[191] Bhikkhus, when teachings have been followed by ear, recited verbally, examined by the mind, and well penetrated by view, four benefits are to be expected. What four? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu masters the Dhamma — the discourses (sutta), mixed prose and verse (geyya), expositions (veyyākaraṇa), verses (gāthā), inspired utterances (udāna), quotations (itivuttaka), birth stories (jātaka), marvellous accounts (abbhutadhamma), and question-and-answer texts (vedalla). Those teachings have been followed by him by ear, recited verbally, examined by the mind, and well penetrated by view. Dying with mindfulness muddled, he is reborn in a certain host of devas. There, happy, the passages of the Dhamma come floating back to him. The arising of mindfulness is slow, bhikkhus, but then that being quickly reaches distinction. Bhikkhus, when teachings have been followed by ear, recited verbally, examined by the mind, and well penetrated by view, this is the first benefit to be expected.
Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu masters the Dhamma — the discourses, mixed prose and verse, expositions, verses, inspired utterances, quotations, birth stories, marvellous accounts, and question-and-answer texts. Those teachings have been followed by him by ear, recited verbally, examined by the mind, and well penetrated by view. Dying with mindfulness muddled, he is reborn in a certain host of devas. There, happy, the passages of the Dhamma do not come floating back to him; but a bhikkhu possessed of psychic power, who has attained mastery of mind (citta), teaches the Dhamma to an assembly of devas. It occurs to him: "This is surely that Dhamma and Discipline in which I formerly lived the holy life." The arising of mindfulness is slow, bhikkhus, but then that being quickly reaches distinction. Suppose, bhikkhus, a man skilled in the sound of drums, travelling along a highway, were to hear the sound of a drum. He would have no doubt or uncertainty, "Is that the sound of a drum, or is it not the sound of a drum?" Rather, he would come to the conclusion, "That is indeed the sound of a drum." In just the same way, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu masters the Dhamma … he quickly reaches distinction. Bhikkhus, when teachings have been followed by ear, recited verbally, examined by the mind, and well penetrated by view, this is the second benefit to be expected.
Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu masters the Dhamma — the discourses, mixed prose and verse, expositions, verses, inspired utterances, quotations, birth stories, marvellous accounts, and question-and-answer texts. Those teachings have been followed by him by ear, recited verbally, examined by the mind, and well penetrated by view. Dying with mindfulness muddled, he is reborn in a certain host of devas. There, happy, the passages of the Dhamma do not come floating back to him; nor does a bhikkhu possessed of psychic power, who has attained mastery of mind, teach the Dhamma to an assembly of devas; but a young deva (devaputta) teaches the Dhamma to an assembly of devas. It occurs to him: "This is surely that Dhamma and Discipline in which I formerly lived the holy life." The arising of mindfulness is slow, bhikkhus, but then that being quickly reaches distinction. Suppose, bhikkhus, a man skilled in the sound of conches, travelling along a highway, were to hear the sound of a conch. He would have no doubt or uncertainty, "Is that the sound of a conch, or is it not the sound of a conch?" Rather, he would come to the conclusion, "That is indeed the sound of a conch." In just the same way, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu masters the Dhamma … he quickly reaches distinction. Bhikkhus, when teachings have been followed by ear, recited verbally, examined by the mind, and well penetrated by view, this is the third benefit to be expected.
Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu masters the Dhamma — the discourses, mixed prose and verse, expositions, verses, inspired utterances, quotations, birth stories, marvellous accounts, and question-and-answer texts. Those teachings have been followed by him by ear, recited verbally, examined by the mind, and well penetrated by view. Dying with mindfulness muddled, he is reborn in a certain host of devas. There, happy, the passages of the Dhamma do not come floating back to him; nor does a bhikkhu possessed of psychic power, who has attained mastery of mind, teach the Dhamma to an assembly of devas; nor does a young deva teach the Dhamma to an assembly of devas; but one spontaneously reborn being (opapātika) reminds another spontaneously reborn being: "Do you remember, dear sir, where we formerly lived the holy life?" He says: "I remember, dear sir! I remember, dear sir!" The arising of mindfulness is slow, bhikkhus, but then that being quickly reaches distinction. Suppose, bhikkhus, there were two companions who had played together in the mud. At some time or other, somewhere, they might meet each other, and one companion might say to the other: "Do you remember this too, friend?" And he might say: "I remember, friend! I remember, friend!" In just the same way, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu masters the Dhamma … he quickly reaches distinction. Bhikkhus, when teachings have been followed by ear, recited verbally, examined by the mind, and well penetrated by view, this is the fourth benefit to be expected.
Bhikkhus, when teachings have been followed by ear, recited verbally, examined by the mind, and well penetrated by view, these four benefits are to be expected.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.