[192] Bhikkhus, there are these four things (ṭhāna) that may be known by four things. Which four? Bhikkhus, virtue (sīla) may be known by living together (saṃvāsa), and that only over a long time, not a short one; by one who attends, not by one who does not attend; by one who is wise, not by one who is unwise. Bhikkhus, purity (soceyya) may be known by dealings (saṃvohāra), and that only over a long time, not a short one; by one who attends, not by one who does not attend; by one who is wise, not by one who is unwise. Bhikkhus, fortitude (thāma) may be known in adversities (āpadā), and that only over a long time, not a short one; by one who attends, not by one who does not attend; by one who is wise, not by one who is unwise. Bhikkhus, wisdom (paññā) may be known by discussion (sākacchā), and that only over a long time, not a short one; by one who attends, not by one who does not attend; by one who is wise, not by one who is unwise.
"Bhikkhus, virtue may be known by living together, and that only over a long time, not a short one; by one who attends, not by one who does not attend; by one who is wise, not by one who is unwise" — so it was said. And with reference to what was this said? Here, bhikkhus, a person, living together with another person, knows thus: "For a long time indeed this venerable one has been one whose deeds are broken, whose deeds are torn, whose deeds are blotched, whose deeds are mottled; he does not act consistently, does not conduct himself consistently, in regard to virtues. This venerable one is immoral; this venerable one is not virtuous." But here, bhikkhus, a person, living together with another person, knows thus: "For a long time indeed this venerable one has been one whose deeds are unbroken, whose deeds are untorn, whose deeds are unblotched, whose deeds are unmottled; he acts consistently, conducts himself consistently, in regard to virtues. This venerable one is virtuous; this venerable one is not immoral." "Bhikkhus, virtue may be known by living together, and that only over a long time, not a short one; by one who attends, not by one who does not attend; by one who is wise, not by one who is unwise" — it was with reference to this that this was said.
"Bhikkhus, purity may be known by dealings, and that only over a long time, not a short one; by one who attends, not by one who does not attend; by one who is wise, not by one who is unwise" — so it was said. And with reference to what was this said? Here, bhikkhus, a person, having dealings with another person, knows thus: "This venerable one deals in one way when one with one, in another way with two, in another way with three, in another way with many. This venerable one deviates in his later dealings from his earlier dealings. This venerable one is impure in his dealings; this venerable one is not pure in his dealings." But here, bhikkhus, a person, having dealings with another person, knows thus: "Just as this venerable one deals when one with one, so with two, so with three, so with many. This venerable one does not deviate in his later dealings from his earlier dealings. This venerable one is pure in his dealings; this venerable one is not impure in his dealings." "Bhikkhus, purity may be known by dealings, and that only over a long time, not a short one; by one who attends, not by one who does not attend; by one who is wise, not by one who is unwise" — it was with reference to this that this was said.
"Bhikkhus, fortitude may be known in adversities, and that only over a long time, not a short one; by one who attends, not by one who does not attend; by one who is wise, not by one who is unwise" — so it was said. And with reference to what was this said? Here, bhikkhus, someone, when touched by the loss of relatives, or touched by the loss of wealth, or touched by loss through illness, does not reflect thus: "Such indeed is this dwelling together in the world; such is the obtaining of an individual existence. In this dwelling together in the world as it is, in this obtaining of an individual existence as it is, eight worldly conditions (lokadhamma) revolve around the world, and the world revolves around the eight worldly conditions: gain and loss, fame and obscurity, blame and praise, pleasure and pain (dukkha)." He, when touched by the loss of relatives, or touched by the loss of wealth, or touched by loss through illness, sorrows, is wearied, laments, beats his breast and wails, and falls into confusion. But here, bhikkhus, someone, when touched by the loss of relatives, or touched by the loss of wealth, or touched by loss through illness, reflects thus: "Such indeed is this dwelling together in the world; such is the obtaining of an individual existence. In this dwelling together in the world as it is, in this obtaining of an individual existence as it is, eight worldly conditions revolve around the world, and the world revolves around the eight worldly conditions: gain and loss, fame and obscurity, blame and praise, pleasure and pain." He, when touched by the loss of relatives, or touched by the loss of wealth, or touched by loss through illness, does not sorrow, is not wearied, does not lament, does not beat his breast and wail, does not fall into confusion. "Bhikkhus, fortitude may be known in adversities, and that only over a long time, not a short one; by one who attends, not by one who does not attend; by one who is wise, not by one who is unwise" — it was with reference to this that this was said.
"Bhikkhus, wisdom may be known by discussion, and that only over a long time, not a short one; by one who attends, not by one who does not attend; by one who is wise, not by one who is unwise" — so it was said. And with reference to what was this said? Here, bhikkhus, a person, holding discussion with another person, knows thus: "Judging by this venerable one's manner of approach (ummaṅga), by his manner of formulation (abhinīhāra), and by his manner of addressing questions, this venerable one is unwise; this venerable one is not wise. Why is that? Because this venerable one does not utter any statement of deep meaning — peaceful, sublime, beyond the sphere of reasoning, subtle, to be understood by the wise — and when this venerable one speaks on the Dhamma, he is not capable of explaining, teaching, describing, establishing, disclosing, analyzing, and making plain its meaning, whether in brief or in detail. This venerable one is unwise; this venerable one is not wise." Just as, bhikkhus, a man with good eyes, standing on the bank of a pond, might see a small fish rising, and it would occur to him: "Judging by the way this fish rises, by the ripple it makes, and by its speed, this fish is small; this fish is not big" — even so, bhikkhus, a person, holding discussion with another person, knows thus: "Judging by this venerable one's manner of approach … this venerable one is unwise; this venerable one is not wise." But here, bhikkhus, a person, holding discussion with another person, knows thus: "Judging by this venerable one's manner of approach, by his manner of formulation, and by his manner of addressing questions, this venerable one is wise; this venerable one is not unwise. Why is that? Because this venerable one utters statements of deep meaning — peaceful, sublime, beyond the sphere of reasoning, subtle, to be understood by the wise — and when this venerable one speaks on the Dhamma, he is capable of explaining, teaching, describing, establishing, disclosing, analyzing, and making plain its meaning, whether in brief or in detail. This venerable one is wise; this venerable one is not unwise." Just as, bhikkhus, a man with good eyes, standing on the bank of a pond, might see a big fish rising, and it would occur to him: "Judging by the way this fish rises, by the ripple it makes, and by its speed, this fish is big; this fish is not small" — even so, bhikkhus, a person, holding discussion with another person, knows thus: "Judging by this venerable one's manner of approach … this venerable one is wise; this venerable one is not unwise." "Bhikkhus, wisdom may be known by discussion, and that only over a long time, not a short one; by one who attends, not by one who does not attend; by one who is wise, not by one who is unwise" — it was with reference to this that this was said.
These, bhikkhus, are the four things that may be known by these four things.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.