"But, then," said the Blessed One, "has any one of the authors of
the Vedas seen Brahmā face to face?" 11
Again the two Brahmans answered in the negative and exclaimed:
"How can any one see Brahmā or understand him, for the mortal
cannot understand the immortal." And the Blessed One proposed an
illustration, saying: 12
"It is as if a man should make a staircase in the place where
four roads cross, to mount up into a mansion. And people should
ask him, 'Where, good friend, is this mansion, to mount up into
which you are making this staircase? Knowest thou whether it is
in the east, or in the south, or in the west, or in the north?
Whether it is high, or low, or of medium size?' And when so asked
he should answer, 'I know it not.' And people should say to him,
'But, then, good friend, thou art making a staircase to mount up
into something--taking it for a mansion--which all the while thou
knowest not, neither hast thou seen it.' And when so asked he
should answer, 'That is exactly what I do; yea I know that I
cannot know it.' What would you think of him? Would you not say
that the talk of that man was foolish talk?" 13
"In sooth, Gotama," said the two Brahmans, "it would be foolish
talk!" 14
The Blessed One continued: "Then the Brahmans should say, 'We
show you the way unto a union of what we know not and what we
have not seen.' This being the substance of Brahman lore, does it
not follow that their task is vain?" 15
"It does follow," replied Bhāradvāja. 16
Said the Blessed One: "Thus it is impossible that Brahmans versed
in the three Vedas should be able to show the way to a state of
union with that which they neither know nor have seen. Just as
when a string of blind men are clinging one to the other. Neither
can the foremost see, nor can those in the middle see, nor can
the hindmost see. Even so, methinks, the talk of the Brahmans
versed in the three Vedas is but blind talk; it is ridiculous,
consists of mere words, and is a vain and empty thing." 17
"Now suppose," added the Blessed One, "that a man should come
hither to the bank of the river, and, having some business on the
other side, should want to cross. Do you suppose that if he were
to invoke the other bank of the river to come over to him on this
side, the bank would come on account of his praying?" 18
"Certainly not, Gotama." 19
"Yet this is the way of the Brahmans. They omit the practice of
those qualities which really make a man a Brahman, and say,
'Indra, we call upon thee; Soma, we call upon thee; Varuna, we
call upon thee; Brahmā, we call upon thee.' Verily, it is not
possible that these Brahmahns, on account of their invocations,
prayers, and praises, should after death be united with Brahmā." 20
"Now tell me," continued the Buddha, "what do the Brahmans say of
Brahmā? Is his mind full of lust?" 21
And when the Brahmans denied this, the Buddha asked:
"Is Brahmā's mind full of malice, sloth, or pride?" 22
"No, sir!" was the reply. "He is the opposite of all this." 23
And the Buddha went on: "But are the Brahmans free from these
vices?" 24
"No, sir!" said Vāsettha. 25
The Holy One said: "The Brahmans cling to the five things leading
to worldliness and yield to the temptations of the senses; they
are entangled in the five hindrances, lust, malice, sloth, pride,
and doubt. How can they be united to that which is most unlike
their nature? Therefore the threefold wisdom of the Brahmans is a
waterless desert, a pathless jungle, and a hopeless desolation." 26
When the Buddha had thus spoken, one of the Brahmans said: "We
are told, Gotama, that the Sakyamuni knows the path to a union
with Brahmā." 27
And the Blessed One said: "What do you think, O Brahmans, of a
man born and brought up in Manasākata? Would he be in doubt about
the most direct way from this spot to Manasākata?" 28
"Certainly not, Gotama." 29
"Thus," replied the Buddha, "the Tathāgata knows the straight
path that leads to a union with Brahmā. He knows it as one who
has entered the world of Brahmā and has been born in it. There
can be no doubt in the Tathāgata." 30
And the two young Brahmans said: "If thou knowest the way show it
to us." 31