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WHAT IS SADDHAMMA ?
- Again Assalayana gave no answer.
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“As to the possibility of moral development, is it only a Brahmin and not a man of the other three classes, who in this country, can develop in his heart the love that knows no hate or ill-will ?”
“No. All four classes can do it,” replied Assalayana.
“Assalayana ! Have you ever heard,” asked the Buddha, “that in the Yona and Kamboja countries and in other adjacent countries, there are only two classes, namely, masters and slaves, and that a master can become a slave and vice versa ? ”
“Yes, I have heard so,” replied Assalayana.
“If your Chaturvarna is an ideal society, why is it not universal ?”
On none of these points was Assalayana able to defend his theory of caste and inequality. He was completely silenced. He ended by becoming a disciple of the Buddha.
A Brahmin by name Vasettha had embraced the religion of the Blessed Lord. The Brahmins used to abuse him for his conversion.
One day he went to Buddha and disclosed to him what the Brahmins said of him.
Then Vasettha said : “The Brahmins, Lord, say thus : ‘Only a Brahmin is of the best social grade ; other grades are low. Only a Brahmin is of a clear complexion ; other complexions are swarthy. Only Brahmins are of pure breed ; not they that are not of the Brahmins. Only Brahmins are genuine children of Brahma, born of his mouth, offspring of Brahma, created by Brahma, heirs of Brahma.
“ ‘As for you, you have renounced the best rank and have gone over to that low class, to the shaven recluses, to vulgar rich, to them of swarthy skins, to the foot-born descendants. Such a course is not good, such a course is not proper, even this, that you, having forsaken that upper class, should associate with an inferior class, to wit, with shavelings, fair folks, menials, swarthy of skin, the offspring of our kinsmen’s heels.’
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