1At Sāvatthī.

Then a begging brahmin went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him.

When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha: “Master Gotama, both you and I are beggars. What, then, is the difference between us?”

2“You don’t become a beggar
just by begging from others.
Someone who has accepted domestic responsibilities
has not yet become a mendicant.

3But one living a spiritual life
who has shunned both good and bad,
having considered, they live in this world:
that’s who’s called a mendicant.”

4When he had spoken, the begging brahmin said to the Buddha: “Excellent, Master Gotama! Excellent! … From this day forth, may Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”

1Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Atha kho bhikkhako brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi.

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho bhikkhako brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "ahampi kho, bho gotama, bhikkhako, bhavampi bhikkhako, idha no kiṁ nānākaraṇan"ti?

2"Na tena bhikkhako hoti,
yāvatā bhikkhate pare;
Vissaṁ dhammaṁ samādāya,
bhikkhu hoti na tāvatā.

3Yodha puññañca pāpañca,
bāhitvā brahmacariyaṁ;
Saṅkhāya loke carati,
sa ve bhikkhūti vuccatī"ti.

4Evaṁ vutte, bhikkhako brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "Abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama … pe … upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan"ti.