[22] Bhikkhus, on one occasion I was dwelling at Uruvelā, on the bank of the river Nerañjarā, at the Goatherd's Banyan tree (ajapālanigrodha), just after my full awakening. Then, bhikkhus, a number of brahmins—old, aged, elderly, advanced in life, come to the last stage—approached me; having approached, they exchanged greetings with me, and when the courteous and memorable talk was concluded, they sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, bhikkhus, those brahmins said this to me: "We have heard this, Master Gotama: 'The ascetic Gotama does not pay homage to brahmins who are old, aged, elderly, advanced in life, come to the last stage, nor does he rise up for them, nor does he offer them a seat.' And this, Master Gotama, is just so: for Master Gotama does not pay homage to brahmins who are old, aged, elderly, advanced in life, come to the last stage, nor does he rise up for them, nor does he offer them a seat. This, Master Gotama, is not proper at all."
Then, bhikkhus, it occurred to me: "These venerable ones do not know what an elder (thera) is, nor the qualities that make an elder." Even if one is aged, bhikkhus—eighty, ninety, or a hundred years from birth—yet if he speaks at the wrong time, speaks what is untrue, speaks what is unbeneficial, speaks what is contrary to the Dhamma, speaks what is contrary to the Vinaya, and utters speech not worth treasuring—at the wrong time, without reason, without bounds, unconnected with the good—then he is reckoned simply as a "foolish elder." But even if one is young, bhikkhus—a youth with jet-black hair, endowed with the blessing of youth, in the first stage of life—yet if he speaks at the right time, speaks what is true, speaks what is beneficial, speaks what accords with the Dhamma, speaks what accords with the Vinaya, and utters speech worth treasuring—at the right time, with reason, with bounds, connected with the good—then he is reckoned indeed as a "wise elder."
Bhikkhus, there are these four qualities that make an elder. What four? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is virtuous; he dwells restrained by the restraint of the Pātimokkha, accomplished in conduct and resort, seeing danger in the slightest faults; having undertaken them, he trains in the training rules. He is learned, one who retains what he has heard, one who accumulates what he has heard; those teachings that are good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, which with meaning and with phrasing proclaim the holy life utterly complete and pure—such teachings he has learned much of, retained, recited verbally, examined with the mind, and well penetrated by view. He is one who gains at will, without trouble, without difficulty, the four jhānas that pertain to the higher mind and are pleasant dwellings in this very life. With the destruction of the taints (āsava), he realizes for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, and having entered upon it, he dwells therein. These, bhikkhus, are the four qualities that make an elder.
One who with a restless mind
speaks much frivolous talk,
his intentions unconcentrated,
is regarded as delighting in what is not the true Dhamma;
far is he from the standing of an elder—
one of evil views, devoid of regard.
But one who is accomplished in virtue,
learned and gifted with discernment,
engaged in the qualities of steadfastness,
who sees the meaning clearly with wisdom—
gone beyond all dhammas,
free of barrenness, gifted with discernment,
who has abandoned birth and death,
consummate in the holy life—
him I call an elder,
in whom no taints exist;
with the destruction of the taints
a bhikkhu is called an "elder."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.