1On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park. Now on that occasion a certain bhikkhu who had spent the rains in Sāvatthī had arrived in Kapilavatthu on some business. The Sakyans of Kapilavatthu heard: "A certain bhikkhu, it is said, who spent the rains in Sāvatthī has arrived in Kapilavatthu."

2Then the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu approached that bhikkhu and paid homage to him, after which they sat down to one side and said to him:

"We hope, venerable sir, that the Blessed One is healthy and robust."

"The Blessed One, friends, is healthy and robust." sn.v.406

3"We hope, venerable sir, that Sāriputta and Moggallana are healthy and robust."

"Sāriputta and Moggallana, friends, are healthy and robust."

4"We hope, venerable sir, that the bhikkhus of the Saṅgha are healthy and robust."

"The bhikkhus of the Saṅgha, friends, are healthy and robust."

5"Did you hear and learn anything, venerable sir, in the presence of the Blessed One during this rains?"

"In the presence of the Blessed One, friends, I heard and learnt this: ‘Bhikkhus, those bhikkhus are few who, by the destruction of the taints, in this very life enter and dwell in the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, realizing it for themselves with direct knowledge. Those bhikkhus are more numerous who, with the utter destruction of the five lower fetters, have become of spontaneous birth, due to attain Nibbāna there without returning from that world.’

6"Further, friends, in the presence of the Blessed One I heard and learnt this: ‘Bhikkhus, those bhikkhus are few who … have become of spontaneous birth. … Those bhikkhus are more numerous who, with the utter destruction of three fetters and with the diminishing of greed, hatred, and delusion, have become once-returners who, after coming back to this world only one more time, will make an end to suffering.’

7"Further, friends, in the presence of the Blessed One I heard and learnt this: ‘Those bhikkhus are few who … have become once-returners. … Those bhikkhus are more numerous who, with the utter destruction of three fetters, have become stream-enterers, no longer bound to the nether world, fixed in destiny, with enlightenment as their destination.’"

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ vihārati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena aññataro bhikkhu sāvatthiyaṁ vassaṁvuttho kapilavatthuṁ anuppatto hoti kenacideva karaṇīyena. Assosuṁ kho kāpilavatthavā sakyā: "aññataro kira bhikkhu sāvatthiyaṁ vassaṁvuttho kapilavatthuṁ anuppatto"ti.

2Atha kho kāpilavatthavā sakyā yena so bhikkhu tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ bhikkhuṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho kāpilavatthavā sakyā taṁ bhikkhuṁ etadavocuṁ:

"Kacci, bhante, bhagavā arogo ceva balavā cā"ti?

"Arogo cāvuso, bhagavā balavā cā"ti.

3"Kacci pana, bhante, sāriputtamoggallānā arogā ceva balavanto cā"ti?

"Sāriputtamoggallānāpi kho, āvuso, arogā ceva balavanto cā"ti.

4"Kacci pana, bhante, bhikkhusaṅgho arogo ca balavā cā"ti.

"Bhikkhusaṅghopi kho, āvuso, arogo ca balavā cā"ti.

5"Atthi pana te, bhante, kiñci iminā antaravassena bhagavato sammukhā sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitan"ti?

"Sammukhā metaṁ, āvuso, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ: ‘appakā te, bhikkhave, bhikkhū ye āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihāranti. Atha kho eteva bahutarā bhikkhū ye pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātikā tattha parinibbāyino anāvattidhammā tasmā lokā’ti.

6Aparampi kho me, āvuso, bhagavato sammukhā sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ: ‘appakā te, bhikkhave, bhikkhū ye pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātikā tattha parinibbāyino anāvattidhammā tasmā lokā. Atha kho eteva bahutarā bhikkhū ye tiṇṇaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā rāgadosamohānaṁ tanuttā sakadāgāmino, sakideva imaṁ lokaṁ āgantvā dukkhassantaṁ karissantī’ti.

7Aparampi kho me, āvuso, bhagavato sammukhā sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ: ‘appakā te, bhikkhave, bhikkhū ye tiṇṇaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā rāgadosamohānaṁ tanuttā sakadāgāmino, sakideva imaṁ lokaṁ āgantvā dukkhassantaṁ karissanti. Atha kho eteva bahutarā bhikkhū ye tiṇṇaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā sotāpannā avinipātadhammā niyatā sambodhiparāyaṇā’"ti.

Dutiyaṁ.