Verse 270

Dhammapada Verse 270

The Story of a Fisherman Named Ariya

Once, there was a fisherman who lived near the north gate of Savatthi. One day through his supernormal power, the Buddha found that time was ripe for the fisherman to attain Sotapatti Fruition. So on his return from the alms-round, the Buddha, followed by the bhikkhus, stopped near the place where Ariya was fishing. When the fisherman saw the Buddha, he threw away his fishing gear and came and stood near the Buddha. The Buddha then proceeded to ask the names of his bhikkhus in the presence of the fisherman, and finally, he asked the name of the fisherman. When the fisher man replied that his name was Ariya, the Buddha said that the Noble Ones (ariyas) do not harm any living being, but since the fisherman was taking the lives of fish he was not worthy of his name.

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Na tena ariyo hoti
yena panani himsati
ahimsa sabbapapnam
"ariyo" ti pavuccati.

Verse 270: He who harms living beings is, for that reason, not an Ariya (a Noble One); he who does not harm any living being is called an ariya¹.

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1. Ariya: one who has realized one of the four maggas.