The Great Epic of the Bhārata dynasty 3.180.19

3.180.19

brāhmaṇeneti ghaṭaṃ karotītivadbhāvinīṃ vṛttimāśritya abrāhmaṇe'pi mumukṣau brahmavidvācibrāhmaṇaśabdaprayogaḥ | śrutau 'amaunaṃ ca maunaṃ ca nirvidyātha brāhmaṇaḥ' iti śravaṇamananātmakamamaunaṃ nididhyāsanātmakaṃ maunaṃ ca nirvidya niṣpādya brāhmaṇo brahmavidbhavatīti darśanāt | kevalaṃ nirviśeṣaṃ vetti puruṣārthatvena jānāti cettarhi tadvakṣyāmi matisaṃvādāya ||

"By a brāhmaṇa": just as [one says] "he makes a pot" by having recourse to a future state, so even with respect to a non-brāhmaṇa seeker of liberation, the word "brāhmaṇa", which denotes a knower of Brahman, is used. For it is seen in the Śruti: "having completely attained non-silence and silence, then [one becomes] a brāhmaṇa" (Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 3.5.1)—meaning that having completely attained, that is, accomplished, "non-silence" which consists of hearing (śravaṇa) and reflecting (manana), and "silence" which consists of profound meditation (nididhyāsana), one becomes a "brāhmaṇa", a knower of Brahman. If he knows, understands [Brahman] as the ultimate human goal to be "pure", that is, without distinctions, then I shall explain that in order to confirm [his] understanding.