"The ignorant (priests) pretend to know the sacrifice, those whose Brahmanical excellence consists in (false) science; they shroud themselves in study and penance, being like fire covered by ashes. (18)

"He who is called by people a Brahmana and is worshipped like fire (is no true Brahmana). But him we call a true Brahmana, whom the wise point out as such. (19)

"He who has no worldly attachment after entering the order, who does not repent of having become a monk , and who takes delight in the noble words, him we call a Brahmana. (20)

"He who is exempt from love, hatred, and fear,

[paragraph continues] (and who shines forth) like burnished gold, purified in fire , him we call a Brahmana. (21)

"A lean, self-subduing ascetic, who reduces his flesh and blood, who is pious and has reached Nirvana, him we call a Brahmana. (22)

"He who thoroughly knows living beings, whether they move or not, and does not injure them in any of the three ways , him we call a Brahmana. (23)

"He who does not speak untruth from anger or for fun, from greed or from fear, him we call a Brahmana. (24)

"He who does not take anything that is not given him, be it sentient or not sentient, small or large, him we call a Brahmana. (25)

"He who does not carnally love divine, human, or animal beings, in thoughts, words, or acts, him we call a Brahmana. (26)

"He who is not defiled by pleasures as a lotus growing in the water is not wetted by it, him we call a Brahmana. (27)

"He who is not greedy, who lives unknown, who has no house and no property, and who has no friendship with householders, him we call a Brahmana. (28)

"He who has given up his former connections (with his parents, &c.), with his kinsmen and relations, and who is not given to pleasure, him we call a Brahmana. (29)

"The binding of animals (to the sacrificial pole), all the Vedas, and sacrifices, being causes of sin, cannot save the sinner; for his works (or Karman) are very powerful. (30)

"One does not become a Sramana by the tonsure, nor a Brahmana by the sacred syllable om, nor a Muni by living in the woods, nor a Tapasa by wearing (clothes of) Kusa-grass and bark. (31)

"One becomes a Sramana by equanimity, a Brahmana by chastity, a Muni by knowledge, and a Tapasa by penance. (32)

"By one's actions one becomes a Brahmana, or a Kshattriya, or a Vaisya, or a Sudra. (33)

"The Enlightened One has declared these (good qualities) through which one becomes a (true) Snataka ; him who is exempt from all Karman, we call a Brahmana. (34)

"The most excellent twice-born men who possess these good qualities, are able to save themselves and others." (35)

When thus his doubt had been solved, Vigayaghosha, the Brahmana, assented to the great sage Gayaghosha and to his (speech). (36)