[320] On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery. Now on that occasion the Venerable Khema and the Venerable Sumana were dwelling at Sāvatthī, in the Blind Men's Grove (Andhavana). Then the Venerable Khema and the Venerable Sumana approached the Blessed One; having approached, they paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Khema said this to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, a bhikkhu who is an arahant, one whose taints (āsava) are destroyed, who has lived the holy life, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, reached his own goal, utterly destroyed the fetters of existence, and is liberated through final knowledge (aññā) — it does not occur to him: 'There is one better than I,' or 'There is one equal to me,' or 'There is one worse than I.'" This is what the Venerable Khema said. The Teacher approved. Then the Venerable Khema, thinking, "The Teacher has approved of me," rose from his seat, paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated him keeping him to the right, and departed.
Then, not long after the Venerable Khema had departed, the Venerable Sumana said this to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, a bhikkhu who is an arahant, one whose taints are destroyed, who has lived the holy life, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, reached his own goal, utterly destroyed the fetters of existence, and is liberated through final knowledge — it does not occur to him: 'There is none better than I,' or 'There is none equal to me,' or 'There is none worse than I.'" This is what the Venerable Sumana said. The Teacher approved. Then the Venerable Sumana, thinking, "The Teacher has approved of me," rose from his seat, paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated him keeping him to the right, and departed.
Then, not long after the Venerable Khema and the Venerable Sumana had departed, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus, it is in this way that clansmen declare final knowledge: the meaning is stated, but the self is not brought in. Yet here some foolish men declare final knowledge as if in jest; they afterwards come to distress."
They are not ranked among the superior, nor among the inferior,
nor are they ranked among the equal;
birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived —
they fare on, wholly released from the fetters.
End of the Seventh Sutta.
8. Indriyasaṃvara Sutta
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.