Suppose a man were to say, ‘Whoever the finest lady in the land is, it is her that I want, her that I desire!’

They’d say to him, ‘Mister, that finest lady in the land who you desire—do you know whether she’s an aristocrat, a brahmin, a merchant, or a worker?’ Asked this, he’d say, ‘No.’

They’d say to him, ‘Mister, that finest lady in the land who you desire—do you know her name or clan? Whether she’s tall or short or medium? Whether her skin is black, brown, or tawny? What village, town, or city she comes from?’

Asked this, he’d say, ‘No.’

They’d say to him, ‘Mister, do you desire someone who you’ve never even known or seen?’

Asked this, he’d say, ‘Yes.’

What do you think, Vāseṭṭha? This being so, doesn’t that man’s statement turn out to have no demonstrable basis?”

“Clearly that’s the case, sir.”

“In the same way, doesn’t the statement of those brahmins turn out to have no demonstrable basis?”

“Clearly that’s the case, Master Gotama.”

“Good, Vāseṭṭha. For it is impossible that they should teach the path to that which they neither know nor see.