[53] "Vāseṭṭha, some khattiya here refrains from killing living beings, refrains from taking what is not given, refrains from misconduct in sensual pleasures, refrains from false speech, refrains from divisive speech, refrains from harsh speech, refrains from idle chatter; he is without covetousness, has a mind without ill will, and holds right view. Thus, Vāseṭṭha, those qualities that are wholesome and reckoned as wholesome, blameless and reckoned as blameless, fit to be cultivated and reckoned as fit to be cultivated, worthy of the noble ones and reckoned as worthy of the noble ones—bright, with bright results, praised by the wise—these are seen in some khattiyas here. So too, Vāseṭṭha, some brahmin here … So too, Vāseṭṭha, some vessa here … So too, Vāseṭṭha, some sudda here refrains from killing living beings … he is without covetousness, has a mind without ill will, and holds right view. Thus, Vāseṭṭha, those qualities that are wholesome and reckoned as wholesome, blameless and reckoned as blameless, fit to be cultivated and reckoned as fit to be cultivated, worthy of the noble ones and reckoned as worthy of the noble ones—bright, with bright results, praised by the wise—these are seen even in some suddas here.
"Now, Vāseṭṭha, since among these four classes these dark and bright qualities occur thus mingled in both ways—both blamed by the wise and praised by the wise—when the brahmins here say: 'Only the brahmins are the highest class; the other classes are inferior. Only the brahmins are the bright class; the other classes are dark. Only the brahmins are purified, not non-brahmins. The brahmins are Brahmā's true-born sons, born from his mouth, born of Brahmā, created by Brahmā, heirs of Brahmā'—the wise do not grant them that. Why is that? Because, Vāseṭṭha, whoever from among these four classes is a bhikkhu who is an arahant, whose taints (āsava) are destroyed, who has lived the holy life, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, reached his own true goal, utterly destroyed the fetter of existence, and is liberated through final knowledge—he is declared the foremost among them by Dhamma itself, not contrary to Dhamma. For the Dhamma, Vāseṭṭha, is supreme among this people, both in this visible life and in the life to come.
"And by this exposition too, Vāseṭṭha, it may be understood how the Dhamma is supreme among this people, both in this visible life and in the life to come."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.