[298] (Puṇṇa:) "Friend (āvuso), suppose that while King Pasenadi of Kosala was residing in Sāvatthī, some urgent business were to arise in Sāketa, and between Sāvatthī and Sāketa seven relay chariots (rathavinīta) were made ready for him. Then King Pasenadi of Kosala, departing from Sāvatthī, would mount the first relay chariot at the gate of the inner palace; by the first relay chariot he would reach the second relay chariot; he would dismiss the first relay chariot and mount the second relay chariot; by the second relay chariot he would reach the third relay chariot; he would dismiss the second relay chariot and mount the third relay chariot; by the third relay chariot he would reach the fourth relay chariot; he would dismiss the third relay chariot and mount the fourth relay chariot; by the fourth relay chariot he would reach the fifth relay chariot; he would dismiss the fourth relay chariot and mount the fifth relay chariot; by the fifth relay chariot he would reach the sixth relay chariot; he would dismiss the fifth relay chariot and mount the sixth relay chariot; by the sixth relay chariot he would reach the seventh relay chariot; he would dismiss the sixth relay chariot and mount the seventh relay chariot; and by the seventh relay chariot he would arrive at Sāketa, at the gate of the inner palace. When he had arrived at the gate of the inner palace, his friends and ministers, his kinsmen and blood relations, would ask him: 'Great king, did you come from Sāvatthī and arrive at Sāketa, at the gate of the inner palace, by this relay chariot?' Answering in what way, friend, would King Pasenadi of Kosala be answering rightly?"
(Sāriputta:) "Answering thus, friend, King Pasenadi of Kosala would be answering rightly: 'Here, while I was residing in Sāvatthī, some urgent business arose in Sāketa; and between Sāvatthī and Sāketa seven relay chariots were made ready for me. Then, departing from Sāvatthī, I mounted the first relay chariot at the gate of the inner palace; by the first relay chariot I reached the second relay chariot; I relinquished the first relay chariot and mounted the second relay chariot; by the second relay chariot I reached the third relay chariot; I relinquished the second relay chariot and mounted the third relay chariot; by the third relay chariot I reached the fourth relay chariot; I relinquished the third relay chariot and mounted the fourth relay chariot; by the fourth relay chariot I reached the fifth relay chariot; I relinquished the fourth relay chariot and mounted the fifth relay chariot; by the fifth relay chariot I reached the sixth relay chariot; I relinquished the fifth relay chariot and mounted the sixth relay chariot; by the sixth relay chariot I reached the seventh relay chariot; I relinquished the sixth relay chariot and mounted the seventh relay chariot; and by the seventh relay chariot I arrived at Sāketa, at the gate of the inner palace.' Answering thus, friend, King Pasenadi of Kosala would be answering rightly."
(Puṇṇa:) "Just so, friend, purification of virtue (sīlavisuddhi) is only for the sake of purification of mind (cittavisuddhi); purification of mind is only for the sake of purification of view (diṭṭhivisuddhi); purification of view is only for the sake of purification by overcoming doubt (kaṅkhāvitaraṇavisuddhi); purification by overcoming doubt is only for the sake of purification by knowledge and vision of what is the path and what is not the path (maggāmaggañāṇadassanavisuddhi); purification by knowledge and vision of what is the path and what is not the path is only for the sake of purification by knowledge and vision of the way (paṭipadāñāṇadassanavisuddhi); purification by knowledge and vision of the way is only for the sake of purification by knowledge and vision (ñāṇadassanavisuddhi); purification by knowledge and vision is only for the sake of final Nibbāna without clinging (anupādāparinibbāna). Friend, it is for the sake of final Nibbāna without clinging that the holy life (brahmacariya) is lived under the Blessed One."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.