[285] There the Venerable Sāriputta addressed the bhikkhus: "Friends, bhikkhus!" "Friend," those bhikkhus replied to the Venerable Sāriputta. The Venerable Sāriputta said this:
"Friends, a bhikkhu passes his life in such a way that, as he thus passes his life, his death is not a good one, his demise is not a fortunate one. And how, friends, does a bhikkhu pass his life in such a way that, as he thus passes his life, his death is not a good one, his demise is not a fortunate one? Here, friends, a bhikkhu delights in work, is fond of work, is devoted to delight in work; he delights in talk, is fond of talk, is devoted to delight in talk; he delights in sleep, is fond of sleep, is devoted to delight in sleep; he delights in company, is fond of company, is devoted to delight in company; he delights in association, is fond of association, is devoted to delight in association; he delights in proliferation (papañca), is fond of proliferation, is devoted to delight in proliferation. It is in this way, friends, that a bhikkhu passes his life in such a way that, as he thus passes his life, his death is not a good one, his demise is not a fortunate one. This, friends, is called a bhikkhu who delights in personal existence (sakkāya), who has not abandoned personal existence for the complete making an end of suffering (dukkha).
"Friends, a bhikkhu passes his life in such a way that, as he thus passes his life, his death is a good one, his demise is a fortunate one. And how, friends, does a bhikkhu pass his life in such a way that, as he thus passes his life, his death is a good one, his demise is a fortunate one? Here, friends, a bhikkhu does not delight in work, is not fond of work, is not devoted to delight in work; he does not delight in talk, is not fond of talk, is not devoted to delight in talk; he does not delight in sleep, is not fond of sleep, is not devoted to delight in sleep; he does not delight in company, is not fond of company, is not devoted to delight in company; he does not delight in association, is not fond of association, is not devoted to delight in association; he does not delight in proliferation, is not fond of proliferation, is not devoted to delight in proliferation. It is in this way, friends, that a bhikkhu passes his life in such a way that, as he thus passes his life, his death is a good one, his demise is a fortunate one. This, friends, is called a bhikkhu who delights in Nibbāna, who has abandoned personal existence for the complete making an end of suffering."
One devoted to proliferation,
delighting in proliferation — a beast —
has failed to attain Nibbāna,
the unsurpassed security from bondage.
But one who, having abandoned proliferation,
delights in the state of non-proliferation,
has attained Nibbāna,
the unsurpassed security from bondage.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.