[616] **"Holding virtue supreme, they say that purity comes through self-control (sīluttamā saññamenāhu suddhiṃ)":** There are some ascetics and brahmins who profess that virtue is supreme. Those ascetics and brahmins have said, say, speak, utter, explain, and declare purity, purification, complete purity, release, deliverance, complete deliverance¹ by mere virtue, by mere self-control (saññama), by mere restraint (saṃvara), by mere non-transgression.
Samaṇamuṇḍikāputta spoke thus: "Carpenter (thapati),² I declare a person endowed with four qualities (dhammas) to be accomplished in the wholesome, supreme in the wholesome, an ascetic who has attained the supreme attainment, unassailable. With which four? Here, carpenter, one does no evil action with the body, one speaks no evil speech, one intends no evil intention, and one does not live by an evil livelihood. Endowed with these four qualities, carpenter, I declare a person to be accomplished in the wholesome, supreme in the wholesome, an ascetic who has attained the supreme attainment, unassailable."
Even so, there are some ascetics and brahmins who profess that virtue is supreme. Those ascetics and brahmins have said, say, speak, utter, explain, and declare purity, purification, complete purity, release, deliverance, complete deliverance by mere virtue, by mere self-control, by mere restraint, by mere non-transgression. Hence, "Holding virtue supreme, they say that purity comes through self-control."
¹ Some editions read *parivimuttiṃ*. ² Some editions read *gahapati*.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.