Verses on Dhamma 26.4.p2

26.4.p2

So kira cintesi – ‘‘satthā attano sāvake, ‘brāhmaṇā’ti vadati, ahañcamhi jātigottena brāhmaṇo, mampi nu kho evaṃ vattuṃ vaṭṭatī’’ti. So satthāraṃ upasaṅkamitvā tamatthaṃ pucchi. Satthā ‘‘nāhaṃ jātigottamattena brāhmaṇaṃ vadāmi, uttamatthaṃ arahattaṃ anuppattameva panevaṃ vadāmī’’ti vatvā imaṃ gāthamāha –

The story goes that one day this Brahman thought to himself, "The Teacher calls his own disciples 'Brahmans:' now I am by birth and lineage a Brahman; therefore he ought to apply this title to me also." So he approached the Teacher and asked him about the matter. The Teacher replied, "I do not call a man a Brahman merely because of his birth and lineage; I call by this title only that man who has reached the supreme goal, Arahatship." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza,