[406] **Gifted with ready wit (paṭibhāṇavā):** there are three kinds of persons gifted with ready wit: one gifted with ready wit through learning (pariyatti), one gifted with ready wit through interrogation (paripucchā), and one gifted with ready wit through attainment (adhigama).
Which is the one gifted with ready wit through learning? Here someone has mastered [the word of the Buddha]: the discourses (sutta), the mixed prose and verse (geyya), the expositions (veyyākaraṇa), the verses (gāthā), the inspired utterances (udāna), the "thus-said" discourses (itivuttaka), the birth stories (jātaka), the marvellous accounts (abbhūtadhamma), and the question-and-answer texts (vedalla). Depending on his learning, it becomes clear to him. This is the one gifted with ready wit through learning.
Which is the one gifted with ready wit through interrogation? Here someone is one who asks questions — about his own good (attattha), about the good pertaining to the right method (ñāyattha), about characteristics, about causes, and about what is possible and what is impossible (ṭhānāṭhāna). Depending on that interrogation, it becomes clear to him. This is the one gifted with ready wit through interrogation.
Which is the one gifted with ready wit through attainment? Here someone has attained the four establishments of mindfulness (satipaṭṭhāna), the four right strivings (sammappadhāna), the four bases of spiritual power (iddhipāda), the five faculties (indriya), the five powers (bala), the seven factors of awakening (bojjhaṅga), the noble eightfold path (magga), the four fruits of the ascetic life (sāmaññaphala), the four analytical knowledges (paṭisambhidā), and the six superknowledges (abhiññā). By him the meaning (attha) is known, the dhamma is known, the language (nirutti) is known. When the meaning is known, the meaning becomes clear. When the dhamma is known, the dhamma becomes clear. When the language is known, the language becomes clear. Knowledge (ñāṇa) regarding these three is the analytical knowledge of ready wit (paṭibhāṇa-paṭisambhidā). One who is endowed with, fully endowed with, has approached, fully approached, arrived at, fully arrived at, and is possessed of this analytical knowledge of ready wit — he is called "gifted with ready wit." But one for whom there is no learning, no interrogation, no attainment — what will become clear to him? Hence: "refined (saṇha) and gifted with ready wit."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.