Brāhmaṇasaṁyutta 22

Linked Discourses 7.22

2. Lay Followers

At Khomadussa

1 So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans, where they have a town named Khomadussa.

Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Khomadussa for alms. Now at that time the brahmins and householders of Khomadussa were gathered in the council hall for some business, while a gentle rain drizzled down.

Then the Buddha approached that council. The brahmins and householders saw the Buddha coming off in the distance, and said, “Who are these shavelings, these fake ascetics? Don’t they understand the council rules?”

Then the Buddha addressed the brahmins and householders of Khomadussa in verse:

2 “If good people are not present it is no true council;

and those whose speak against principle

are not good people.

Having given up greed, hate, and delusion,

speakers of principle are good people.”

3 When he had spoken, the brahmins and householders of Khomadussa said to the Buddha, “Excellent, worthy Gotama! Excellent! As if he were righting the overturned, or revealing the hidden, or pointing out the path to the lost, or lighting a lamp in the dark so people with clear eyes can see what’s there, worthy Gotama has made the teaching clear in many ways. We go for refuge to the worthy Gotama, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha. From this day forth, may the worthy Gotama remember us as lay followers who have gone for refuge for life.”

4 The Linked Discourses with Brahmins are complete.