[518] "Even so, Prince, there are these five factors of striving (padhāniyaṅga). What are the five?
1. Here, Prince, a bhikkhu has faith (saddhā); he places faith in the awakening of the Tathāgata thus: 'Thus indeed is that Blessed One: an Arahant, perfectly self-awakened, perfect in true knowledge (vijjā) and conduct, well-gone, knower of the world, unsurpassed charioteer of persons to be tamed, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.'
2. He is one of few afflictions and few illnesses, possessed of an even digestion, neither too cool nor too hot, but middling and fit for striving.
3. He is not fraudulent nor deceitful, one who shows himself as he really is (yathābhūta) to the Teacher or to his wise companions in the holy life (brahmacariya).
4. He is one of aroused energy (vīriya) for the abandoning of unwholesome dhammas and for the attainment of wholesome dhammas; he is strong, firm in exertion, not laying down the burden with regard to wholesome dhammas.
5. He is wise, possessed of the wisdom that discerns arising and passing away, which is noble and penetrative, leading to the complete destruction of suffering (dukkha).
These, Prince, are the five factors of striving. Possessed of these five factors of striving, Prince, a bhikkhu, obtaining the Tathāgata as his guide, might—having realized it for himself with direct knowledge (abhiññā) in this very life—enter upon and dwell in that unsurpassed consummation of the holy life, for the sake of which sons of good family rightly go forth from the home life into homelessness, in seven years. Let seven years stand aside, Prince. Possessed of these five factors of striving, a bhikkhu, obtaining the Tathāgata as his guide, might—having realized it for himself with direct knowledge in this very life—enter upon and dwell in that unsurpassed consummation of the holy life, for the sake of which sons of good family rightly go forth from the home life into homelessness, in six years … five years … four years … three years … two years … one year. Let one year stand aside, Prince. Possessed of these five factors of striving, a bhikkhu, obtaining the Tathāgata as his guide, might—having realized it for himself with direct knowledge in this very life—enter upon and dwell in that unsurpassed consummation of the holy life, for the sake of which sons of good family rightly go forth from the home life into homelessness, in seven months. Let seven months stand aside, Prince. Possessed of these five factors of striving, a bhikkhu, obtaining the Tathāgata as his guide, might—having realized it for himself with direct knowledge in this very life—enter upon and dwell in that unsurpassed consummation of the holy life, for the sake of which sons of good family rightly go forth from the home life into homelessness, in six months … five months … four months … three months … two months … a month … half a month. Let half a month stand aside, Prince. Possessed of these five factors of striving, a bhikkhu, obtaining the Tathāgata as his guide, might—having realized it for himself with direct knowledge in this very life—enter upon and dwell in that unsurpassed consummation of the holy life, for the sake of which sons of good family rightly go forth from the home life into homelessness, in seven days and nights. Let seven days and nights stand aside, Prince. Possessed of these five factors of striving, a bhikkhu, obtaining the Tathāgata as his guide, might—having realized it for himself with direct knowledge in this very life—enter upon and dwell in that unsurpassed consummation of the holy life, for the sake of which sons of good family rightly go forth from the home life into homelessness, in six days and nights … five days and nights … four days and nights … three days and nights … two days and nights … one day and night. Let one day and night stand aside, Prince. Possessed of these five factors of striving, a bhikkhu, obtaining the Tathāgata as his guide, being instructed in the evening will attain distinction in the morning; being instructed in the morning will attain distinction in the evening."
When this was said, Prince Bodhi said to the Blessed One: "Oh, the Buddha! Oh, the Dhamma! Oh, the well-expounded quality of the Dhamma! — inasmuch as one instructed in the evening will attain distinction in the morning, and one instructed in the morning will attain distinction in the evening."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.