[187] "But, brahmin, of these five factors, is it possible to set aside one factor, and to designate as a brahmin one who possesses four factors — so that, saying 'I am a brahmin,' he would speak rightly and would not fall into false speech?"
"It is possible, worthy Gotama. Of these five factors, worthy Gotama, we may set aside appearance (vaṇṇa); for what will appearance accomplish? Since, worthy Gotama, a brahmin is well born on both sides, on the mother's side and on the father's side, of pure descent through the womb, unimpeached and irreproachable with respect to birth as far back as the seventh generation of paternal ancestors; and he is a reciter and bearer of the hymns (manta), one who has gone to the far shore of the three Vedas together with the vocabularies (nighaṇḍu) and the ritual manuals (keṭubha), with the analysis of syllables, and with the histories (itihāsa) as the fifth — one skilled in the words, skilled in grammar, fully accomplished in cosmology (lokāyata) and in the marks of a great man; and he is ethical, of mature ethical conduct, endowed with mature ethical conduct; and he is wise and intelligent, the first or the second among those who hold up the sacrificial ladle. One who possesses these four factors, worthy Gotama, the brahmins designate as a brahmin; and saying 'I am a brahmin,' he would speak rightly and would not fall into false speech."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.