“But brahmin, is it possible to set aside one of these two factors and still rightly describe someone as a brahmin?”

“No, Master Gotama. For wisdom is cleansed by ethics, and ethics are cleansed by wisdom. Ethics and wisdom always go together. An ethical person is wise, and a wise person ethical. And ethics and wisdom are said to be the best things in the world. It’s just like when you clean one hand with the other, or clean one foot with the other. In the same way, wisdom is cleansed by ethics, and ethics are cleansed by wisdom. Ethics and wisdom always go together. An ethical person is wise, and a wise person ethical. And ethics and wisdom are said to be the best things in the world.”

“That’s so true, brahmin, that’s so true! For wisdom is cleansed by ethics, and ethics are cleansed by wisdom. Ethics and wisdom always go together. An ethical person is wise, and a wise person ethical. And ethics and wisdom are said to be the best things in the world. It’s just like when you clean one hand with the other, or clean one foot with the other. In the same way, wisdom is cleansed by ethics, and ethics are cleansed by wisdom. Ethics and wisdom always go together. An ethical person is wise, and a wise person ethical. And ethics and wisdom are said to be the best things in the world.

But what, brahmin, is that ethical conduct? And what is that wisdom?”

“That’s all I know about this matter, Master Gotama. May Master Gotama himself please clarify the meaning of this.”

“Well then, brahmin, listen and pay close attention, I will speak.”

“Yes sir,” Soṇadaṇḍa replied. The Buddha said this:

“It’s when a Realized One arises in the world, perfected, a fully awakened Buddha … That’s how a mendicant is accomplished in ethics. This, brahmin, is that ethical conduct. … They enter and remain in the first absorption … second absorption … third absorption … fourth absorption … They extend and project the mind toward knowledge and vision … This pertains to their wisdom. … They understand: ‘… there is no return to any state of existence.’ This pertains to their wisdom. This, brahmin, is that wisdom.”