Dighanikaya 4.318

4.318

Katamaṃ pana taṃ brāhmaṇāti kasmā āha? Bhagavā kira cintesi – ‘‘brāhmaṇā brāhmaṇasamaye pañcasīlāni ‘sīla’nti paññāpenti, vedattayauggahaṇapaññā paññāti. Uparivisesaṃ na jānanti. Yaṃnūnāhaṃ brāhmaṇassa uttarivisesabhūtaṃ maggasīlaṃ, phalasīlaṃ, maggapaññaṃ, phalapaññañca dassetvā arahattanikūṭena desanaṃ niṭṭhapeyya’’nti. Atha naṃ kathetukamyatāya pucchanto – ‘‘katamaṃ pana taṃ, brāhmaṇa, sīlaṃ katamā sā paññā’’ti āha. Atha brāhmaṇo – ‘‘mayā sakasamayavasena pañho vissajjito. Samaṇo pana maṃ gotamo puna nivattitvā pucchati, idānissāhaṃ cittaṃ paritosetvā vissajjituṃ sakkuṇeyyaṃ vā na vā? Sace na sakkhissaṃ paṭhamaṃ uppannāpi me lajjā bhijjissati. Asakkontassa pana na sakkomīti vacane doso natthī’’ti puna nivattitvā bhagavatoyeva bhāraṃ karonto ‘‘ettakaparamāva maya’’ntiādimāha. Tattha ettakaparamāti ettakaṃ sīlapaññāṇanti vacanameva paramaṃ amhākaṃ, te mayaṃ ettakaparamā, ito paraṃ etassa bhāsitassa atthaṃ na jānāmāti attho.

"Which, however, is that, brahmin?": why did he say this? The Blessed One, it is said, considered: "Brahmins in the brahmin doctrine designate the five precepts as 'morality', and the wisdom of grasping the three Vedas as 'wisdom'. They do not know any higher distinction. What if, having shown the brahmin the morality of the path and the morality of the fruit, and the wisdom of the path and the wisdom of the fruit, which are higher distinctions, I should conclude the discourse with the pinnacle of arahantship?" Then, desiring to speak of this, he asked: "Which, however, is that morality, brahmin, and which is that wisdom?" Then the brahmin thought: "I have answered the question according to my own doctrine. But the ascetic Gotama turns around and questions me again; now, will I be able to answer so as to satisfy his mind, or not? If I am not able, even the shame that arose earlier will be broken. But when one is unable, there is no fault in saying 'I cannot.'" So turning around and throwing the burden back onto the Blessed One, he said the words beginning with: "We have gone only this far..." Therein, "we have gone only this far" means: only this word, 'morality-and-wisdom', is the utmost for us; we have gone only this far, and beyond this we do not know the meaning of this statement: this is the meaning.