[667] "Brahmin, if one has gone forth from the home life into homelessness even from a khattiya family, and, relying on the Dhamma and Discipline (dhammavinaya) proclaimed by the Tathāgata, he abstains from killing living beings, abstains from taking what is not given, abstains from unchastity, abstains from false speech, abstains from divisive speech, abstains from harsh speech, abstains from idle chatter, is not covetous, has a mind without ill will, and holds right view — he is one who accomplishes the true way, the wholesome Dhamma (ñāyaṃ dhammaṃ kusalaṃ). If one has gone forth from the home life into homelessness even from a brahmin family, brahmin, and, relying on the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, he abstains from killing living beings, abstains from taking what is not given, abstains from unchastity, abstains from false speech … holds right view — he is one who accomplishes the true way, the wholesome Dhamma. If one has gone forth from the home life into homelessness even from a vessa family, brahmin, and, relying on the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, he abstains from killing living beings, abstains from taking what is not given, abstains from unchastity, abstains from false speech … holds right view — he is one who accomplishes the true way, the wholesome Dhamma. If one has gone forth from the home life into homelessness even from a sudda family, brahmin, and, relying on the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, he abstains from killing living beings, abstains from taking what is not given, abstains from unchastity, abstains from false speech, abstains from divisive speech, abstains from harsh speech, abstains from idle chatter, is not covetous, has a mind without ill will, and holds right view — he is one who accomplishes the true way, the wholesome Dhamma.
What do you think, brahmin? Is it only a brahmin who is capable of developing toward this region a mind of loving-kindness, free from enmity and free from affliction — and not a khattiya, not a vessa, not a sudda?"
"Not so, Master Gotama. A khattiya too, Master Gotama, is capable of developing toward this region a mind of loving-kindness, free from enmity and free from affliction; a brahmin too, Master Gotama, …; a vessa too, Master Gotama, …; a sudda too, Master Gotama, …; indeed, Master Gotama, all four castes (vaṇṇa) are capable of developing toward this region a mind of loving-kindness, free from enmity and free from affliction."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.