This is interesting! The same concept seeps through old Tamil texts. 

Specifically, the Tirukkural (திருக்குறள்) has a couplet which conveys the same idea:  'all are the same by birth and differ by their deeds’.

However, I’ve never been able to find out what those deeds are!

On May 31, 2016, at 4:20 PM, Jambugahapitiya Dhammaloka <gahapitiyajambu@gmail.com> wrote:

Dear Alakendu Das,

Here are some references from Pali Buddhist canons. 93rd, Assalāyana sutta and 98th, Vāseṭṭha sutta in Majjhimanikāya describe the the Buddha's attitude towards the cast system, 'all are the same by birth and differ by their deeds'.

http://metta.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/2Majjhima-Nikaya/index.html

Kind regards,

Rev. J Dhammaloka
PhD student,
Department of Mathematics and Statistics,
University of Canterbury,
New Zealand.
_______________________________________________
INDOLOGY mailing list
INDOLOGY@list.indology.info
indology-owner@list.indology.info (messages to the list's managing committee)
http://listinfo.indology.info (where you can change your list options or unsubscribe)