[315] Then, in the morning, the Venerable Ānanda dressed, took his bowl and robe, and approached the residence of the laywoman Migasālā; having approached, he sat down on the seat that had been prepared. Then the laywoman Migasālā approached the Venerable Ānanda; having approached, she paid homage to the Venerable Ānanda and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the laywoman Migasālā said this to the Venerable Ānanda: "How indeed, Bhante Ānanda, is this Dhamma taught by the Blessed One to be understood, when one who lives the holy life and one who does not live the holy life will both be of exactly equal destination in the life to come? My father Purāṇa, Bhante, was one who lived the holy life, living apart, abstaining from sexual intercourse, the common practice. When he died, the Blessed One declared: 'He was a once-returner (sakadāgāmī), a being arisen in the Tusita host.' Isidatta, Bhante, who was dear to my father, did not live the holy life, being content with his own wife. When he too died, the Blessed One declared: 'He was a once-returner, a being arisen in the Tusita host.' How indeed, Bhante Ānanda, is this Dhamma taught by the Blessed One to be understood, when one who lives the holy life and one who does not live the holy life will both be of exactly equal destination in the life to come?"
"It was just so declared, sister, by the Blessed One."
Then the Venerable Ānanda, having received almsfood at the residence of the laywoman Migasālā, rose from his seat and departed. Then, after the meal, returning from the alms round, the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One: "Here, Bhante, in the morning I dressed, took my bowl and robe, and approached the residence of the laywoman Migasālā; having approached, I sat down on the seat that had been prepared. Then, Bhante, the laywoman Migasālā approached me; having approached, she paid homage to me and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, Bhante, the laywoman Migasālā said this to me: 'How indeed, Bhante Ānanda, is this Dhamma taught by the Blessed One to be understood, when one who lives the holy life and one who does not live the holy life will both be of exactly equal destination in the life to come? My father Purāṇa, Bhante, was one who lived the holy life, living apart, abstaining from sexual intercourse, the common practice. When he died, the Blessed One declared: "He was a once-returner, a being arisen in the Tusita host." Isidatta, Bhante, who was dear to my father, did not live the holy life, being content with his own wife. When he too died, the Blessed One declared: "He was a once-returner, a being arisen in the Tusita host." How indeed, Bhante Ānanda, is this Dhamma taught by the Blessed One to be understood, when one who lives the holy life and one who does not live the holy life will both be of exactly equal destination in the life to come?'
"When this was said, Bhante, I said this to the laywoman Migasālā: 'It was just so declared, sister, by the Blessed One.'"
"And who, Ānanda, is the laywoman Migasālā—a fool, incompetent, a matron with a matron's wit—and who are they who possess the knowledge (ñāṇa) of the superiority and inferiority of persons? There are, Ānanda, these six persons existing and found in the world. What six?
"Here, Ānanda, a certain person is gentle, a pleasant companion to live with, and those who live the holy life with him delight in dwelling together with him. Yet the work of listening has not been done by him, the work of great learning has not been done, there has been no penetration by view, and he does not gain even temporary liberation. With the breaking up of the body, after death, he heads toward decline, not toward distinction; he is one going to decline, not one going to distinction.
"But here, Ānanda, a certain person is gentle, a pleasant companion to live with, and those who live the holy life with him delight in dwelling together with him. And the work of listening has been done by him, the work of great learning has been done, there has been penetration by view, and he gains even temporary liberation. With the breaking up of the body, after death, he heads toward distinction, not toward decline; he is one going to distinction, not one going to decline.
"Therein, Ānanda, the measurers measure thus: 'This one has just those same qualities, and the other has just those same qualities. Why should one of them be inferior and one superior?' And that, Ānanda, leads to their harm and suffering for a long time. Therein, Ānanda, the person who is gentle, a pleasant companion to live with, in dwelling together with whom those who live the holy life delight, by whom the work of listening has been done, by whom the work of great learning has been done, by whom there has been penetration by view, and who gains even temporary liberation—this person, Ānanda, is more excellent and more sublime than that former person. For what reason? Because the stream of the Dhamma carries this person along. But who could know that difference except a Tathāgata? Therefore, Ānanda, do not be measurers of persons, and do not take the measure of persons. For one who takes the measure of persons, Ānanda, is undermined thereby. I, Ānanda, may take the measure of persons—or one who is like me.
"But here, Ānanda, a certain person has anger and conceit, and from time to time states of greed arise in him. The work of listening has not been done by him, the work of great learning has not been done, there has been no penetration by view, and he does not gain even temporary liberation. With the breaking up of the body, after death, he heads toward decline, not toward distinction; he is one going to decline, not one going to distinction.
"But here, Ānanda, a certain person has anger and conceit, and from time to time states of greed arise in him. The work of listening has been done by him …
"But here, Ānanda, a certain person has anger and conceit, and from time to time verbal formations (vacīsaṅkhārā) arise in him. The work of listening has not been done by him, the work of great learning has not been done, there has been no penetration by view, and he does not gain even temporary liberation. With the breaking up of the body, after death, he heads toward decline, not toward distinction; he is one going to decline, not one going to distinction.
"But here, Ānanda, a certain person has anger and conceit, and from time to time verbal formations arise in him. The work of listening has been done by him, the work of great learning has been done, there has been penetration by view, and he gains even temporary liberation. With the breaking up of the body, after death, he heads toward distinction, not toward decline; he is one going to distinction, not one going to decline.
"Therein, Ānanda, the measurers measure thus: 'This one has just those same qualities, and the other has just those same qualities. Why should one of them be inferior and one superior?' And that, Ānanda, leads to their harm and suffering for a long time. Therein, Ānanda, the person who has anger and conceit, in whom from time to time verbal formations arise, by whom the work of listening has been done, by whom the work of great learning has been done, by whom there has been penetration by view, and who gains even temporary liberation—this person, Ānanda, is more excellent and more sublime than that former person. For what reason? Because the stream of the Dhamma carries this person along. But who could know that difference except a Tathāgata? Therefore, Ānanda, do not be measurers of persons, and do not take the measure of persons. For one who takes the measure of persons, Ānanda, is undermined thereby. I, Ānanda, may take the measure of persons—or one who is like me. And who, Ānanda, is the laywoman Migasālā—a fool, incompetent, a matron with a matron's wit—and who are they who possess the knowledge of the superiority and inferiority of persons? These, Ānanda, are the six persons existing and found in the world.
"If, Ānanda, Isidatta had possessed such virtue as Purāṇa possessed, Purāṇa here could not have known even Isidatta's destination; and if, Ānanda, Purāṇa had possessed such wisdom as Isidatta possessed, Isidatta here could not have known even Purāṇa's destination. Thus indeed, Ānanda, these two persons were each deficient in one factor."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.