[326] Then, bhikkhus, wandering by stages, I came at length to Bārāṇasī, to Isipatana, the Deer Park, and approached the bhikkhus of the group of five. The bhikkhus of the group of five saw me coming from afar, and on seeing me they made an agreement among themselves: 'Friends, here comes the ascetic Gotama, who lives in abundance, who has given up striving and reverted to abundance. He should not be greeted with homage, nor should we rise up for him, nor should his bowl and robe be received; but a seat may be set out—if he wishes, he will sit down.'
Yet as I approached, the bhikkhus of the group of five were unable to keep to their own agreement. Some came out to meet me and received my bowl and robe, some prepared a seat, some set out water for the feet; but they addressed me by name and with the word "friend."
Then I said to the bhikkhus of the group of five: 'Bhikkhus, do not address the Tathāgata by name and with the word "friend." The Tathāgata, bhikkhus, is an Arahant, a Fully Awakened One. Lend ear, bhikkhus: the Deathless (amata) has been attained. I shall instruct you; I shall teach the Dhamma. Practising as instructed, before long you will realize for yourselves with direct knowledge (abhiññā), in this very life, that unsurpassed consummation of the holy life for the sake of which sons of good family rightly go forth from the household life into homelessness, and having entered upon it, you will dwell in it.'
When this was said, bhikkhus, the bhikkhus of the group of five said to me: 'Friend Gotama, even by that conduct, by that practice, by that performance of austerities, you did not attain any superhuman state, any distinction in knowledge (ñāṇa) and vision worthy of the noble ones. How then will you now—living in abundance, having given up striving and reverted to abundance—attain any superhuman state, any distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones?'
When this was said, I said to the bhikkhus of the group of five: 'The Tathāgata, bhikkhus, does not live in abundance, has not given up striving, has not reverted to abundance. The Tathāgata, bhikkhus, is an Arahant, a Fully Awakened One. Lend ear, bhikkhus: the Deathless has been attained. I shall instruct you; I shall teach the Dhamma. Practising as instructed, before long you will realize for yourselves with direct knowledge, in this very life, that unsurpassed consummation of the holy life for the sake of which sons of good family rightly go forth from the household life into homelessness, and having entered upon it, you will dwell in it.'
A second time, bhikkhus, the bhikkhus of the group of five said to me: 'Friend Gotama, even by that conduct, by that practice, by that performance of austerities, you did not attain any superhuman state, any distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones. How then will you now—living in abundance, having given up striving and reverted to abundance—attain any superhuman state, any distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones?'
A second time, bhikkhus, I said to the bhikkhus of the group of five: 'The Tathāgata, bhikkhus, does not live in abundance … and having entered upon it, you will dwell in it.'
A third time, bhikkhus, the bhikkhus of the group of five said to me: 'Friend Gotama, even by that conduct, by that practice, by that performance of austerities, you did not attain any superhuman state, any distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones. How then will you now—living in abundance, having given up striving and reverted to abundance—attain any superhuman state, any distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones?'
When this was said, I said to the bhikkhus of the group of five: 'Bhikkhus, do you acknowledge that I have ever spoken to you in this way before?' 'No indeed, venerable sir.' 'The Tathāgata, bhikkhus, does not live in abundance, has not given up striving, has not reverted to abundance. The Tathāgata, bhikkhus, is an Arahant, a Fully Awakened One. Lend ear, bhikkhus: the Deathless has been attained. I shall instruct you; I shall teach the Dhamma. Practising as instructed, before long you will realize for yourselves with direct knowledge, in this very life, that unsurpassed consummation of the holy life for the sake of which sons of good family rightly go forth from the household life into homelessness, and having entered upon it, you will dwell in it.'
I was able, bhikkhus, to convince the bhikkhus of the group of five. Then, bhikkhus, I would instruct two bhikkhus while three bhikkhus walked for alms, and the six of us lived on what the three bhikkhus brought back from the alms round; and I would instruct three bhikkhus while two bhikkhus walked for alms, and the six of us lived on what the two bhikkhus brought back from the alms round.
Then, bhikkhus, the bhikkhus of the group of five, being thus exhorted and thus instructed by me—being themselves subject to birth (jāti), having understood the danger in what is subject to birth, seeking the unborn, unsurpassed security from the yokes (yogakkhema), Nibbāna, attained the unborn, unsurpassed security from the yokes, Nibbāna; being themselves subject to aging, having understood the danger in what is subject to aging, seeking the unaging, unsurpassed security from the yokes, Nibbāna, attained the unaging, unsurpassed security from the yokes, Nibbāna; being themselves subject to sickness … being themselves subject to death … being themselves subject to sorrow … being themselves subject to defilement, having understood the danger in what is subject to defilement, seeking the undefiled, unsurpassed security from the yokes, Nibbāna, attained the undefiled, unsurpassed security from the yokes, Nibbāna. And the knowledge and vision arose in them: 'Unshakeable is our liberation; this is the last birth; now there is no renewed existence.'
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.