“Actually, Vāseṭṭha, the brahmins are forgetting their tradition when they say this to you. For brahmin women are seen menstruating, being pregnant, giving birth, and breast-feeding. Yet even though they’re born from a brahmin womb they say: ‘Only brahmins are the best class; other classes are inferior. Only brahmins are the light class; other classes are dark. Only brahmins are purified, not others. Only brahmins are the Divinity’s bosom sons, born from his mouth, born of the Divinity, created by the Divinity, heirs of the Divinity.’ They misrepresent the brahmins, speak falsely, and brim with much wickedness.

1. Purification in the Four Classes Vāseṭṭha, there are these four classes: aristocrats, brahmins, peasants, and menials. Some aristocrats kill living creatures, steal, and commit sexual misconduct. They use speech that’s false, backbiting, harsh, and nonsensical. And they’re covetous, malicious, with wrong view. These things are unskillful, blameworthy, not to be cultivated, unworthy of the noble ones—and are reckoned as such. They are dark deeds with dark results, criticized by sensible people. Such things are exhibited in some aristocrats. And they are also seen among some brahmins, peasants, and menials.