[379] "When this was said, venerable sir, I said this to the venerable Mahākassapa: 'Friend Kassapa, the venerable Anuruddha has answered according to his own inspiration. Now in that matter we ask the venerable Mahākassapa: … With what kind of bhikkhu, friend Kassapa, would the Gosiṅga sāl-wood be made beautiful?'
"When this was said, venerable sir, the venerable Mahākassapa said this to me: 'Here, friend Sāriputta, a bhikkhu is himself a forest-dweller and speaks in praise of forest-dwelling; he is himself an almsfood-eater … he is a rag-robe wearer … he is a triple-robe wearer … he is of few wishes … he is content … he is secluded … he is aloof from company … he is one who has aroused energy (vīriya) … he is accomplished in virtue (sīla) … he is accomplished in concentration (samādhi) … he is accomplished in wisdom (paññā) … he is accomplished in liberation (vimutti) … he is himself accomplished in the knowledge (ñāṇa) and vision of liberation, and he speaks in praise of accomplishment in the knowledge and vision of liberation. With such a bhikkhu, friend Sāriputta, the Gosiṅga sāl-wood would be made beautiful.'"
[The Blessed One said:] "Good, good, Sāriputta! Kassapa, answering rightly, would answer just so. For Kassapa, Sāriputta, is himself a forest-dweller and speaks in praise of forest-dwelling; he is himself an almsfood-eater and speaks in praise of eating almsfood; he is himself a rag-robe wearer and speaks in praise of wearing rag-robes; he is himself a triple-robe wearer and speaks in praise of wearing the triple robe; he is himself of few wishes and speaks in praise of fewness of wishes; he is himself content and speaks in praise of contentment; he is himself secluded and speaks in praise of seclusion; he is himself aloof from company and speaks in praise of aloofness from company; he has himself aroused energy and speaks in praise of arousing energy; he is himself accomplished in virtue and speaks in praise of accomplishment in virtue; he is himself accomplished in concentration and speaks in praise of accomplishment in concentration; he is himself accomplished in wisdom and speaks in praise of accomplishment in wisdom; he is himself accomplished in liberation and speaks in praise of accomplishment in liberation; he is himself accomplished in the knowledge and vision of liberation and speaks in praise of accomplishment in the knowledge and vision of liberation."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.