[300] When this was said, the Venerable Puṇṇa Mantāṇiputta said to the Venerable Sāriputta: "What is the venerable one's name? And how do your companions in the holy life know you?"
"My name, friend, is Upatissa; but my companions in the holy life know me as Sāriputta."
"Indeed, sir, all this while we were conversing with the disciple who is comparable to the Teacher himself, and we did not know: 'This is the Venerable Sāriputta.' Had we known: 'This is the Venerable Sāriputta,' not even this much would have occurred to us to say. It is wonderful, friend, it is marvellous, friend, how the Venerable Sāriputta has asked deep question after deep question, point by point, just as a learned disciple who rightly understands the Teacher's dispensation would ask. It is a gain for his companions in the holy life, it is well gained by his companions in the holy life, that they get to see the Venerable Sāriputta and get to attend upon him. Even if the companions in the holy life could get to see the Venerable Sāriputta and get to attend upon him only by carrying him about on their heads on a roll of cloth,¹ that too would be a gain for them, that too would be well gained by them. And for us as well it is a gain, for us as well it is well gained, that we get to see the Venerable Sāriputta and get to attend upon him."
Thus did those two great nāgas rejoice in each other's well-spoken words.
The Rathavinīta Sutta, the fourth, is concluded.
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Nivāpa Sutta
¹ Variant reading (Sī., Yu.): celaṇḍukena.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.