[269] When this was said, the naked ascetic (acela) Kassapa said to the Blessed One: "Hard to know, Master Gotama, is the ascetic; hard to know is the brahmin."
"This, Kassapa, is the common way of the world: 'Hard to know is the ascetic; hard to know is the brahmin.' Kassapa, even if one is a naked ascetic, of loose habits, a licker of his hands … and thus dwells committed to the practice of eating food that comes round at intervals of even half a month—if it were by this mere measure and by this course of austerity (tapopakkama) that an ascetic or a brahmin were hard to know, very hard to know, it would not be fitting to say: 'Hard to know is the ascetic; hard to know is the brahmin.' For it would be possible for a householder, or a householder's son, or even for the slave-girl who carries the water-jar, to know this: 'This one too is a naked ascetic, of loose habits, a licker of his hands … thus he dwells committed to the practice of eating food that comes round at intervals of even half a month.' But since, Kassapa, it is apart from this mere measure and apart from this course of austerity that an ascetic or a brahmin is hard to know, very hard to know, therefore it is fitting to say: 'Hard to know is the ascetic; hard to know is the brahmin.' When, Kassapa, a bhikkhu develops a mind of loving-kindness (mettā) that is without enmity and without ill will, and, with the destruction of the taints (āsava), realizes for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, and, having entered upon it, dwells therein—this bhikkhu, Kassapa, is called both an 'ascetic' and a 'brahmin.'
Kassapa, even if one is an eater of greens, an eater of millet … subsists on forest roots and fruits, feeding on fallen fruit—if it were by this mere measure and by this course of austerity that an ascetic or a brahmin were hard to know, very hard to know, it would not be fitting to say: 'Hard to know is the ascetic; hard to know is the brahmin.' For it would be possible for a householder, or a householder's son, or even for the slave-girl who carries the water-jar, to know this: 'This one is an eater of greens, or an eater of millet … he subsists on forest roots and fruits, feeding on fallen fruit.' But since, Kassapa, it is apart from this mere measure and apart from this course of austerity that an ascetic or a brahmin is hard to know, very hard to know, therefore it is fitting to say: 'Hard to know is the ascetic; hard to know is the brahmin.' When, Kassapa, a bhikkhu develops a mind of loving-kindness that is without enmity and without ill will, and, with the destruction of the taints, realizes for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, and, having entered upon it, dwells therein—this bhikkhu, Kassapa, is called both an 'ascetic' and a 'brahmin.'
Kassapa, even if one wears hemp cloth, wears cloth of mixed fibers … dwells committed to the practice of descending into the water even a third time in the evening—if it were by this mere measure and by this course of austerity that an ascetic or a brahmin were hard to know, very hard to know, it would not be fitting to say: 'Hard to know is the ascetic; hard to know is the brahmin.' For it would be possible for a householder, or a householder's son, or even for the slave-girl who carries the water-jar, to know this: 'This one wears hemp cloth, and wears cloth of mixed fibers … he dwells committed to the practice of descending into the water even a third time in the evening.' But since, Kassapa, it is apart from this mere measure and apart from this course of austerity that an ascetic or a brahmin is hard to know, very hard to know, therefore it is fitting to say: 'Hard to know is the ascetic; hard to know is the brahmin.' When, Kassapa, a bhikkhu develops a mind of loving-kindness that is without enmity and without ill will, and, with the destruction of the taints, realizes for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, and, having entered upon it, dwells therein—this bhikkhu, Kassapa, is called both an 'ascetic' and a 'brahmin.'"
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.