[49] Bhikkhus, the great multitude of people in the capital city of Bandhumatī, numbering eighty-four thousand, heard: "The Blessed One Vipassī, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, it is said, has arrived at the capital city of Bandhumatī and is dwelling in the deer park called Khema; and Khaṇḍa the king's son and Tissa the purohita's son, it is said, have shaved off their hair and beard, put on ochre robes, and gone forth from the household life into homelessness in the presence of the Blessed One Vipassī, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One." Having heard this, it occurred to them: "Surely that Dhamma and Discipline cannot be inferior, that going forth cannot be inferior, wherein Khaṇḍa the king's son and Tissa the purohita's son have shaved off their hair and beard, put on ochre robes, and gone forth from the household life into homelessness. If indeed Khaṇḍa the king's son and Tissa the purohita's son will shave off their hair and beard, put on ochre robes, and go forth from the household life into homelessness, why then should not we?"
Then, bhikkhus, that great multitude of people, eighty-four thousand in number, departed from the capital city of Bandhumatī and approached the Khema deer park, where the Blessed One Vipassī, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, was. Having approached, they paid homage to the Blessed One Vipassī, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, and sat down to one side. The Blessed One Vipassī, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, gave them a graduated discourse (anupubbikathā), that is: he expounded the talk on giving, the talk on virtue, the talk on heaven, and the danger, degradation, and defilement of sensual pleasures, and the benefit in renunciation (nekkhamma). When the Blessed One knew that their minds were ready, pliant, free of the hindrances (nīvaraṇa), uplifted, and confident, he then expounded that Dhamma teaching which the Buddhas themselves have brought to light: suffering (dukkha), its origin, its cessation, and the path. Just as a clean cloth free of stains would properly take the dye, even so, in those eighty-four thousand people, right there in that very seat, there arose the dust-free, stainless eye of the Dhamma (dhammacakkhu): "Whatever is of a nature to arise, all that is of a nature to cease." Having seen the Dhamma, attained the Dhamma, understood the Dhamma, fathomed the Dhamma, having crossed beyond doubt, rid of uncertainty, attained to self-confidence, independent of others in the Teacher's dispensation, they said to the Blessed One Vipassī, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One: "Magnificent, venerable sir! Magnificent, venerable sir! Just as one might set upright what has been overturned, or uncover what has been concealed, or point out the path to one who is lost, or hold up an oil lamp in the darkness so that those with eyes may see forms, even so has the Dhamma been made clear by the Blessed One in many ways. We here, venerable sir, go for refuge to the Blessed One, and to the Dhamma, and to the Saṅgha of bhikkhus. May we, venerable sir, receive the going forth in the presence of the Blessed One; may we receive the full ordination."
Bhikkhus, those eighty-four thousand people received the going forth in the presence of the Blessed One Vipassī, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One; they received the full ordination. Then the Blessed One Vipassī, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, instructed, exhorted, roused, and gladdened them with a talk on the Dhamma; he expounded the danger, degradation, and defilement of conditioned formations (saṅkhārā), and the benefit in Nibbāna. And as they were being instructed, exhorted, roused, and gladdened by the Blessed One Vipassī, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, with that talk on the Dhamma, before long their minds (citta) were liberated from the taints (āsava) through not clinging.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.