[112] "Worthy Ānanda, when asked thus: 'Is there even a single bhikkhu appointed by that worthy Gotama, saying, "This one will be your refuge (paṭisaraṇa) when I have passed away," to whom you would now turn?' — you replied: 'There is not, brahmin, even a single bhikkhu appointed by that Blessed One who knows and sees, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, saying, "This one will be your refuge when I have passed away," to whom we would now turn.'
And when asked thus: 'But is there even a single bhikkhu agreed upon by the Saṅgha and appointed by many elder bhikkhus, saying, "This one will be our refuge when the Blessed One has passed away," to whom you would now turn?' — you replied: 'There is not, brahmin, even a single bhikkhu agreed upon by the Saṅgha and appointed by many elder bhikkhus, saying, "This one will be our refuge when the Blessed One has passed away," to whom we would now turn.'
And when asked thus: 'Is there even a single bhikkhu whom you now honor, respect, revere, and venerate, and on whom, having honored and respected him, you live in dependence?' — you replied: 'There is, brahmin, even a single bhikkhu whom we now honor, respect, revere, and venerate, and on whom, having honored and respected him, we live in dependence.'
Worthy Ānanda, how should the meaning of this statement be seen?"
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.