Pride and Generosity: The Tale of the Brahmin and Untouchable

In a past life, the Bodhisatta was born into a low caste, an untouchable by society’s standards. Despite his status, he was wise and kind-hearted. One day, while traveling, he met a brahmin who was on a similar journey. The two decided to walk together, and as the sun rose high in the sky, breakfast time came.

The Bodhisatta, having brought food for himself, offered to share it with the brahmin. However, the brahmin, looking down upon the Bodhisatta’s low caste, refused the food. “I cannot eat the food of someone like you,” he said, rejecting the humble offering. The Bodhisatta said nothing, and ate his rice alone. After finishing, they continued on their way, but the brahmin ate nothing that day.

As evening came and the two stopped to rest, the Bodhisatta prepared to eat again. This time, the brahmin, overcome by hunger, asked the Bodhisatta for some rice. Though the brahmin had once shunned him, the Bodhisatta shared without hesitation. The brahmin, still holding onto his pride, tossed away the outer layer of rice, considering it “defiled” by the contact with the untouchable, and ate only the inner portion.

But as soon as he finished eating, remorse filled the brahmin’s heart. He was overwhelmed by guilt for having eaten the food of someone so low, and with that, he vomited up the rice, and even blood. His conscience, heavy with shame, could not bear the burden of his actions. Grieving, he ran off into the forest, where he succumbed to his sorrow and died.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha

In the Buddha’s time, there was a period when some of his disciples began to seek alms in improper ways. They would accept work in exchange for food, or share their alms so that each disciple would not need to go out and beg for food every day. When the Buddha learned of this, he called them together and admonished them. He explained that food obtained in such ways was tainted—like a red-hot iron or deadly poison—and would bring misery to anyone who ate it.

The Buddha then told the disciples this story, explaining that food gained through improper means, just as the brahmin had received food from the untouchable, would lead to great suffering. Anyone who continued to disregard the proper way of receiving alms would be reborn in hell and suffer as spirits or goblins.

Moral of the Story

This tale conveys several important lessons:

1. Pride and Prejudice Lead to Suffering: The brahmin’s pride and prejudice caused him to refuse food from the Bodhisatta, even though he was in need. When he finally ate the food, his guilt led to physical and spiritual suffering. This reminds us that pride and discrimination can harm the soul and lead to unnecessary suffering.
2. The Value of Humility: The Bodhisatta’s generosity and humility in sharing his food with the brahmin, despite being rejected earlier, shows that kindness should not be based on social status. His act of selflessness contrasts sharply with the brahmin’s pride.
3. The Consequences of Improper Actions: The story also highlights the importance of following the right path and acting with integrity. Just as the brahmin’s improper food led to his suffering, those who act outside the bounds of what is virtuous will face similar consequences, as explained by the Buddha.
4. The Dangers of Disregarding Righteous Conduct: The Buddha’s message to his disciples underscores the importance of righteous conduct in all aspects of life, including how one acquires food. The proper way to receive alms is through humility and respect, not through shortcuts or improper means.

The Moral

True generosity is found in humility, and pride leads only to sorrow.