[627] "What do you think, Assalāyana? Suppose there were here two young brahmin students (māṇava), brothers born of the same mother: one an educated reciter, fully trained, but immoral and of evil character; the other not an educated reciter, untrained, but virtuous and of good character. Which of them would the brahmins feed first — at an offering for the departed (saddha), or at a milk-rice offering (thālipāka), or at a sacrifice, or at a feast for guests?"
"Worthy Gotama, the young student who was not an educated reciter, untrained, but virtuous and of good character — him the brahmins would feed first, at an offering for the departed, or at a milk-rice offering, or at a sacrifice, or at a feast for guests. For how, worthy Gotama, could what is given to one who is immoral and of evil character be of great fruit?"
"Formerly, Assalāyana, you went by birth; having gone by birth, you went by the mantras; having gone by the mantras, you have set that very thing aside and come back around to the purification common to the four classes (vaṇṇa), just as I proclaim it."
When this was said, the young brahmin Assalāyana sat silent, dismayed, with drooping shoulders and downcast face, brooding, unable to reply.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.