The Vaseţţha Sutta states that human beings are equal. In this sutta from the Majjhima Nikāya (also from the Sutta Nipāta) the Buddha refutes the brahminical idea that one is a Brahmin[i] by birth. The Buddha explains this by pointing to the fact that human beings are one species. Human beings do not have different kinds of bodies as have different kinds of animals. What make human beings different from each other are only their actions. Being a Brahmin has nothing to do with birth. The true Brahmin is the person who has got rid of the impurities of the mind.
- The Blessed One said: Vaseţţha, I will tell you step by step how it happens,
The classification of living things in this and other births. - Look at the grass and trees, although they are not aware,
This and the other have attributes peculiar to their births. - So also insects, like grasshoppers and ants
They have attributes peculiar to their births. - Look at the animals small and large
They have attributes peculiar to their births.
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- Although these have various attributes, at birth,
In humans various attributes are not evident at birth.
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- In the individual bodies of humans, these are not evident,
They are designated by the activities of humans. - Among humans whoever makes a livelihood by looking after cattle,
Vāseṭṭha, know him as a farmer, not as a brahmin. - Among humans whoever makes a livelihood doing a craft,
Vāseṭṭha, know him as a craftsman, not as a brahmin. - Among humans whoever makes a livelihood by trading,
Vāseṭṭha, know him as a merchant, not as a brahmin.
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- One born of a brahmin woman’s womb is not a brahmin,
By address, he is sir, he has defilements,
When he has no defilements and no seizings, I call him a brahmin.
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- The usual way of the world is to be planned about name and clan,
But accumulated things meet coincidently, at the right time. - Ignorantly entangled in views for a long time,
The not knowing tell us, that by birth a brahmin is born. - By birth a brahmin is not born, by birth a non-brahmin is not born,
By actions a brahmin is born, by actions a non-brahmin is born. - By actions a farmer is born, by actions a craftsman is born,
By actions a merchant is born, by actions a workman is born. - By actions a robber is born, by actions a soldier is born,
By actions an adviser is born, by actions a king is born. - Thus the wise see action as it really is,
Seeing it dependently arise becomes clever in the results of actions. - By actions the world rolls on, by actions the populace roll on,
Beings bound to actions, go on, like the linchpin of the wheel.
From: Vaseţţha Sutta, 98 Majjhima Nikāya (also 3.9 Sutta Nipāta)
[i] Brahmin (brahmana). In Hinduism a person born into the priestly caste. In Buddhism this term is redefined to mean the spiritually perfected person.