[512] Prince, this thought occurred to me: 'To whom should I first teach the Dhamma? Who will understand this Dhamma quickly?' Then, Prince, this thought occurred to me: 'This Āḷāra Kālāma is wise, competent, intelligent, and has long been of a nature with little dust in his eyes. Suppose I were to teach the Dhamma first to Āḷāra Kālāma; he will understand this Dhamma quickly.' Then, Prince, deities approached me and said: 'Venerable sir, Āḷāra Kālāma died seven days ago.' And knowledge (ñāṇa) and vision arose in me: 'Āḷāra Kālāma died seven days ago.' Then, Prince, this thought occurred to me: 'Great indeed is the loss of Āḷāra Kālāma; for if he had heard this Dhamma, he would have understood it quickly.'
Then, Prince, this thought occurred to me: 'To whom should I first teach the Dhamma? Who will understand this Dhamma quickly?' Then, Prince, this thought occurred to me: 'This Uddaka Rāmaputta is wise, competent, intelligent, and has long been of a nature with little dust in his eyes. Suppose I were to teach the Dhamma first to Uddaka Rāmaputta; he will understand this Dhamma quickly.' Then, Prince, deities approached me and said: 'Venerable sir, Uddaka Rāmaputta died just last evening.' And knowledge and vision arose in me: 'Uddaka Rāmaputta died just last evening.' Then, Prince, this thought occurred to me: 'Great indeed is the loss of Uddaka Rāmaputta; for if he had heard this Dhamma, he would have understood it quickly.'
Then, Prince, this thought occurred to me: 'To whom should I first teach the Dhamma? Who will understand this Dhamma quickly?' Then, Prince, this thought occurred to me: 'The bhikkhus of the group of five were of great help to me: they attended upon me while I was resolute in striving. Suppose I were to teach the Dhamma first to the bhikkhus of the group of five.' Then, Prince, this thought occurred to me: 'Where are the bhikkhus of the group of five now dwelling?' And with the divine eye, purified and surpassing the human, I saw the bhikkhus of the group of five dwelling at Bārāṇasī, in the Deer Park at Isipatana. Then, Prince, having dwelt at Uruvelā as long as I pleased, I set out to wander by stages toward Bārāṇasī.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.