[168] "When his mind (citta) is thus concentrated (samādhi), purified, cleansed, unblemished, rid of defilements, become malleable, wieldy, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs the mind to the knowledge (ñāṇa) of the recollection of past lives. He recollects his manifold past lives, that is: one birth (jāti) … Thus, with their aspects and particulars, he recollects his manifold past lives. Why is that? Because, Bhaddāli, that is how it is for one who fulfills the training in the Teacher's dispensation.
When his mind is thus concentrated, purified, cleansed, unblemished, rid of defilements, become malleable, wieldy, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs the mind to the knowledge of the passing away and reappearance of beings. With the divine eye, purified and surpassing the human, he sees beings passing away and reappearing—inferior and superior, fair and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate—and he understands beings as faring according to their kamma: 'These beings, sirs, who were endowed with bodily misconduct … have reappeared in a state of deprivation, in hell; but these beings, sirs, who were endowed with good bodily conduct … have reappeared in a good destination, in a heavenly world.' Thus, with the divine eye, purified and surpassing the human, … he understands beings as faring according to their kamma. Why is that? Because, Bhaddāli, that is how it is for one who fulfills the training in the Teacher's dispensation.
When his mind is thus concentrated, purified, cleansed, unblemished, rid of defilements, become malleable, wieldy, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs the mind to the knowledge of the destruction of the taints (āsava). He understands as it really is: 'This is suffering (dukkha)' … he understands as it really is: 'This is the way of practice leading to the cessation of suffering.' He understands as it really is: 'These are the taints'; he understands as it really is: 'This is the origin of the taints'; he understands as it really is: 'This is the cessation of the taints'; he understands as it really is: 'This is the way of practice leading to the cessation of the taints.' When he knows thus and sees thus, his mind is liberated from the taint of sensual desire, his mind is liberated from the taint of views, his mind is liberated from the taint of existence, and his mind is liberated from the taint of ignorance. When it is liberated, there comes the knowledge: 'It is liberated.' He understands: 'Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more of this state of being.' Why is that? Because, Bhaddāli, that is how it is for one who fulfills the training in the Teacher's dispensation."
When this was said, the venerable Bhaddāli said to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, what is the cause, what is the condition, why they take action against a certain bhikkhu here, pressing him again and again? And what, venerable sir, is the cause, what is the condition, why they do not likewise take action against a certain bhikkhu here, pressing him again and again?"
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.