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111. Thus have I heard: At one time the Blessed One was dwelling in Savatthi, in the Eastern Park, in Migaramata's Palace. Now at that time Vasettha and Bharadvaja were living among the bhikkhus, desiring the state of a bhikkhu. Then the Blessed One, having risen from his seclusion in the evening, descended from the palace and was walking up and down in the open air, in the shade of the palace. 112. Vasettha saw the Blessed One, having risen from his seclusion in the evening, descended from the palace and walking up and down in the open air, in the shade of the palace. Having seen him, he addressed Bharadvaja: "Friend Bharadvaja, this Blessed One, having risen from his seclusion in the evening, has descended from the palace and is walking up and down in the open air, in the shade of the palace. Come, friend Bharadvaja, let us approach the Blessed One; perhaps we might get to hear a Dhamma talk from the Blessed One." "Yes, friend," Bharadvaja replied to Vasettha. 113. Then Vasettha and Bharadvaja approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, they walked alongside the Blessed One as he walked. Then the Blessed One addressed Vasettha: "You, Vasettha, are by birth Brahmins, of Brahmin family, from a Brahmin clan, gone forth from home into homelessness. Do the Brahmins not revile and abuse you, Vasettha?" "Indeed, venerable sir, the Brahmins do revile and abuse us, with their own full measure of abuse, not incomplete." "And how, Vasettha, do the Brahmins revile and abuse you, with their own full measure of abuse, not incomplete?" "Venerable sir, the Brahmins say this: 'Brahmins are the highest caste, other castes are low. Brahmins are the fair caste, other castes are dark. caste (Sī. Pī. Ma. Ni. 2 Madhurasutta)]. Only brahmins are pure, not non-brahmins. Brahmins are the sons of Brahmā, born from his mouth, begotten by Brahmā, created by Brahmā, heirs of Brahmā. You have abandoned the supreme caste and adopted a lowly caste, that is, shaven-headed ascetics, dark-skinned, low-born, descendants of Brahmā's feet. This is not good, this is not fitting, that you have abandoned the supreme caste and adopted a lowly caste, that is, shaven-headed ascetics, dark-skinned, low-born, descendants of Brahmā's feet.' Thus, Venerable Sir, the brahmins revile and abuse us with their own full measure of abuse, not an incomplete measure." 114. "Indeed, Vāseṭṭha, the brahmins, forgetting the ancient tradition, have said this: 'Only the brahmin caste is supreme, other castes are lowly; only the brahmin caste is fair, other castes are dark; only brahmins are pure, not non-brahmins; brahmins are the sons of Brahmā, born from his mouth, begotten by Brahmā, created by Brahmā, heirs of Brahmā.' But, Vāseṭṭha, brahmin women are seen menstruating, pregnant, giving birth, and suckling. And these brahmins, being born from a womb, have said this: 'Only the brahmin caste is supreme, other castes are lowly; only the brahmin caste is fair, other castes are dark; only brahmins are pure, not non-brahmins; brahmins are the sons of Brahmā, born from his mouth, begotten by Brahmā, created by Brahmā, heirs of Brahmā.' They thus slander Brahmā and speak falsely, and generate much demerit. Purity of the Four Castes 115. "There are these four castes, Vāseṭṭha: Khattiyas, Brahmins, Vessas, Suddas. Here, Vāseṭṭha, even a Khattiya may be a killer of living beings, a taker of what is not given, a wrongdoer in sensual pleasures, a speaker of falsehoods, a slanderer, a harsh speaker, a frivolous talker, greedy, malevolent in mind, and of wrong view. Thus, Vāseṭṭha, these states that are unwholesome, counted as unwholesome, blameworthy, Called blameworthy, not to be cultivated, called not to be cultivated, not noble, called not noble, dark, with dark results, blamed by the wise— even among khattiyas, Vāseṭṭha, some of these are found. Even among brahmins, Vāseṭṭha, even among merchants, Vāseṭṭha, even among sudras, Vāseṭṭha, some are killers of living beings, takers of what is not given, engagers in sexual misconduct, speakers of falsehoods, speakers of divisive speech, speakers of harsh speech, engagers in idle chatter, covetous, with ill will, with wrong views. Thus, Vāseṭṭha, these qualities unwholesome, called unwholesome, blameworthy, called blameworthy, not to be cultivated, called not to be cultivated, not noble, called not noble, dark, with dark results, blamed by the wise— even among sudras, some of these are found. Even among khattiyas, Vāseṭṭha, some abstain from killing living beings, abstain from taking what is not given, abstain from sexual misconduct, abstain from falsehoods, abstain from divisive speech, abstain from harsh speech, abstain from idle chatter, are not covetous, have no ill will, have right views. Thus, Vāseṭṭha, these qualities wholesome, called wholesome, blameless, called blameless, to be cultivated, called to be cultivated, noble, called noble, bright, with bright results, praised by the wise— even among khattiyas, some of these are found. Even among brahmins, Vāseṭṭha, even among merchants, Vāseṭṭha, even among sudras, Vāseṭṭha, some abstain from killing living beings, abstain from taking what is not given, abstain from sexual misconduct, abstain from falsehoods, abstain from divisive speech, abstain from harsh speech, abstain from idle chatter, are not covetous, have no ill will, have right views. Thus, Vāseṭṭha, these qualities wholesome, called wholesome, blameless, called blameless, to be cultivated, called to be cultivated, noble, called noble, bright, with bright results, praised by the wise— even among sudras, some of these are found. Among these four classes, Vāseṭṭha, thus intermingled, existing with dark and bright qualities, both blamed by the wise and praised by the wise— when the brahmins here say thus: 'The brahmin class alone is supreme, other classes are inferior; the brahmin class alone is bright, other classes are dark.' Ah, only brahmins are purified, not non-brahmins. Brahmins are the true sons of Brahmā, born from his mouth, born of Brahmā, created by Brahmā, heirs of Brahmā. The discerning do not accept this. For what reason? Because, Vāseṭṭha, among these four classes, whatever monk is an Arahant, with defilements destroyed, who has lived the holy life, done what was to be done, laid down the burden, attained his own goal, with the fetters of existence utterly destroyed, completely liberated through right knowledge, he is declared to be the foremost among them, by Dhamma, not by unrighteousness. For Dhamma, Vāseṭṭha, is supreme in this world, both in this present life and in the life to come. 117. And by this method too, Vāseṭṭha, it should be understood that Dhamma is supreme in this world, both in this present life and in the life to come. King Pasenadi of Kosala knows, Vāseṭṭha, that "the ascetic Gotama has gone forth from the Sakyan clan." Now, Vāseṭṭha, the Sakyans are vassals of King Pasenadi of Kosala. The Sakyans, Vāseṭṭha, pay homage to King Pasenadi of Kosala, they salute him, rise for him, join their palms to him, and perform respectful acts. Thus, Vāseṭṭha, the homage, salutation, rising, joining of palms, and respectful acts that the Sakyans perform for King Pasenadi of Kosala, that King Pasenadi of Kosala performs for the Tathāgata: homage, salutation, rising, joining of palms, and respectful acts. Not thinking, "the ascetic Gotama is well-born, I am ill-born. The ascetic Gotama is powerful, I am weak. The ascetic Gotama is handsome, I am ugly. The ascetic Gotama is greatly influential, I am of little influence." But rather, honoring the Dhamma, revering the Dhamma, esteeming the Dhamma, worshipping the Dhamma, respecting the Dhamma, thus King Pasenadi of Kosala performs homage to the Tathāgata, salutation, rising, joining of palms, and respectful acts. deed. By this way too, Vāseṭṭha, it should be understood that Dhamma is the best in this world, both in this visible life and in the life to come. 118. “You, Vāseṭṭha, are of various births, various names, various clans, various families, gone forth from home to homelessness. When asked, ‘Who are you?’ you declare, ‘We are ascetics, sons of the Sakyas.’ For one, Vāseṭṭha, in whom faith in the Tathāgata is rooted, established, firm, unshakeable by any ascetic or brahmin, god or Māra, Brahmā or anyone in the world, it is fitting for him to say, ‘I am a son of the Blessed One, born of his mouth, born of Dhamma, created by Dhamma, an heir of Dhamma.’ For what reason? Because, Vāseṭṭha, these are designations for the Tathāgata: ‘Dhamma-body’ also, ‘Brahmā-body’ also, ‘Dhamma-become’ also, ‘Brahmā-become’ also. 119. “There comes a time, Vāseṭṭha, at some long interval, when this world contracts. When the world contracts, beings for the most part become those who have been reborn in the Ābhassara realm. They are mind-made there, feeding on joy, self-luminous, moving through the air, abiding in beauty, and they remain for a long, long time. “There comes a time, Vāseṭṭha, at some long interval, when this world expands. When the world expands, beings for the most part, having fallen from the Ābhassara realm, come to this state of being. They are mind-made here, feeding on joy, self-luminous, moving through the air, abiding in beauty, and they remain for a long, long time. Appearance of the essence of earth-sap 120. “And at that time, Vāseṭṭha, it is all water, darkness, a blinding darkness. The moon and sun are not apparent, the constellations and star-forms are not apparent, day and night are not apparent, months and half-months are not apparent, seasons and years are not apparent, male and female are not apparent; beings are reckoned as just ‘beings.’ passed. Then, Vāseṭṭha, after a long, long time, for those beings, the savory earth appeared on the water; just as when milk is heated and cools, a skin forms on top, so it appeared.