[494] When he had sat down to one side, the venerable Mahākoṭṭhika said to the venerable Sāriputta: "'One of poor wisdom (duppañño), one of poor wisdom,' friend, it is said. In what way, friend, is one said to be 'of poor wisdom'?"
"'He does not understand, he does not understand,' friend; therefore he is said to be 'of poor wisdom.' And what does he not understand? He does not understand: 'This is suffering (dukkha)'; he does not understand: 'This is the origin of suffering'; he does not understand: 'This is the cessation of suffering'; he does not understand: 'This is the way of practice leading to the cessation of suffering.' 'He does not understand, he does not understand,' friend; therefore he is said to be 'of poor wisdom.'"
Saying "Good, friend," the venerable Mahākoṭṭhika, having delighted in and rejoiced at the venerable Sāriputta's words, asked him a further question: "'One of wisdom (paññavā), one of wisdom,' friend, it is said. In what way, friend, is one said to be 'of wisdom'?"
"'He understands, he understands,' friend; therefore he is said to be 'of wisdom.' And what does he understand? He understands: 'This is suffering'; he understands: 'This is the origin of suffering'; he understands: 'This is the cessation of suffering'; he understands: 'This is the way of practice leading to the cessation of suffering.' 'He understands, he understands,' friend; therefore he is said to be 'of wisdom.'"
"'Consciousness (viññāṇa), consciousness,' friend, it is said. In what way, friend, is it said to be 'consciousness'?"
"'It cognizes, it cognizes,' friend; therefore it is said to be 'consciousness.' And what does it cognize? It cognizes: 'pleasant'; it cognizes: 'painful'; it cognizes: 'neither painful nor pleasant.' 'It cognizes, it cognizes,' friend; therefore it is said to be 'consciousness.'"
"That which is wisdom, friend, and that which is consciousness—are these states (dhammā) conjoined or disjoined? And is it possible, having separated them one from the other, to declare a difference between them?"
"That which is wisdom, friend, and that which is consciousness—these states are conjoined, not disjoined; and it is not possible, having separated them one from the other, to declare a difference between them. For what one understands, friend, that one cognizes; and what one cognizes, that one understands. Therefore these states are conjoined, not disjoined; and it is not possible, having separated them one from the other, to declare a difference between them."
"That which is wisdom, friend, and that which is consciousness—of these states that are conjoined, not disjoined, what is the difference?"
"That which is wisdom, friend, and that which is consciousness—of these states that are conjoined, not disjoined: wisdom should be developed, consciousness should be fully understood. This is the difference between them."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.