The white class of rebirth consists of male and female Ājīvaka ascetics.

And the ultimate white class of rebirth consists of Nanda Vaccha, Kisa Saṅkicca, and the bamboo-staffed ascetic Gosāla.

These are the six classes of rebirth that Pūraṇa Kassapa describes.”

“But Ānanda, did the whole world authorize Pūraṇa Kassapa to describe these six classes of rebirth?”

“No, sir.”

“It’s as if they were to force a chop on a poor, penniless person, telling them, ‘Eat this meat and pay for it!’ In the same way, Pūraṇa Kassapa has described these six classes of rebirth without the consent of those ascetics and brahmins. And he has done so in a foolish, incompetent, unskilled way, lacking common sense.

I, however, also describe six classes of rebirth. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

“Yes, sir,” Ānanda replied. The Buddha said this: