➥ brāhmaṇa:

• for brāhmaṇa:
  • brahman (=member of the brahman social class)
• for brāhmaṇa:
  • Brahmanist (=adherent of the religion of the brahmans)
  • Brahman (=arahant, or one striving to be an arahant)

Brāhmaṇa and the four classes: lower case

In the Buddha’s time, Indian society had four classes: khattiyas, brahmans, vessas, and suddas (MN ii 150). These four classes were not technically castes because intermarriage was still possible. Some grammarians would capitalise these groups. For example, Wikipedia says:

• ‘Varna may be translated as “class,” and refers to the four social classes which existed in the Vedic society, namely Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras.’ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caste_system_in_India

Many dictionaries say likewise. However, the Economist Style Guide supports us in saying:

• ‘Indian castes are lower case italic, except for brahman, which has now become an English word and is therefore lower case roman (unless it is mentioned along with several other less familiar caste names in italic)’ (www. economist.com/style-guide/capitals).

Brāhmaṇa as a religious term

In a religious context, we use the term ‘Brahmanist.’ Most translators would call this ‘Brahman,’ but we reserve capitalised ‘Brahman’ for arahants. Although unusual, Brahmanist is well-recognised:

• Brahmanist: an adherent of the religion of the brahmans (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Brahmanist).

We capitalise Brahmanist in accordance with established style manuals:

• Capitalization of religious terms: Baha’i, Baptist, Brahman, Buddhist… Hindu; Hinduism, Islam; Islamic, Jewish… (U.S. Government Printing Office Style Manual, 2008).

Brāhmaṇa: Brahman (=arahant, or one striving to be an arahant)

Where brāhmaṇa means arahant, we capitalise it: Brahman. But sometimes brāhmaṇa is applied to those still striving to be Brahmans. Two examples:

1) One should not strike a Brahman. [Likewise], a Brahman should not vent [wrath on his assailant]. Shame on the one who strikes a Brahman! And shame on [the Brahman] who vents [wrath on his assailant]!

Na brāhmaṇassa pahareyya nāssa muñcetha brāhmaṇo
Dhī brāhmaṇassa hantāraṁ tato dhī y’assa muñcati. (Dhp 389)

This, of course, means one should not strike an arahant, and one who is striving to be an arahant should not vent his wrath.

2) It is not worse for a Brahman when his mind is restrained from agreeable things. The more his mind turns away from agreeable things the more his suffering subsides.

Na brāhmaṇassetadakiñci seyyo yadā nisedho manaso piyehi
Yato yato hiṁsamano nivattati tato tato sammatimeva dukkhaṁ. (Dhp 390)

Here again, where his suffering is still subsiding, brāhmaṇa means ‘one striving to be a Brahman.’

➥ brāhmaṇā: (main article see: brāhmaṇa)

Illustration: brāhmaṇā, brahman

Those of the four castes, khattiyas, brahmans, vessas, and suddas, having gone forth from the household life into the ascetic life in the teaching and training system made known by the Perfect One, give up their former names and identities and are just called ‘ascetic disciples of the Sakyans’ Son.’

cattāro me vaṇṇā khattiyā brāhmaṇā vessā suddā te tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajitvā jahanti purimāni nāmagottāni samaṇā sakyaputtiyātveva saṅkhaṁ gacchantī. (Uda 51)

Illustration: brāhmaṇā, brahman

‘Prosperous countries and kingdoms rendered honour to those brahmans with garments of various colours, with beds and residences.

Nānārattehi vatthehi sayanehāvasathehi ca
Phītā janapadā raṭṭhā te namassiṁsu brāhmaṇe

‘Brahmans were unpunishable, unimpeachable, protected by law. No one obstructed them in any way, even at the doors of their homes.

Avajjhā brāhmaṇā āsuṁ ajeyyā dhammarakkhitā
Na te koci nivāresi kuladvāresu sabbaso

‘For forty-eight years they lived the religious life as virgins. In those days the brahmans undertook the search for Vedic knowledge and virtuous conduct.

Aṭṭhacattārīsaṁ vassāni komāraṁ brahmacariyaṁ cariṁsu te
Vijjācaraṇapariyeṭṭhiṁ acaruṁ brāhmaṇā pure

‘Brahmans did not couple with women of other [castes]. They did not buy wives. Their living together was through mutual affection, having come together for mutual pleasure.

Na brāhmaṇā aññamagamuṁ napi bhariyaṁ kiṇiṁsu te
Sampiyeneva saṁvāsaṁ saṅgantvā samarocayuṁ. (Snp 287-290)

Illustration: brāhmaṇā, brahman

• If the rebirth of one’s individuality occurs in a clan of brahmans, one is reckoned as a brahman.

Brāhmaṇakule ce attabhāvassa abhinibbatti hoti brāhmaṇotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati

• If the rebirth of one’s individuality occurs in a clan of vessas, one is reckoned as a vessa.

Vessakule ce attabhāvassa abhinibbatti hoti vessotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati. (MN ii 181)

Illustration: brāhmaṇā, Brahmanists

‘Having investigated the entire scriptural collections both of the ascetics and the Brahmanists, free of attachment to all sense impression, gone beyond all scriptural knowledge, he is blessed with profound knowledge.

Vedāni viceyya kevalāni samaṇānaṁ yānidhatthi brāhmaṇānaṁ
Sabbavedanāsu vītarāgo sabbaṁ vedamaticca vedagū so. (Snp 529)

Illustration: brāhmaṇā, Brahmanists

‘He makes known [the nature of] this world [of beings] with its devas, māras, and brahmās, in the world of mankind with its ascetics and Brahmanists, its royalty and commoners, having realised it for himself through transcendent insight.’

So imaṁ lokaṁ sadevakaṁ samārakaṁ sabrahmakaṁ sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiṁ pajaṁ sadevamanussaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedeti. (Snp 103)

Illustration: brāhmaṇā, Brahman

One whose āsavas are destroyed, and who is free of spiritual flaws, he is what I call a Brahman.

Khīṇāsavaṁ vantadosaṁ tamahaṁ brūmi brāhmaṇan ti. (Uda 5)