[669] "Even so, brahmin: if one has gone forth from the home life into homelessness from a khattiya family, and, relying on the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, he is one who abstains from the destruction of life, abstains from taking what is not given, abstains from unchastity (abrahmacariya), abstains from false speech, abstains from divisive speech, abstains from harsh speech, abstains from idle chatter, is without covetousness, has a mind (citta) without ill will, and holds right view — he is one who accomplishes the true way (ñāya), the wholesome Dhamma. If from a brahmin family too, brahmin … if from a vessa family too, brahmin … if from a sudda family too, brahmin, one has gone forth from the home life into homelessness, and, relying on the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, he is one who abstains from the destruction of life, 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 without covetousness, 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? Suppose here a head-anointed khattiya king were to assemble a hundred men of various births and say: 'Come, sirs! Let those among you who are born of khattiya families, brahmin families, or rājañña families take an upper fire-stick of teak (sāka), of sāl, of salaḷa, of sandalwood, or of padumaka (bird-cherry) wood, kindle a fire, and make heat appear. And come, sirs! Let those among you who are born of caṇḍāla families, hunters' families, bamboo-workers' families, chariot-makers' families, or scavengers' (pukkusa) families take an upper fire-stick from a dog's trough, a pig's trough, a dyer's trough, or from castor-oil wood, kindle a fire, and make heat appear.'
"What do you think, brahmin? Would only that fire which was kindled, that heat which was made to appear, by those born of khattiya families, brahmin families, or rājañña families, taking an upper fire-stick of teak, of sāl, of salaḷa, of sandalwood, or of padumaka wood, possess flame, colour, and radiance, and would it be possible with that fire alone to do what is to be done with fire — while that fire which was kindled, that heat which was made to appear, by those born of caṇḍāla families, hunters' families, bamboo-workers' families, chariot-makers' families, or scavengers' families, taking an upper fire-stick from a dog's trough, a pig's trough, a dyer's trough, or from castor-oil wood, would possess neither flame, nor colour, nor radiance, and it would not be possible with that fire to do what is to be done with fire?"
"Not so, worthy Gotama. The fire, worthy Gotama, that was kindled, the heat that was made to appear, by those born of khattiya families, brahmin families, or rājañña families, taking an upper fire-stick of teak, of sāl, of salaḷa, of sandalwood, or of padumaka wood — that fire would possess flame, colour, and radiance, and with that fire it would be possible to do what is to be done with fire. And the fire that was kindled, the heat that was made to appear, by those born of caṇḍāla families, hunters' families, bamboo-workers' families, chariot-makers' families, or scavengers' families, taking an upper fire-stick from a dog's trough, a pig's trough, a dyer's trough, or from castor-oil wood — that fire too would possess flame, colour, and radiance, and with that fire too it would be possible to do what is to be done with fire. For all fire, worthy Gotama, possesses flame, colour, and radiance, and with all fire it is possible to do what is to be done with fire."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.