Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā uruvelāyaṁ viharati najjā nerañjarāya tīre ajapālanigrodhe paṭhamābhisambuddho. Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā sattāhaṁ ekapallaṅkena nisinno hoti vimuttisukhapaṭisaṁvedī. Atha kho bhagavā tassa sattāhassa accayena tamhā samādhimhā vuṭṭhāsi.
Thus have I heard—At one time, the |Blessed One::Sublime One, Fortunate One, epithet of the Buddha [bhagavā]| was dwelling at |Uruvelā::name of a town in Magadha, lit. broad banks [uruvelā]| on the bank of the river |Nerañjarā::a river in ancient India, now identified with the modern Phalgu River or its tributary the Niranjana River, lit. the river with pure, clean water [nerañjarā]| at the foot of the goatherd’s banyan tree, having just attained full awakening. Then, for seven days, the Blessed One sat in one posture experiencing the ease of liberation. At the end of those seven days, the Blessed One emerged from that |perfect peace of mind::stability of mind, stillness of mind [samādhi]|.
Atha kho aññataro huṁhuṅkajātiko brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho so brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “kittāvatā nu kho, bho gotama, brāhmaṇo hoti, katame ca pana brāhmaṇakaraṇā dhammā”ti?
Then a certain brahmin of the |Huṁhuṅka clan::humphy, huffy, one who snorts to express indignation or derision [huṁhuṅka + jātika]| approached the Blessed One. Having drawn near, he exchanged greetings with the Blessed One. After the exchange of a courteous and politeconversation, he stood to one side. Standing to one side, that brahmin said this to the Blessed One: “To what extent, sir Gotama, is one a |sage::Brāhmaṇa, a title used for an Arahant, an awakened being [brāhmaṇa]|, and what are the qualities that make one a sage?”
Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:
Then, understanding the significance of this, the Blessed One at that time expressed this inspired utterance:
“Yo brāhmaṇo bāhitapāpadhammo,
Nihuṁhuṅko nikkasāvo yatatto;
Vedantagū vūsitabrahmacariyo,
Dhammena so brahmavādaṁ vadeyya;
Yassussadā natthi kuhiñci loke”ti.
“That sage who has barred out |harmful::injurious, bad, or evil. Encompasses the deceptively alluring that is ultimately detrimental or ruinous [pāpaka]| qualities,
who is |free from haughtiness::not huffy; lit. not humph humph [nihuṁhuṅka]|, stainless, and self-controlled;
|who has complete knowledge::epithet of an arahant; lit. gone to the end of the Vedas [vedantagū]| and lived the |spiritual life::a life of celibacy, contemplation, and ethical discipline lived for the sake of liberation; oriented toward inner development rather than sensual pleasures [brahmacariya]|,
rightly could that person speak the word of a sage;
for whom there is no |swelling of pride::arrogance, conceit, self-importance [ussada]| anywhere in the world.”