English
a speaker of divisive speech, a speaker of harsh speech, a speaker of idle chatter, covetous, ill-willed, of wrong view, upon the breakup of the body, after death, reappear in a state of deprivation, a bad destination, a lower realm, hell, but not a brahmin?" "No, indeed, Master Gotama. Indeed, Master Gotama, a khattiya who is a killer of living beings, a taker of what is not given, one who misconducts himself in sensual pleasures, a speaker of falsehoods, a speaker of divisive speech, a speaker of harsh speech, speaking idly, covetous, with malevolent mind, with wrong view, upon the breaking up of the body, after death, would reappear in a state of woe, a bad destination, a downfall, hell. And a brahmin, venerable Gotama… And a merchant, venerable Gotama… And a worker, venerable Gotama… Indeed, venerable Gotama, all four classes, those who kill living beings, take what is not given, misconduct themselves in sensual pleasures, speak falsely, speak divisively, speak harshly, speak idly, are covetous, with malevolent minds, with wrong views, upon the breaking up of the body, after death, would reappear in a state of woe, a bad destination, a downfall, hell.” “In this, Assalāyana, what is the strength of brahmins, what is their assurance, that brahmins say this: ‘The brahmin class is superior, other classes are inferior… heirs of Brahmā’?” “Even though Master Gotama says this, yet brahmins consider it thus: ‘The brahmin class is superior, other classes are inferior… heirs of Brahmā’.” 405. “What do you think, Assalāyana? Would only a brahmin, abstaining from killing living beings, abstaining from taking what is not given, abstaining from misconduct in sensual pleasures, abstaining from false speech, abstaining from divisive speech, abstaining from harsh speech, abstaining from idle chatter, not covetous, with a benevolent mind, with right view, upon the breaking up of the body, after death, reappear in a good destination, a heavenly world, and not a warrior, not a merchant, not a worker?” “No, venerable Gotama! Indeed, venerable Gotama, a warrior, abstaining from killing living beings, abstaining from taking what is not given, abstaining from misconduct in sensual pleasures, abstaining from false speech, abstaining from divisive speech, abstaining from harsh speech, abstaining from idle chatter, not covetous, with a benevolent mind, with right view, upon the breaking up of the body, after death, would reappear in a good destination, a heavenly world. And a brahmin, venerable Gotama… And a merchant, venerable Gotama… And a worker, venerable Gotama… Indeed, venerable Gotama, all four classes, abstaining from killing living beings, abstaining from taking what is not given, abstaining from taking what is not given, abstaining from sexual misconduct, abstaining from false speech, abstaining from divisive speech, abstaining from harsh speech, abstaining from idle chatter, not covetous, with a mind free from ill-will, with right view— with the breaking up of the body, after death, they would reappear in a good destination, a heavenly world." "Here, Assalāyana, what power do Brahmins have, what assurance, that here Brahmins declare thus: 'Brahmins alone are the superior caste, other castes are inferior... ...heirs of Brahmā'?" "Even though Master Gotama says this, yet here Brahmins think thus: 'Brahmins alone are the superior caste, other castes are inferior... ...heirs of Brahmā'." 406. "What do you think, Assalāyana, is it only a Brahmin who is able to develop a mind of loving-kindness, free from enmity and ill-will, in this country, and not a Khattiya, not a Vessa, not a Sudda?" "No, Master Gotama! Indeed, Master Gotama, a Khattiya is also able to develop a mind of loving-kindness, free from enmity and ill-will, in this country; indeed, Master Gotama, a Brahmin is also able... indeed, Master Gotama, a Vessa is also able... indeed, Master Gotama, a Sudda is also able... indeed, Master Gotama, all four castes are able to develop a mind of loving-kindness, free from enmity and ill-will, in this country." "Here, Assalāyana, what power do Brahmins have, what assurance, that here Brahmins declare thus: 'Brahmins alone are the superior caste, other castes are inferior... ...heirs of Brahmā'?" "Even though Master Gotama says this, yet here Brahmins think thus: 'Brahmins alone are the superior caste, other castes are inferior... ...heirs of Brahmā'." 407. "What do you think, Assalāyana, is it only a Brahmin who is able to take a bathing cloth and go to a river to wash away dirt and grime, and not a Khattiya, not a Vessa, not a Sudda?" "No, Master Gotama! Indeed, Master Gotama, a Khattiya is also able to take a bathing cloth and go to a river to wash away dirt and grime; indeed, Master Gotama, a Brahmin is also able... indeed, Master Gotama, a Vessa is also able... indeed, a Sudda..." “Indeed, good Gotama, all four classes are able to take a bathing garment, go to the river, and wash away dirt and grime.” “In this, Assalāyana, what is the power, what is the assurance of brahmins, that brahmins declare thus: ‘Brahmins are the highest class, other classes are inferior… …heirs of Brahmā’?” “Even though the good Gotama says this, still, in this matter, brahmins believe thus: ‘Brahmins are the highest class, other classes are inferior… …heirs of Brahmā’.” 408. “What do you think, Assalāyana? Suppose a king, a khattiya, anointed, were to gather a hundred men of various birth: ‘Let those gentlemen come, who are born into khattiya families, brahmin families, royal families, and taking an upper fire-stick of sākā wood, or sāla wood, or salaḷa wood, or candana wood, or padumaka wood, let them produce fire, let them make light appear. And let those gentlemen come, who are born into caṇḍāla families, nesāda families, vena families, rathakāra families, pukkusa families, and taking an upper fire-stick of a dog-trough, or a pig-trough, or a washerman’s trough, or castor-oil wood, let them produce fire, let them make light appear.’ “What do you think, Assalāyana? Would that fire, produced and made manifest by those born into khattiya families, brahmin families, royal families, taking an upper fire-stick of sākā wood, or sāla wood, or salaḷa wood, or candana wood, or padumaka wood, be flaming, and radiant, and luminous, and would it be possible to perform fire-rituals with that fire? And would that fire, produced and made manifest by those born into caṇḍāla families, nesāda families, vena families, rathakāra families, pukkusa families, taking an upper fire-stick of a dog-trough, or a pig-trough, or a washerman’s trough, or castor-oil wood, be…” produced, the heat manifested, would that fire not be flaming, nor colorful, nor radiant, nor would it be possible to perform fire-rituals with that fire? "No, indeed, good Gotama! Even if, good Gotama, from those born into a warrior family, a brahmin family, a royal family, taking the upper fire-stick of teak, or sal, or pine, or sandalwood, or lotus, fire is produced, heat manifested, that fire would be flaming, and colorful, and radiant, and it would be possible to perform fire-rituals with that fire; and even if from those born into an outcaste family, a hunter family, a bamboo-worker family, a chariot-maker family, a scavenger family, taking the upper fire-stick of a dog's trough, or a pig's trough, or a washerman's trough, or castor wood, fire is produced, heat manifested, that fire would be flaming, and colorful, and radiant, and it would be possible to perform fire-rituals with that fire. Indeed, good Gotama, all fire is flaming, and colorful, and radiant, and with all fire it is possible to perform fire-rituals." "In this case, Assalāyana, what is the strength of the brahmins, what is their assurance, that the brahmins here declare thus: 'Brahmins are the highest caste, other castes are low; brahmins are the fair caste, other castes are dark; brahmins alone are purified, not non-brahmins; brahmins alone are the legitimate sons of Brahmā, born from his mouth, born of Brahmā, created by Brahmā, heirs of Brahmā'?" "Although the good Gotama says this, yet here the brahmins think thus: 'Brahmins are the highest caste, other castes are low; brahmins are the fair caste, other castes are dark; brahmins alone are purified, not non-brahmins; brahmins alone are the legitimate sons of Brahmā, born from his mouth, born of Brahmā, created by Brahmā, heirs of Brahmā'." 409. "What do you think, Assalāyana, if here a warrior prince were to cohabit with a brahmin maiden, and following their cohabitation, a son were born; would that son, born of the warrior prince and the brahmin maiden, be similar to his mother, similar to his father, would he be called 'warrior' and also called 'brahmin'?" born? “That son, good Gotama, born of a Khattiya prince and a Brahmana maiden, he might be like his mother, he might be like his father, he should be called ‘Khattiya’, he should be called ‘Brahmana’.” “What do you think, Assalāyana, if here a Brahmana prince were to live together with a Khattiya maiden, and following their cohabitation a son were born; that son, born of a Brahmana prince and a Khattiya maiden, he might be like his mother, he might be like his father, he should be called ‘Khattiya’, he should be called ‘Brahmana’?” “That son, good Gotama, born of a Brahmana prince and a Khattiya maiden, he might be like his mother, he might be like his father, he should be called ‘Khattiya’, he should be called ‘Brahmana’.” “What do you think, Assalāyana, if here a mare were to be joined with a donkey, and following their joining a mule were born; that mule, born of a mare and a donkey, he might be like his mother, he might be like his father, he should be called ‘horse’, he should be called ‘donkey’?” “He is a mule, good Gotama. This, good Gotama, is a difference I see in him; but in those others, I see no difference at all.” “What do you think, Assalāyana, if here there were two young men,