What is said of the Samanas seems mostly to hold good about the Brahmanas also. They too are called disputatious, vadasila, v. 381, &c., p. 109; and three kinds of them are mentioned, viz. Titthiyas, Agivikas, and Niganthas, vv. 380, 891-892. ln contradistinction to the Samanas the Brahmanas are designated as Teviggas, vv. 594, 1019; they are Padakas, Veyyakaranas, and perfect in Gappa, Nighandu, Ketubha, Itihasa, &c., v. 595, p. 98. They are called friends of the hymns, v. 139; well versed in the hymns, v. 976; and their principal hymn is Savitti[2], vv. 568, 456. They worship and make offerings to the fire, pp. 74, 20. In Brahmanadhammikasutta the ancient and just Brahmanas are described in opposition to the later

[1. I am not sure whether silavata is to be understood as one notion or two. It is generally written in one word, but at p. 109 Vasettha says, when one is virtuous and endowed with works, he is a Brahmana, yato kho bho silava ka hoti vatasampanno ka ettavata kho brahmano hoti. Silavata, I presume, refers chiefly to the Brahmanas.

2. From v. 456 we see that Buddha has rightly read vareniyam as the metre requires; but I must not omit to mention that the Commentator understands by Savitti the Buddhistic formula: Buddham saranam gakkhami, Dhammam saranam gakkhami, Samgham saranam gakkhami, which, like Savitti, contains twenty-four syllables.]

p. xiv

Brahmanas, who slay innocent cows and have acquired wealth through the favour of the kings. vv. 307, 308, 311, 302[1].

All these disputants hold fast to their own prejudiced views, v. 910. They say that purity comes from philosophical views, from tradition, and from virtuous works, and in many other ways, v. 1078, and that there is no bliss excepting by following their opinions, vv. 889, 891, 892.

Buddha himself has, it is true, sprung from the Samanas: he is called Samana Gotama, p. 96; he shines like a sun in the midst of the Samanas, v. 550; and intercourse with Samanas is said to be the highest blessing, v. 265. But Buddha has overcome all their systems, v. 538; there is nothing which has not been seen, heard, or thought by him, and nothing which has not been understood by him, v. 1121. All the disputatious Brahmanas do not overcome him in understanding, v. 380; and he asserts that no one is purified and saved by philosophy or by virtuous works, vv. 1079, 839. Sanctification, in fact, does not come from another, vv. 773, 790, 813; it can be attained only by going into the yoke with Buddha, v. 834; by believing in him and in the Dhamma of the Saints, vv. 183, 185, 370, 1142; on the whole, by being what Buddha is.

What then is Buddha?