[55] "Householder, to this extent there is the cutting off of business (vohārasamuccheda) entirely, in every way and in every respect, in the discipline of the Noble One (ariyassa vinaye). What do you think, householder — do you see in yourself a cutting off of business of such a kind as this cutting off of business entirely, in every way and in every respect, in the discipline of the Noble One?"
"Venerable sir, who am I, and what is the cutting off of business entirely, in every way and in every respect, in the discipline of the Noble One? Far indeed am I, venerable sir, from the cutting off of business entirely, in every way and in every respect, in the discipline of the Noble One. For formerly, venerable sir, we regarded the wanderers of other sects — who are not thoroughbreds (ājānīya) — as thoroughbreds; though they were not thoroughbreds, we fed them the food of thoroughbreds; though they were not thoroughbreds, we set them in the place of thoroughbreds. But the bhikkhus, venerable sir — who are thoroughbreds — we regarded as not thoroughbreds; though they were thoroughbreds, we fed them the food of those who are not thoroughbreds; though they were thoroughbreds, we set them in the place of those who are not thoroughbreds. But now, venerable sir, we shall know the wanderers of other sects, who are not thoroughbreds, as not thoroughbreds; being not thoroughbreds, we shall feed them the food of those who are not thoroughbreds; being not thoroughbreds, we shall set them in the place of those who are not thoroughbreds. And the bhikkhus, venerable sir, who are thoroughbreds, we shall know as thoroughbreds; being thoroughbreds, we shall feed them the food of thoroughbreds; being thoroughbreds, we shall set them in the place of thoroughbreds. Venerable sir, the Blessed One has indeed aroused in me love for ascetics with regard to ascetics, confidence in ascetics with regard to ascetics, and respect for ascetics with regard to ascetics.
"Magnificent, venerable sir! Magnificent, venerable sir! Just as if one were to set upright what had been overturned, or to uncover what was concealed, or to point out the way to one who was lost, or to hold up an oil lamp in the darkness so that those with eyes might see forms — even so has the Dhamma been made clear by the Blessed One in many ways. Venerable sir, I go to the Blessed One for refuge, and to the Dhamma, and to the Saṅgha of bhikkhus. May the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge from this day forth, for as long as life lasts."
The Potaliya Sutta, the fourth, is finished.
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The Jīvaka Sutta
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.