[370] "So it seems, Vāseṭṭha, that among the brahmins versed in the three Vedas there is not even a single brahmin who has seen Brahmā face to face?"
"No indeed, worthy Gotama."
"But then, Vāseṭṭha, is there not even a single teacher of the brahmins versed in the three Vedas who has seen Brahmā face to face?"
"No indeed, worthy Gotama."
"But then, Vāseṭṭha, is there not even a single teacher of the teachers of the brahmins versed in the three Vedas who has seen Brahmā face to face?"
"No indeed, worthy Gotama."
"But then, Vāseṭṭha, is there no one among the brahmins versed in the three Vedas, back through seven generations of teachers, who has seen Brahmā face to face?"
"No indeed, worthy Gotama."
"But then, Vāseṭṭha, as for those who, it is said, were the ancient seers of the brahmins versed in the three Vedas — the composers of the hymns (manta), the propagators of the hymns, whose ancient corpus of hymns, sung, recited, and compiled, the brahmins versed in the three Vedas nowadays sing after them and recite after them, reciting what was recited and rehearsing what was taught — namely, Aṭṭhaka, Vāmaka, Vāmadeva, Vessāmitta, Yamataggi, Aṅgirasa, Bhāradvāja, Vāseṭṭha, Kassapa, and Bhagu — did even they speak thus: 'We know this, we see this: where Brahmā is, by what way Brahmā is, or in what place Brahmā is'?
Yet those very brahmins versed in the three Vedas speak thus: 'We do not know, we do not see; yet we teach the path (magga) to companionship with him: this alone is the straight path, this the direct way, leading onward; it leads one who practices accordingly to companionship with Brahmā.'"
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.