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Sramana Tradition
'Among those who follow the lineage or gotra, the Kşattriya has superiority. However, the person who has learning and character is superior to men as well gods.' The Buddhist point of view expressed here departs from the orthodox Brāhmaṇical point of view in two respects. It places the Kșattriyas above the Brahmaņas in social hierarchy and at the same time decries the caste hierarchy in favour of spiritual learning and achievement. It has been suggested by Prof. Rhys Davids that the caste system was not yet fully established. “The key-stone of the arch of the peculiarly Indian caste organisation - the absolute supremacy of the Brāhmaṇas - had not yet been put in position, had not, in fact, been yet made ready. The caste-system, in any proper or exact use of the term, did not exist." This conclusion, however, does not seem to be sufficiently warranted. The fact seems to be that the Buddhists represent the caste hierarchy in a manner different from the Brāhmaincal texts and evalute its idea and the hierarchy itself differently.
In the Sonadanda sutta, the Brāhmaṇa Sonadaņda declares that there are five pre-requisites for being regarded as a Brahmaņa. These are - "In the first place, Sir, a Brahmana is well born on both sides (ubhato sujāto hoti) on the mother's side and on the father's side, of pure descent back through seven generations, with no slur put upon him, and no reproach in respect of birth (avikkhitto anupakutto jātivadena). Then, he is a repeater of (of the sacred words ), knowing the mystic verses by heart (ajjha yako hoti mantadharo ), one who has mastered the three Vedas (tinnam vedānam pāragu) with the indices, the ritual, the phonology, and the exegesis and the legends as a fifth (itihāsapamcamānam), learned in the phrases and in the grammar, versed in Lokayata sophistry, and in the theory of the signs of a great man " (lokäyata-mahāpurisalakkhaṇesu anavayo).” Apart from being well born in a Brāhmaṇa family and possessing learning, a Brahmana requires in the third place that he be “handsome, pleasant to look upon, inspiring trust, gifted with great beauty of complexion, fair in colour, fine in presence, stately to behold." In the fourth place the Brāhmaṇa has to be virtuous (silayā hoti buddhisilī būddhisilena samanvāgato) / Finally he has to be " learned and wise, the first,
1. Dialogues of the Buddha, Vol. I, p. 101.
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