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302 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
inequality. This social inequality is not the result of historical growth. Inequality is the official doctrine of Brahminism.
III
The Buddha opposed it root and branch.
He was the strongest opponent of caste and the earliest and staunchest upholder of equality.
There is no argument in favour of caste and inequality which he did not refute.
There were many Brahmins who challenged Buddha on this issue. But he silenced them completely.
The story is told in the Assalayana-Sutta that once the Brahmins persuaded one of them, by name Assalayana, to go to the Buddha and controvert his views against caste and inequality.
Assalayana went to the Buddha and placed before him the case in favour of the superiority of the Brahmins.
He said, “Brahmins maintain, Gotama, that only Brahmins form the superior class, all other classes being inferior ; that only Brahmins form the white class, all other classes being black fellows ; that purity resides in Brahmins alone and not in non-Brahmins ; and that only Brahmins are Brahma’s legitimate sons, born from his mouth, offspring of his, creations of his, and his heirs. What does Gotama say hereon ?”
The Buddha’s answer simply pulverized Assalayana.
The Buddha said : “Assalayana, are not the Brahmin wives of Brahmins known to have their periods, and to conceive, and to lie and give birth? Notwithstanding this do Brahmins really maintain all what you have said though they are themselves born of women like everybody else ?”
Assalayana gave no answer.
The Buddha went further and asked Assalayana another question.
“Suppose, Assalayana, a young noble consorts with a Brahmin maiden, what would be the issue ? Will it be an animal or human being ?”