The Buddha describes the five ancient traditions of the brahmins—in the past brahmins had sex only with brahmin women, not with others, these days brahmins have sex with both brahmin women and others, but these days hounds have sex only with female hounds, not with other species, and this is the first ancient tradition of the brahmins exhibited these days among hounds, but not among brahmins, and in the past brahmins had sex only with brahmin women in the fertile phase of the menstrual cycle, not at other times.

AN 5.191 Hounds

“Pañcime, bhikkhave, porāṇā brāhmaṇadhammā etarahi sunakhesu sandissanti, no brāhmaṇesu. Katame pañca?

Pubbe sudaṁ, bhikkhave, brāhmaṇā brāhmaṇiṁyeva gacchanti, no abrāhmaṇiṁ. Etarahi, bhikkhave, brāhmaṇā brāhmaṇimpi gacchanti, abrāhmaṇimpi gacchanti. Etarahi, bhikkhave, sunakhā sunakhiṁyeva gacchanti, no asunakhiṁ. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo porāṇo brāhmaṇadhammo etarahi sunakhesu sandissati, no brāhmaṇesu.

Pubbe sudaṁ, bhikkhave, brāhmaṇā brāhmaṇiṁ utuniṁyeva gacchanti, no anutuniṁ. Etarahi, bhikkhave, brāhmaṇā brāhmaṇiṁ utunimpi gacchanti, anutunimpi gacchanti. Etarahi, bhikkhave, sunakhā sunakhiṁ utuniṁyeva gacchanti, no anutuniṁ. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyo porāṇo brāhmaṇadhammo etarahi sunakhesu sandissati, no brāhmaṇesu.

Pubbe sudaṁ, bhikkhave, brāhmaṇā brāhmaṇiṁ neva kiṇanti no vikkiṇanti, sampiyeneva saṁvāsaṁ sambandhāya sampavattenti. Etarahi, bhikkhave, brāhmaṇā brāhmaṇiṁ kiṇantipi vikkiṇantipi, sampiyenapi saṁvāsaṁ sambandhāya sampavattenti. Etarahi, bhikkhave, sunakhā sunakhiṁ neva kiṇanti no vikkiṇanti, sampiyeneva saṁvāsaṁ sambandhāya sampavattenti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyo porāṇo brāhmaṇadhammo etarahi sunakhesu sandissati, no brāhmaṇesu.

Pubbe sudaṁ, bhikkhave, brāhmaṇā na sannidhiṁ karonti dhanassapi dhaññassapi rajatassapi jātarūpassapi. Etarahi, bhikkhave, brāhmaṇā sannidhiṁ karonti dhanassapi dhaññassapi rajatassapi jātarūpassapi. Etarahi, bhikkhave, sunakhā na sannidhiṁ karonti dhanassapi dhaññassapi rajatassapi jātarūpassapi. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, catuttho porāṇo brāhmaṇadhammo etarahi sunakhesu sandissati, no brāhmaṇesu.

Pubbe sudaṁ, bhikkhave, brāhmaṇā sāyaṁ sāyamāsāya pāto pātarāsāya bhikkhaṁ pariyesanti. Etarahi, bhikkhave, brāhmaṇā yāvadatthaṁ udarāvadehakaṁ bhuñjitvā avasesaṁ ādāya pakkamanti. Etarahi, bhikkhave, sunakhā sāyaṁ sāyamāsāya pāto pātarāsāya bhikkhaṁ pariyesanti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, pañcamo porāṇo brāhmaṇadhammo etarahi sunakhesu sandissati, no brāhmaṇesu.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca porāṇā brāhmaṇadhammā etarahi sunakhesu sandissanti, no brāhmaṇesū”ti.

Paṭhamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Pañcime, bhikkhave, porāṇā brāhmaṇadhammā etarahi sunakhesu sandissanti, no brāhmaṇesu.

“Mendicants, these five ancient traditions of the brahmins are exhibited these days among hounds, but not among brahmins.

Katame pañca?

What five?

Pubbe sudaṁ, bhikkhave, brāhmaṇā brāhmaṇiṁyeva gacchanti, no abrāhmaṇiṁ.

In the past brahmins had sex only with brahmin women, not with others.

Etarahi, bhikkhave, brāhmaṇā brāhmaṇimpi gacchanti, abrāhmaṇimpi gacchanti.

These days brahmins have sex with both brahmin women and others.

Etarahi, bhikkhave, sunakhā sunakhiṁyeva gacchanti, no asunakhiṁ.

But these days hounds have sex only with female hounds, not with other species.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo porāṇo brāhmaṇadhammo etarahi sunakhesu sandissati, no brāhmaṇesu.

This is the first ancient tradition of the brahmins exhibited these days among hounds, but not among brahmins.

Pubbe sudaṁ, bhikkhave, brāhmaṇā brāhmaṇiṁ utuniṁyeva gacchanti, no anutuniṁ.

In the past brahmins had sex only with brahmin women in the fertile phase of the menstrual cycle, not at other times.

Etarahi, bhikkhave, brāhmaṇā brāhmaṇiṁ utunimpi gacchanti, anutunimpi gacchanti.

These days brahmins have sex with brahmin women both in the fertile phase of the menstrual cycle and at other times.

Etarahi, bhikkhave, sunakhā sunakhiṁ utuniṁyeva gacchanti, no anutuniṁ.

But these days hounds have sex only with female hounds when they are in heat, not at other times.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyo porāṇo brāhmaṇadhammo etarahi sunakhesu sandissati, no brāhmaṇesu.

This is the second ancient tradition of the brahmins exhibited these days among hounds, but not among brahmins.

Pubbe sudaṁ, bhikkhave, brāhmaṇā brāhmaṇiṁ neva kiṇanti no vikkiṇanti, sampiyeneva saṁvāsaṁ sambandhāya sampavattenti.

In the past brahmins neither bought nor sold brahmin women. They lived together because they loved each other and wanted their family line to continue.

Etarahi, bhikkhave, brāhmaṇā brāhmaṇiṁ kiṇantipi vikkiṇantipi, sampiyenapi saṁvāsaṁ sambandhāya sampavattenti.

These days brahmins both buy and sell brahmin women. They live together whether they love each other or not and they want their family line to continue.

Etarahi, bhikkhave, sunakhā sunakhiṁ neva kiṇanti no vikkiṇanti, sampiyeneva saṁvāsaṁ sambandhāya sampavattenti.

But these days hounds neither buy nor sell female hounds. They live together because they’re attracted to each other and want their family line to continue.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyo porāṇo brāhmaṇadhammo etarahi sunakhesu sandissati, no brāhmaṇesu.

This is the third ancient tradition of the brahmins exhibited these days among hounds, but not among brahmins.

Pubbe sudaṁ, bhikkhave, brāhmaṇā na sannidhiṁ karonti dhanassapi dhaññassapi rajatassapi jātarūpassapi.

In the past brahmins did not store up money, grain, silver, or gold.

Etarahi, bhikkhave, brāhmaṇā sannidhiṁ karonti dhanassapi dhaññassapi rajatassapi jātarūpassapi.

These days brahmins do store up money, grain, silver, and gold.

Etarahi, bhikkhave, sunakhā na sannidhiṁ karonti dhanassapi dhaññassapi rajatassapi jātarūpassapi.

But these days hounds don’t store up money, grain, silver, or gold.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, catuttho porāṇo brāhmaṇadhammo etarahi sunakhesu sandissati, no brāhmaṇesu.

This is the fourth ancient tradition of the brahmins exhibited these days among hounds, but not among brahmins.

Pubbe sudaṁ, bhikkhave, brāhmaṇā sāyaṁ sāyamāsāya pāto pātarāsāya bhikkhaṁ pariyesanti.

In the past brahmins went looking for almsfood for dinner at dusk, and for breakfast at daybreak.

Etarahi, bhikkhave, brāhmaṇā yāvadatthaṁ udarāvadehakaṁ bhuñjitvā avasesaṁ ādāya pakkamanti.

These days brahmins eat as much as they like until their bellies are full, then take away the leftovers.

Etarahi, bhikkhave, sunakhā sāyaṁ sāyamāsāya pāto pātarāsāya bhikkhaṁ pariyesanti.

But these days hounds go looking for dinner at dusk, and for breakfast at daybreak.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, pañcamo porāṇo brāhmaṇadhammo etarahi sunakhesu sandissati, no brāhmaṇesu.

This is the fifth ancient tradition of the brahmins exhibited these days among hounds, but not among brahmins.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca porāṇā brāhmaṇadhammā etarahi sunakhesu sandissanti, no brāhmaṇesū”ti.

These five ancient traditions of the brahmins are exhibited these days among hounds, but not among brahmins.”

Paṭhamaṁ.

Qualities:

Affection

Affection

A mental quality of tender affection and fond regard, often wholesome when rooted in kindness, which inclines the mind toward warmth and care. When unguarded, it may turn toward fixation upon what is 'dear,' leading the mind to attachment and the grief that follows separation from what has been clung to as 'dear'.

Also known as: fondness, love, tender regard
Pāli: pema
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Wisdom

Wisdom

Lived understanding and sound judgment that steers the mind away from suffering, distinct from mere accumulation of facts.

Also known as: (of a person) wise, astute, intelligent, learned, skilled, firm, stable, steadfast, an experiential understanding of the four noble truths
Pāli: paññā, medhā, dhīra, paṇḍita, asammūḷha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026