Understanding Brahmabhūta and the Path to Nibbāna : หน้า 56/141

where all fetters are unrooted, or at least they signify the ‘best’ state. The same may be said for the parallel of dhammacarĺa and brahmacarĺa. Although these two compounds are normally used in different senses, in the passage where they appear together, both are said to be the highest ways of living. It is likely that the analogue of both terms in ‘dhammakāya,’ ‘brahmakāya,’ ‘dhamma bhūta’ and ‘brahma bhūta’ in the Agañña-sutta can be understood in the same way. The notion of ‘brah mā bhūta’ found elsewhere seems to reinforce this. It always refers to an Arahat, who has eradicated all defilements. Sometimes, an Arahat is described with the expression ‘lives by means of self having become brahma.’ In these cases, he is said to live without burning himself or others, satisfied, extinguished, tranquil, and experiencing happiness presently. Sometimes an Arahat who ‘lives with his self and becomes brahma’ is explained as passionless, as opposed to worldly people who passionately seek material properties. Therefore, the word brahmabhūta indicates the state of having eradicated all traces of defilements and sufferings- that he becomes one with the ultimate peace and happiness. Geiger remarks that the word Brahman here is synonymous to Buddhist Nibbāna. He notes also the use of the word ‘brahmapatha’ which in a Pāli manuscript is glossed as ‘amatapatha’ - the way to the deathless. It is expressed explicitly that ‘brahma -’ in the passage is to be understood as Nibbāna, ‘the undying,’ which is the highest goal of Buddhists.