Lightly edited transcript Filler words and caption errors removed by machine; the meaning is unchanged.
Delson explains that birth, jati, in the chain of dependent origination means coming into existence or being classified into a type of being, and that it has nothing to do with caste. He sets up the Aggañña Sutta (DN27) by describing the four social classes of the Buddha's time and the Brahmins Vashishta and Bhardwaj, who are reviled for leaving their families to become ascetics. The transcript ends while the reading of the Brahmins' claims is still in progress.
Key points
- Jati, the link of birth, means coming into existence or being born, and Delson says it classifies the type of existence: human, animal, hungry ghost, deva or Brahma.
- Delson notes that the word jati is now often used in India for caste, but in the Buddha's teaching it has nothing to do with caste.
- He describes the four social classes of the Buddha's time (Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas and Shudras) as background for the discourse he introduces.
- He introduces the Aggañña Sutta (DN27) through the story of the Brahmins Vashishta and Bhardwaj, who report the reproaches they receive for leaving their Brahmin families to become ascetics.
- The transcript ends while he is reading the Brahmins' claims of caste superiority, so the Buddha's reply is not covered in this part.
Suttas in this talk
Each opens the sutta on SuttaCentral.
Themes
Where this talk sits on the path
This talk belongs to a thread that runs along the whole path. It follows the thread of Dependent origination study.
Transcript
Birth as jati and its meaning
So today, we'll talk about birth. And I'll just read from what the Buddha says in Digha Nikaya 22, Maha Satipatthana Sutta, called birth. So what is the word for birth? It's Jati. J-A-T-I. Jati. And so it says the word Jati comes from the Sanskrit word Jata, which means to come into existence or to be born. But nowadays that word is used as a way to denote one's caste in India. When they ask you what is your caste, they ask you in Hindi, Jati is really the classification of existence, whether it's human, animal, hungry ghost, deva, or Brahma. It has nothing to do with your caste. And so this is how the Buddha addressed that.
At the time of the Buddha also there were these castes. There was the Brahmins, there was the Kshatriyas, there was the Vaisyas, and there were the Shudras. So the Brahmins were the highest, or said to be the highest, the class of teachers and priests. And the Kshatriyas were the kings, the military generals and soldiers. The Vaisyas were business people and merchants and things like that. And Shudras were essentially low-level workers, people who were doing the odd jobs here or there. And so in the interest of trying to be as concise as I can, I'm going to summarize the Sutta I'm going to read, which is called Digha Nikaya 27, the Agganna Sutta. And there, what happens is there are these two Brahmins that come to visit the Buddha, Vashishta and Bhardwaj.
And Vashishta basically goes to the Buddha and he says to Vashishta, you two are Brahmins born and bred. I'm sorry, the Blessed One says this: Vashishta, you two are Brahmins born and bred, and you have gone forth from the household life into homelessness from Brahmin families, meaning you have now ordained. Do not the Brahmins revile and abuse you? Indeed, the Brahmins do revile and abuse us. They don't hold back with their usual flood of reproaches. Well, Vashishta, what kind of reproaches do they fling at you? What the Brahmins say is this: the Brahmin caste is the highest caste. Other castes are base. The Brahmin caste is fair. Other castes are dark. The Brahmins are purified.
And non-Brahmins are not. The Brahmins are the true children of Brahma. Born from his mouth. Born from Brahma. Created by Brahma. Heirs of Brahma. And you, you have deserted the highest class and gone over to the base class of shaveling petty ascetics. Servants, dark fellows born of Brahma's foot. It is not right. It is not proper for you to mix with such people.