Dhammapada, Dhamma Verses (KN 2)

26: The Chapter about Brahmins – 138
Bāhitapāpo ti brāhmaṇo,
Warding off wickedness one is called a brahmin,
samacar i yā samaṇo ti vuccati,
one living austerely is said to be an ascetic,
pabbājayam-attano malaṁ
* because of driving forth (all) stain from oneself
tasmā pabbajito ti vuccati. [388]
one is said to be one who has gone forth. 1
Na brāhmaṇassa pah a reyya, nāssa muñcetha brāhmaṇo,
A brahmin should not hit a brahmin, nor should he abandon him,
dhī brāhmaṇassa hantāraṁ, tato: dhī yassa muñcati. [389]
woe to the one who strikes a brahmin, further: woe to the one who abandons him.
Na brāhmaṇass’ etad-akiñci seyyo:
It is no little good for the brahmin:
yadā nisedho manaso piyehi,
when the mind is held back from what is dear,
yato yato hiṁsamano nivattati,
whenever his mind turns back from violence,
tato tato sammati-m-eva dukkhaṁ. [390]
then there is a calming of suffering.
Yassa kāyena vācāya manasā natthi dukkataṁ,
For whom there is no wrong-doing bodily, verbally or mentally,
saṁvutaṁ tīhi ṭhānehi, tam-ahaṁ brūmi brāhmaṇaṁ. [391]
being restrained in (these) three things, that one I say is a brahmin.
Yamhā Dhammaṁ vijāneyya Sammāsambuddhadesitaṁ,
That one from whom one learned Dhamma taught by the Perfect Sambuddha,
sakkaccaṁ taṁ namasseyya, aggihuttaṁ va brāhmaṇo. [392]
with respect bow down to him, like a brahmin (bows) at fire-sacrifice.
1
It is difficult to make the puns in this verse, which rely on similarity of sound, rather than
etymology, work in English.