[164] "Indeed, Bhaddāli, a transgression overcame you — foolish as you were, confused as you were, unskilful as you were — in that, when a training rule was being laid down by me and the Saṅgha of bhikkhus was undertaking the training, you declared your lack of effort. What do you think, Bhaddāli? Suppose a bhikkhu here were one liberated both ways (ubhatobhāgavimutta), and I were to say to him thus: 'Come, bhikkhu, be a bridge for me across the mud' — would he cross over himself, or bend his body some other way, or say "No"?'
"Certainly not, venerable sir."
"What do you think, Bhaddāli? Suppose a bhikkhu here were one liberated by wisdom (paññāvimutta), a body-witness (kāyasakkhī), one attained to view (diṭṭhippatta), one liberated by faith (saddhāvimutta), a Dhamma-follower (dhammānusārī), or a faith-follower (saddhānusārī), and I were to say to him thus: 'Come, bhikkhu, be a bridge for me across the mud' — would he cross over himself, or bend his body some other way, or say 'No'?"
"Certainly not, venerable sir."
"What do you think, Bhaddāli? Were you at that time one liberated both ways, or one liberated by wisdom, or a body-witness, or one attained to view, or one liberated by faith, or a Dhamma-follower, or a faith-follower?"
"Certainly not, venerable sir."
"Were you not then, Bhaddāli, at that time empty, hollow, and at fault?"
"So it was, venerable sir. Venerable sir, a transgression overcame me — foolish as I was, confused as I was, unskilful as I was — in that, when a training rule was being laid down by the Blessed One and the Saṅgha of bhikkhus was undertaking the training, I declared my lack of effort. Venerable sir, may the Blessed One accept my transgression as a transgression, for the sake of restraint in the future."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.