If one can endure abuse without anger, he is a real Brāhmana
The background story of the 399th verse, which is the seventeenth verse of the Brāhmana vagga is about four Brahmin brothers who came and abused the Buddha, but eventually became Buddha’s disciples due to Buddha’s patient endurance and attained enlightenment as Arahants.
The background story of verse 399
At one time, the Buddha was staying at the Veluvana monastery in Rajagaha, which was donated to the Buddha by King Bimbisāra.
At that time, there was a Brahmin named Bhāradvāja whose wife named Dhananjāni was a disciple of the Buddha. She had attained the first supra mundane stage of Stream Enterer (Sotāpañña), and whenever she happened to sneeze, cough or stumble, she would utter the solemn utterance: “Homage to the Exalted One, the Worthy One, the Supremely Enlightened One” (Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā sambuddhassa). One day as she was serving the food to some invited brahmins in her house, she stumbled and as usual uttered the solemn utterance: “Homage to the Exalted One, the Worthy One, the Supremely Enlightened One” in a loud voice. When this was said by her, the Brahmin Bhāradvāja said to her:
“You, outcaste woman, while living in my house, are you making utterances praising that shaven-headed monk? I will go right now and argue against the teaching of your teacher.”
“Brahmin, I do not know of anyone in this world with its gods, Maras, Brahmas, recluses and humans, who can argue against the teaching of the Exalted One, the worthy One, the Supremely Enlightened One. But anyway, you can go and find out for yourself.”
Then the Brahmin Bhāradvāja, angry and upset, went to the Buddha. He exchanged friendly greetings with the Buddha and sat to one side. Having sat to one side, he said this to the Buddha in verse.
“Cutting up what, can one sleep well?
cutting up what, does one not feel sadness?
what is the one thing, whose destruction, you would approve?”
“Cutting up anger, one sleeps well,
cutting up anger, one does not feel sadness,
brahmin, anger has a poisonous root and a sweet top,
the noble ones praise the destruction of anger, for when anger is destroyed, there is no sadness.”
After hearing the Buddha’s response, the Brahmin Bhāradvāja was so impressed and satisfied that he asked the Buddha for permission to go forth and receive higher ordination as a monk. Having received the going forth and higher ordination in the presence of the Buddha, within a very short time he gained enlightenment as an Arahant.
His younger brother named Akkosa Bhāradvāja, became extremely angry when he heard that his brother had become a monk under the Buddha. He went to the Buddha and verbally abused the Buddha with foul and harsh words. The Buddha quietly asked the brahmin Akkosa Bhāradvāja:
“Well, brahmin, do friends, colleagues, blood relatives and other guests visit you?”
“Yes, sometimes friends, colleagues, blood relatives and other guests do visit me.”
“What do you think brahmin, do you offer them solid food, food snacks or delicacies?”
“Yes, sometimes, I do offer them solid food, food snacks or delicacies.”
“But, if brahmin, they do not accept them, who do those foods belong to?”
“If they do not accept them, those foods belong to me”
“In the same way, brahmin, you are abusing us who do not abuse, you are angry with us who do not get angry, you are insulting us who do not insult. All of this, we do not accept from you. You alone will get them back. All of this, brahmin, belongs to you.”
He instantly realized the Buddha’s message and requested permission to go forth and receive higher ordination as a monk. Within a very short time, he too gained enlightenment as an Arahant.
Akkosa Bhāradvāja’s two younger brothers named Sundarī Bhāradvāja and Bilangika Bhāradvāja also went and abused the Buddha, who subdued them both patiently. They also went forth and received higher ordination as monks and soon gained enlightenment as Arahants.
Following these incidents, one day the monks were discussing among themselves at their congregation: “How wonderful and how great are the virtues of the Blessed One! The four Brahmin brothers came here to abuse the Blessed One; and instead of arguing with them, the Blessed One made them see the light and became a refuge to them.” At that moment, the Buddha arrived there and asked what they were discussing about. The monks reported what they were discussing about and then the Buddha said:
“Monks, because I have patience and do no wrong to those who do me wrong, I have become a refuge to many.”
Then the Buddha recited the following verse which is recorded as the 399th verse of the Dhammapada.
“Akkosaṁ vadhabandhan ca,
aduttho yo titikkhati,
khantībalaṁ balānikaṁ,
tamahaṁ brūmi brāhmanaṁ.“
“When abused, beaten and being bound,
whoever endures it with no anger,
who has patience as his power and army,
that one I say is a true brahmana.”