The Story of a Deceitful Brahmin

While residing at the Kutagara monastery in Vesali, the Buddha uttered Verse (394) of this book, with reference to a deceitful brahmin.

Once, a deceitful brahmin climbed up a tree near the city-gate of Vesali and kept himself hanging upside down like a bat from one of the branches of the tree. From this very awkward position, he kept on muttering, "O people! Bring me a hundred heads of cattle, many pieces of silver and a number of slaves. If you do not bring these to me, and if I were to fall down from this tree and die, this city of yours will surely come to ruin." The people of the town, fearing that their city night be destroyed if the brahmin were to fall down and die, brought all the things he demanded and pleaded with him to come down.

The bhikkhus hearing about this incident reported to the Buddha and the Buddha replied that the deceitful one could only cheat the ignorant people but not the wise ones.

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Verse 394: O foolish one! What is the use of wearing matted hair? What is the use of your wearing a garment made of antelope skin? In you, there is a forest (of moral defilements); you clean yourself only externally.