UD 1.4  Huṁhuṅka sutta - Arrogance

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 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 courteous and polite conversation, 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 Brāhmaṇ, and what are the qualities that make one a Brāhmaṇ?”

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 brahmin who has renounced |harmful::injurious, bad, or evil. Encompasses the deceptively alluring that is ultimately detrimental or ruinous [pāpaka]| qualities,
not huffy, free from impurities, and self-restrained;
Who has realized the highest wisdom and fulfilled the spiritual life,
in accordance with the |Dhamma::the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]|, he could speak about |Brāhmaṇ::sage, Brāhmaṇ is a title used by the Buddha for an Arahant, an awakened being [brahma]|;
for him, there is no |prominence::arrogance, conceit, self-importance [ussada]| anywhere in the world.”