनुप्राप्तं तमहं ब्रवीमि ब्राह्मणम् ॥ ४॥
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The sun shines during the day, the moon shines at night, the warrior shines and sparkles during battles, and the Brahmin shines during meditation. But all day and all night the Buddha shines with a brilliant love for all.
दिवा तपत्यादित्यो रात्रावाभाति चन्द्रमाः ।
सन्नद्धः क्षत्रियस्तपति ध्यायी तपति ब्राह्मणः ।
अथ सर्वमहोरात्रं बुद्धस्तपति तेजसा ॥ ५॥
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I call anyone who has shaken off all evil a Brahmin. I call anyone who keeps the thoughts at a serene distance from the worldly a Brahmin; a wanderer whose heart is pure.
वाहितपाप इति ब्राह्मणः समचर्यः श्रमण इत्युच्यते ।
प्रव्राजयन्नाऽऽत्मनो मलं तस्मात् प्रव्रजित इत्युच्यते ॥ ६॥
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I call everyone a Brahmin who never gets angry,
who never hurts others even if they are hurt by them.
न ब्राह्मणं प्रहरेत् नाऽस्मै मुञ्चेद् ब्राह्मणः ।
धिग् ब्राह्मणस्य हन्तारं ततो धिग् यस्मै मुञ्चति ॥ ७॥
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I call everyone a Brahmin who does not cling to pleasure.
Stop causing sorrow to others: no more will grief overcome you.
न ब्राह्मणस्यैतद् अकिञ्चित् श्रेयो यदा निषेधो मनसा प्रियेभ्यः ।
यतो यतो हिंस्रमनो निवर्तते ततस्ततः शाम्यत्येव दुःखम् ॥ ८॥
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I call anyone Brahmin who no longer hurts others with unkind deeds, words or thoughts. Body and mind both obey him.
यस्य कायेन वाचा मनसा नाऽस्ति दुष्कृतम् ।
संवृतं त्रिभिः स्थानैः तमहं ब्रवीमि ब्राह्मणम् ॥ ९॥
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I call everyone a Brahmin who follows in the buddha's footsteps. Light your torch by the fire of his sacrifice.
यस्माद् धर्मं विजानीयात् सम्यक्-संबुद्ध-देशितम् ।
सत्कृत्य तं नमस्येद् अग्निहोत्रमिव ब्राह्मणः ॥ १०॥
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Hair color, birth and origin do not automatically make anyone a Brahmin,
only a heart filled with truth and love for all life.
न जटाभिर्न गोत्रेण न जात्या भवति ब्राह्मणः ।
यस्मिन् सत्यं च धर्मस्च स शुचिः स च ब्राह्मणः ॥ ११॥
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What use is hair color?
What use is a deer's coat when you meditate with only lust in your mind?
किं ते जटाभिः दुर्मेधः ! किं तेऽजिनशाट्या ।
आभ्यन्तरं ते गहनं बाह्यं परिमार्जयसि ? ॥ १२॥
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Orange robes and outward display do not make a Brahmin, only training the mind and senses through meditation.
पांशुकूलधरं जन्तुं कृशं धमनिसन्ततम् ।
एकं वने ध्यायन्तं तमहं ब्रवीमि ब्राह्मणम् ॥ १३॥
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Wealth or status does not make a Brahmin. Free yourself from your own desires and you will become a Brahmin.
न चाहं ब्राह्मणं ब्रवीमि योनिजं मातृसंभवम् ।
भो वादी नाम स भवति स वै भवति सकिञ्चनः ।
अकिञ्चनमनादानं तमहं ब्रवीमि ब्राह्मणम् ॥ १४॥
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A Brahmin has cast off all the chains and does not tremble with fear. No egoistic bonds can make them stumble, no impure thoughts can tarnish their minds.
सर्वसंयोजनं छित्त्वा यो वै न परित्रस्यति ।
संगातिगं विसंयुक्तं तमहं ब्रवीमि ब्राह्मणम् ॥ १५॥
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I call everyone a Brahmin who has cut all the chains and bonds of karma. Such a person has fully awakened from a deep sleep.
छित्वा नन्दिं वरत्रां च सन्दानं सहनुक्रमम् ।
उत्क्षिप्तपरिघं बुद्धं तमहं ब्रवीमि ब्राह्मणम् ॥ १६॥
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I call anyone a Brahmin who is not afraid of captivity or death. Such a person has the power of love that no army can defeat.
आक्रोशन् वधबन्धं चादुष्टो यस्तितिक्षति ।
क्षान्तिबलं बलानीकं तमहं ब्रवीमि ब्राह्मणम् ॥ १७॥
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I call a Brahmin who is never angry, never strays from the path, is pure and self-controlled. For this Brahmin, this body is the last.
अक्रोधनं व्रतवन्तं शीलवन्तं अनुश्रुतम् ।
दान्तमन्तिमशारीरं तमहं ब्रवीमि ब्राह्मणम् ॥ १८॥
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I call a Brahmin who does not cling to pleasure, just like a drop of water on a petal or a mustard seed on the tip of the needle.
वारि पुष्करपत्र इवाराग्रे इव सर्षपः ।
यो न लिप्यते कामेषु तमहं ब्रवीमि ब्राह्मणम् ॥ १९॥
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For such a person there will be no more sadness, there will be no more burdens on their shoulders.
यो दुःखस्य प्रजानातीहैव क्षयमात्मनः ।
पन्नभारं विसंयुक्तं तमहं ब्रवीमि ब्राह्मणम् ॥ २०॥
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I call everyone a Brahmin whose wisdom is profound and whose understanding is deep; anyone who, by following the right path and avoiding the bad path, has achieved the highest goal.
गंभीरप्रज्ञं मेधाविनं मार्गामार्गस्य कोविदम् ।
उत्तमार्थमनुप्राप्तं तमहं ब्रवीमि ब्राह्मणम् ॥ २१॥
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I call anyone a Brahmin who has very few needs, who is not attached to life under a landlord or living like a mendicant monk.
असंसृष्टं गृहस्थैः अनागारैश्चोभाभ्याम् ।
अनोकःसारिणं अल्पेच्छं तमहं ब्रवीमि ब्राह्मणम् ॥ २२॥
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I call anyone a Brahmin who has set aside all weapons and renounced violence against all living beings. Such a person does not kill and does not help to kill anyone.
निधाय दण्डं भूतेषु त्रसेषु स्थावरेषु च ।
यो न हन्ति न घातयति तमहं ब्रवीमि ब्राह्मणम् ॥ २३॥
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I call everyone a Brahmin who is never hostile to people who are hostile to them, who is detached among those who are selfish and yet lives in peace among those who wage war.
अविरुद्धं विरुद्धेषु आत्तदण्डेषु निर्वृतम् ।
सादानेष्वनादानं तमहं ब्रवीमि ब्राह्मणम् ॥ २४॥
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I call a Brahmin anyone whose passion and hatred, arrogance and deceit have fallen away just like a mustard seed from the tip of the needle.
यस्य रागश्च द्वेषश्च मानो म्रक्षश्च पातितः ।
सर्षप इवाऽऽराग्रात् तमहं ब्रवीमि ब्राह्मणम् ॥ २५॥
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I call a Brahmin anyone who is always kind, who is always true and sincere.
अकर्कशां विज्ञापनीं गिरं सत्त्यामुदीरायेत् ।
यथा नाऽभिषजेत् किञ्चित् तमहं ब्रवीमि ब्राह्मणम् ॥ २६॥
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Such a person never asks what life brings him or her and only asks, "What can I give life?"
य इह दीर्घं वा हृस्वं वाऽणुं स्थूलं शुभाऽशुभम् ।
लोकेऽदत्तं नादत्ते तमहं ब्रवीमि ब्राह्मणम् ॥ २७॥
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I call a Brahmin anyone who has found their own heaven, free from every desire, free from any impurity.
आशा यस्य न विद्यन्तेऽस्मिन् लोके परस्मिन् च ।
निराशयं विसंयुक्तं तमहं ब्रवीमि ब्राह्मणम् ॥ २८॥
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Wanting nothing, doubting nothing, dominating body and mind, such a person has transcended time and death.
यस्याऽऽलया न विद्यन्त आज्ञायाऽकथंकथी ।
अमृतावगाधमनुप्राप्तं तमहं ब्रवीमि ब्राह्मणम् ॥ २९॥
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I call a Brahmin anyone who has gone beyond good and evil and is free of sorrow, passion and impurity.
य इह पुण्यं च पापं चोभयोः संगं उपात्यगात् ।
अशोकं विरजं शुद्धं तमहं ब्रवीमि ब्राह्मणम् ॥ ३०॥
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I call a Brahmin anyone who has risen above the conflict of the world, free from sorrow and free from sin. Such a person shines like the full moon during a cloudless night.
चन्द्रमिव विमलं शुद्धं विप्रसन्नमनाविलम् ।
नन्दीभवपरीक्षीणं तमहं ब्रवीमि ब्राह्मणम् ॥ ३१॥
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I call a Brahmin anyone who has crossed the river,
difficult and dangerous to cross,
but still reached the other bank.
य इमं प्रतिपथं दुर्गं संसारं मोहमत्यगात् ।
तीर्णः पारगतो ध्याय्यनेजोऽकथंकथी ।
अनुपादाय निर्वृतः तमहं ब्रवीमि ब्राह्मणम् ॥ ३२॥
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I call everyone a Brahmin who has turned his back on himself. Homeless, but always at home. Without ego, but always fulfilled.
य इह कामान् प्रहायाऽनागारः परिव्रजेत् ।
कामभवपरिक्षीणं तमहं ब्रवीमि ब्राह्मणम् ॥ ३३॥
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All will for one's own self has been chased out of thought; it will never return.
य इह तृष्णां प्रहायाऽनागारे परिव्रजेत् ।
तृष्णाभवपरिक्षीणं तमहं ब्रवीमि ब्राह्मणम् ॥ ३४॥
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I call everyone a Brahmin who has overcome the urge to possess even heavenly things and is no longer attached to selfish things.
हित्त्वा मानुषकं योगं दिव्यं योगमुपात्यगात् ।
सर्वयोगविसंयुक्तं तमहं ब्रवीमि ब्राह्मणम् ॥ ३५॥
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I call everyone a Brahmin who is free from being bound to people and nature, like the hero who conquered the world.
हित्त्वा रतिञ्चारतिञ्च शीतीभूतं निरूपधिम् ।
सर्वलोकाऽभिभुवं वीरं तमहं ब्रवीमि ब्राह्मणम् ॥ ३६॥
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I call everyone a Brahmin who is free from me, myself and I, who knows the rise and fall of life. Such a person has awakened and will never fall asleep again.
च्युतिं यो वेद सत्त्वानां उपत्तिं च सर्वशः ।
असक्तं सुगतं बुद्धं तमहं ब्रवीमि ब्राह्मणम् ॥ ३७॥
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I call everyone a Brahmin whose path no one can know. Such a person lives free from the past, apart from the future, freed from decay and death.
यस्य गतिं न जानन्ति देव-गन्धर्व-मानुषाः ।
क्षीणास्रवं अर्हन्तं तमहं ब्रवीमि ब्राह्मणम् ॥ ३८॥
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They own nothing, they desire nothing for their own pleasure, for their own profit; they have become a pure force for good and put themselves at the service of the freedom of all.
यस्य पुरश्च पश्चाच्च मध्ये च नाऽस्ति किञ्चन ।
अकिञ्चनमनादानं तमहं ब्रवीमि ब्राह्मणम् ॥ ३९॥
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I call everyone a Brahmin who knows no fear, is heroic, unshakable, a great sage who has overcome death and achieved the purpose of life.
ऋषभं प्रवरं वीरं महर्षिं विजितवन्तम् ।
अनेजं स्नातकं बुद्धं तमहं ब्रवीमि ब्राह्मणम् ॥ ४०॥
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Brahmins have reached the end of the road, they have crossed the river of life. Everything they had to do is done: they have become one with all life.
पूर्वनिवासं यो वेद स्वर्गापाऽयं च पश्यति ।
अथ जातिक्षयं प्राप्तोऽभिज्ञाव्यवसितो मुनिः ।
सर्वव्यवसितव्यवसानं तमहं ब्रवीमि ब्राह्मणम् ॥ ४१॥
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