[293] Bhikkhus, there are these two assemblies. Which two? The assembly that values material gain (āmisa) and not the true Dhamma (saddhamma), and the assembly that values the true Dhamma and not material gain.
And which, bhikkhus, is the assembly that values material gain and not the true Dhamma? Here, bhikkhus, in whatever assembly the bhikkhus speak praise of one another in the presence of white-clothed householders, saying: 'Such-and-such a bhikkhu is one liberated in both ways (ubhatobhāgavimutta); such-and-such is one liberated by wisdom (paññāvimutta); such-and-such is a body-witness (kāyasakkhī); such-and-such is one attained to right view (diṭṭhippatta); such-and-such is one liberated by faith (saddhāvimutta); such-and-such is a truth-devotee (dhammānusārī); such-and-such is a faith-devotee (saddhānusārī); such-and-such is virtuous, of admirable character; such-and-such is immoral, of evil character' — they obtain gain thereby, and having obtained that gain, they use it tied to it, infatuated, blindly absorbed, not seeing the danger, lacking the wisdom of escape. This, bhikkhus, is called the assembly that values material gain and not the true Dhamma.
And which, bhikkhus, is the assembly that values the true Dhamma and not material gain? Here, bhikkhus, in whatever assembly the bhikkhus do not speak praise of one another in the presence of white-clothed householders, saying: 'Such-and-such a bhikkhu is one liberated in both ways; such-and-such is one liberated by wisdom; such-and-such is a body-witness; such-and-such is one attained to right view; such-and-such is one liberated by faith; such-and-such is a truth-devotee; such-and-such is a faith-devotee; such-and-such is virtuous, of admirable character; such-and-such is immoral, of evil character' — they obtain gain thereby, and having obtained that gain, they use it not tied to it, not infatuated, not blindly absorbed, seeing the danger, possessing the wisdom of escape. This, bhikkhus, is called the assembly that values the true Dhamma and not material gain.
These, bhikkhus, are the two assemblies. And of these two assemblies, bhikkhus, this is the foremost: the assembly that values the true Dhamma and not material gain.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.