[618] "What do you think, Assalāyana? Would only a khattiya who kills living beings, takes what is not given, engages in sexual misconduct, speaks falsehood, speaks divisively, speaks harshly, speaks frivolous talk, is covetous, has a mind of ill will (byāpāda), and holds wrong view, with the breakup of the body, after death, be reborn in a state of deprivation, a bad destination, the lower world, hell — and not a brahmin? Would only a vessa … would only a sudda who kills living beings, takes what is not given, engages in sexual misconduct, speaks falsehood, speaks divisively, speaks harshly, speaks frivolous talk, is covetous, has a mind of ill will, and holds wrong view, with the breakup of the body, after death, be reborn in a state of deprivation, a bad destination, the lower world, hell — and not a brahmin?"
"Not so, worthy Gotama. A khattiya too, worthy Gotama, who kills living beings, takes what is not given, engages in sexual misconduct, speaks falsehood, speaks divisively, speaks harshly, speaks frivolous talk, is covetous, has a mind of ill will, and holds wrong view would, with the breakup of the body, after death, be reborn in a state of deprivation, a bad destination, the lower world, hell. A brahmin too, worthy Gotama … a vessa too, worthy Gotama … a sudda too, worthy Gotama … Indeed, worthy Gotama, all four classes (vaṇṇa), if they kill living beings, take what is not given, engage in sexual misconduct, speak falsehood, speak divisively, speak harshly, speak frivolous talk, are covetous, have minds of ill will, and hold wrong view, would, with the breakup of the body, after death, be reborn in a state of deprivation, a bad destination, the lower world, hell."
"That being so, Assalāyana, what strength do the brahmins have here, what assurance, that in this matter the brahmins say: 'Only brahmins are the highest class; any other class is inferior … heirs of Brahmā'?"
"Though the worthy Gotama says this, still in this matter the brahmins think thus: 'Only brahmins are the highest class; any other class is inferior … heirs of Brahmā.'"
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.