What do you think, Vāseṭṭha? Have you heard that the brahmins who are elderly and senior, the teachers of teachers, say whether Brahmā is possessive or not?”

“That he is not, Master Gotama.”

“Is his heart full of enmity or not?”

“It is not.”

“Is his heart full of ill will or not?”

“It is not.”

“Is his heart corrupted or not?”

“It is not.”

“Does he wield power or not?”

“He does.”

“What do you think, Vāseṭṭha? Are the brahmins proficient in the three Vedas possessive or not?”

“They are.”

“Are their hearts full of enmity or not?”

“They are.”

“Are their hearts full of ill will or not?”

“They are.”

“Are their hearts corrupted or not?”

“They are.”

“Do they wield power or not?”

“They do not.”

“So it seems that the brahmins proficient in the three Vedas are possessive, but Brahmā is not. But would brahmins who are possessive come together and converge with Brahmā, who isn’t possessive?”

“No, Master Gotama.”

“Good, Vāseṭṭha! It’s impossible that the brahmins who are possessive will, when the body breaks up, after death, be reborn in the company of Brahmā, who isn’t possessive.

And it seems that the brahmins have enmity, ill will, corruption, and do not wield power, while Brahmā is the opposite in all these things. But would brahmins who are opposite to Brahmā in all things come together and converge with him?”

“No, Master Gotama.”

“Good, Vāseṭṭha! It’s impossible that such brahmins will, when the body breaks up, after death, be reborn in the company of Brahmā.

But here the brahmins proficient in the three Vedas sink down where they have sat, only to be torn apart; all the while imagining that they’re crossing over to drier ground. That’s why the three Vedas of the brahmins are called a ‘salted land’ and a ‘barren land’ and a ‘disaster’.”

When he said this, Vāseṭṭha said to the Buddha, “I have heard, Master Gotama, that you know the path to company with Brahmā.”

“What do you think, Vāseṭṭha? Is the village of Manasākaṭa nearby?”

“Yes it is.”

“What do you think, Vāseṭṭha? Suppose a person was born and raised in Manasākaṭa. And as soon as they left the town some people asked them for the road to Manasākaṭa. Would they be slow or hesitant to answer?”

“No, Master Gotama. Why is that? Because they were born and raised in Manasākaṭa. They’re well acquainted with all the roads to the village.”

“Still, it’s possible they might be slow or hesitant to answer. But the Realized One is never slow or hesitant when questioned about the Brahmā realm or the practice that leads to the Brahmā realm. I understand Brahmā, the Brahmā realm, and the practice that leads to the Brahmā realm, practicing in accordance with which one is reborn in the Brahmā realm.”

When he said this, Vāseṭṭha said to the Buddha, “I have heard, Master Gotama, that you teach the path to company with Brahmā. Please teach us that path and elevate this generation of brahmins.”

“Well then, Vāseṭṭha, listen and pay close attention, I will speak.”

“Yes, sir,” replied Vāseṭṭha.