This is as I heard. At one time the Buddha was living in the province of the Sakyans, in a village called Khomadussa.
Then on a certain morning, the Buddha wore his robe, took his bowl and double-layered robe, and went to the Khomadussa village for alms. Now at that time, the people of the brahmin caste of Khomadussa village were gathered in the meeting hall for some business. At that time, it started to gently rain.
Then, the Buddha was approaching the meeting hall. The people saw the Buddha coming in a distance, and said, “Who is that bald headed monk? He doesn’t have anything to do here in this meeting.”
Then, the Buddha told those people in verse:
“Where there are no peaceful noble ones in a meeting,
that is not a meeting at all.
If there are no Dhamma speakers in a group,
there are no noble ones in that group.
Those who have abandoned desire,
hate, and delusion and speak the Dhamma
are the noble ones in this world!”
When the Buddha said this, the people of Khomadussa village said to the Buddha, “Excellent, Master Gotama! Excellent! Just as if someone turned upright, what was upside down, revealed what was hidden, pointed out the path to whoever was lost, or lit a lamp in the dark so people with good eyes could see what’s there, Master Gotama taught me the Dhamma, which is clear in many ways. I go for refuge to Master Gotama, to the Dhamma, and to the Saṅgha. From this day forth, may Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge to the Triple Gem for as long as I live.”
The Linked Discourses with people of the brahmin caste are complete.
