At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling on the bank of the Sundarika River in Kosala. At that time, the brahmin Sundarika Bharadvaja was performing a fire sacrifice on the bank of the Sundarika River.

After completing the fire sacrifice, the brahmin stood up from his seat and looked around, thinking: "Who could eat these sacrificial remnants?" He saw the Blessed One sitting under a tree nearby, wrapped in robes.

The brahmin, holding the sacrificial remnants in his left hand and a water pot in his right, approached the Blessed One. Hearing footsteps, the Blessed One uncovered his head. When the brahmin saw that the Blessed One was bald, he thought: "This is a shaveling, a mere baldhead" and wanted to turn back.

But then he thought: "Some brahmins are also bald, I should still ask about his birth." So he approached the Blessed One and asked: "What is your caste?"

The Blessed One replied in verse:

"Ask not of birth but ask of conduct,

From wood is born the sacred fire, 

A sage may spring from lowly stock.

One who's wise and feels shame, like a thoroughbred steed,

Restrained by truth, endowed with virtue,

Perfect in knowledge, living the holy life -

Such is the one to invite for offerings,

Who makes timely gifts to the worthy."

The brahmin said:

"Perfect indeed is my sacrifice,

For I have met one who knows the Vedas like you.

Had I not met one like you,

Others would have eaten these remnants.

Please eat, Master Gotama, you are a true brahmin."

The Blessed One said:

"Food gained through verses I do not eat,

This is not the way of the Dhamma.

The Awakened Ones reject food gained through verses,

This is their way of life.

Serve the great sage who has ended all defilements

And found peace in other ways.

Offer food and drink to such as these,

This is the field of merit for those seeking good fortune."

The brahmin asked: "Then, Master Gotama, to whom should I give these sacrificial remnants?"

The Blessed One replied: "Brahmin, in this world with its devas, maras and brahmas, among the population with its ascetics and brahmins, devas and humans, I do not see anyone who could properly digest these sacrificial remnants except for the Tathagata or a disciple of the Tathagata. Therefore, brahmin, you should dispose of these remnants in a place without grass or sink them in water where there are no living beings."

The brahmin sank the sacrificial remnants in water where there were no living beings. As soon as the remnants touched the water, they sizzled, smoked and bubbled - just like a red-hot iron ball that had been heated all day would sizzle, smoke and bubble when thrown into water.

Terrified and with hair standing on end, the brahmin went and stood to one side of the Blessed One. The Blessed One then spoke these verses to him:

"Brahmin, think not purity comes from burning wood,

That is merely external.

The wise say no purity comes

Through external means alone.

I have given up burning wood

And instead kindle the fire of wisdom within.

Always maintaining the inner flame,

One-pointed in mind, I live the holy life as an arahant.

Brahmin, your pride is a burden,

Anger is smoke, falsehood is ashes.

The tongue is the ladle, the heart the altar,

Self-control is a person's light.

The Dhamma is the lake, virtue its shores,

Pure and clear, praised by the good.

The wise bathe here and cross to the far shore

Without wetting their bodies.

Truth, Dhamma, restraint and the holy life -

These are the middle path to Brahma.

Pay homage to the upright ones,

I say such people truly know the Dhamma."

Having heard this, the brahmin Sundarika Bharadvaja said: "Magnificent, Master Gotama!..." [middle portion omitted]...and Venerable Bharadvaja became one of the arahants.

This discourse shows the Buddha teaching a brahmin to go beyond external forms and seek inner cultivation:

1. Contrast between appearance and essence:

The brahmin initially wanted to leave due to the Buddha's appearance (baldness), showing how people are often deceived by superficial appearances. The Buddha's teaching emphasizes judging people by their actions and inner qualities rather than appearance or birth.

2. Conduct over birth:

The Buddha's verses emphasize that conduct matters more than birth. This challenged India's deeply rooted caste system, promoting equality based on personal virtue and behavior.

3. Importance of inner cultivation:

The Buddha's refusal to accept food gained through verses emphasizes that true practice lies in inner purification, not external rituals. This reflects Buddhism's core focus on inner cultivation over external forms.

4. Wisdom and purity:

The Buddha uses the metaphor of "kindling the fire of wisdom within" to illustrate true practice, emphasizing wisdom's importance for achieving inner purity. This contrasts with the brahmanical emphasis on external sacrifices.

5. Transformation of mind:

The Buddha compares negative qualities like pride, anger, and falsehood to elements of sacrifice, presenting an inner, spiritual concept of "sacrifice" that encourages mental transformation.

6. Metaphor of Dhamma:

The Buddha compares Dhamma to a clear lake and virtue to its shores, using vivid metaphors to help people better understand the nature and function of Dhamma.

7. Middle Way:

The text concludes by mentioning the "middle path," a core Buddhist principle emphasizing avoiding extremes and seeking balance in practice and life.

This text profoundly teaches us that true practice and wisdom come not from external rituals or forms, but from inner purification and moral development. It encourages us to reflect: Are we also often deceived by appearances? How can we truly improve our inner qualities? How do we balance external achievement and inner cultivation in modern society?

This story reminds us that true wisdom and purity come from continuous self-reflection and inner practice. It challenges us to consider what is truly important and encourages us to transcend social conventions in pursuit of deeper spiritual growth. In a world that often overemphasizes external achievement, this wisdom of inner cultivation is especially precious and necessary.