[514] 75. On one occasion the Venerable Ānanda was dwelling at Vesālī, in the Great Wood, in the Hall with the Peaked Roof. Then Abhaya the Licchavi and Paṇḍitakumāraka the Licchavi approached the Venerable Ānanda; having approached, they paid homage to the Venerable Ānanda and sat down at one side. Sitting at one side, Abhaya the Licchavi said this to the Venerable Ānanda: "Venerable sir, the Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta claims to be all-knowing and all-seeing, to have knowledge and vision (ñāṇadassana) without remainder: 'Whether I am walking or standing, asleep or awake, knowledge and vision are constantly and continuously present to me.' He declares the ending of old kammas by asceticism (tapas) and the demolition of the bridge by the non-doing of new kammas. Thus, with the ending of kamma there is the ending of suffering (dukkha); with the ending of suffering, the ending of feeling (vedanā); with the ending of feeling, all suffering will be worn away. In this way there is the going beyond by means of this directly visible wearing away (nijjarā), this purification. What, venerable sir, does the Blessed One say about this?"
"There are, Abhaya, these three wearings away, purifications, rightly proclaimed by that Blessed One who knows and sees, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Enlightened One, for the purification of beings, for the surmounting of sorrow and lamentation, for the passing away of pain and grief, for the attainment of the true way (ñāya), for the realization of Nibbāna. What three? Here, Abhaya, a bhikkhu is virtuous … he trains, having undertaken the training rules. He does no new kamma, and, contacting old kamma again and again, he brings it to an end. The wearing away is directly visible, timeless, inviting one to come and see, onward-leading, to be personally experienced by the wise.
"Then, Abhaya, that bhikkhu, thus accomplished in virtue, quite secluded from sensual pleasures … enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna. He does no new kamma, and, contacting old kamma again and again, he brings it to an end. The wearing away is directly visible, timeless, inviting one to come and see, onward-leading, to be personally experienced by the wise.
"Then, Abhaya, that bhikkhu, thus accomplished in virtue and thus accomplished in concentration (samādhi), through the destruction of the taints (āsava), having realized for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, enters and dwells therein. He does no new kamma, and, contacting old kamma again and again, he brings it to an end. The wearing away is directly visible, timeless, inviting one to come and see, onward-leading, to be personally experienced by the wise.
"These, Abhaya, are the three wearings away, purifications, rightly proclaimed by that Blessed One who knows and sees, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Enlightened One, for the purification of beings, for the surmounting of sorrow and lamentation, for the passing away of pain and grief, for the attainment of the true way, for the realization of Nibbāna."
When this was said, Paṇḍitakumāraka the Licchavi said this to Abhaya the Licchavi: "Why, friend Abhaya, do you not applaud the Venerable Ānanda's well-spoken words as well spoken?" "How, friend, could I fail to applaud the Venerable Ānanda's well-spoken words as well spoken? The very head of one who would not applaud the Venerable Ānanda's well-spoken words as well spoken would split apart!"
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.