[357] Thus have I heard. At one time the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery. Now on that occasion, when several bhikkhus had returned from the alms round after their meal and were seated assembled together in the attendance hall, this conversation arose among them: "It is wonderful, friends, it is marvellous — the great spiritual power and great might of the Tathāgata, in that he is able to know of the Buddhas of the past — who have attained final Nibbāna, who have cut off proliferation (papañca), cut off the track, exhausted the round (vaṭṭa), and transcended all suffering (dukkha) — thus: 'Those Blessed Ones were of such birth,' and 'Those Blessed Ones were of such name,' and 'Those Blessed Ones were of such clan,' and 'Those Blessed Ones were of such virtue,' and 'Those Blessed Ones were of such qualities,' and 'Those Blessed Ones were of such wisdom,' and 'Those Blessed Ones were of such dwelling,' and 'Those Blessed Ones were of such liberation.'"
When this was said, the venerable Ānanda said to those bhikkhus: "Friends, the Tathāgatas are both wonderful and endowed with wonderful qualities; the Tathāgatas are both marvellous and endowed with marvellous qualities."
But this conversation among those bhikkhus was left unfinished.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.