[216] On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park.
Then the Venerable Sāriputta, in the morning, having dressed and taken his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms. Then it occurred to the Venerable Sāriputta: "It is still too early to walk for alms in Sāvatthī. Suppose I were to approach the park of the wanderers of other sects." Then the Venerable Sāriputta approached the park of the wanderers of other sects; having approached, he exchanged greetings with those wanderers of other sects, and when the courteous and memorable talk was concluded, he sat down to one side. Now on that occasion, as those wanderers of other sects were sitting assembled together, this conversation arose among them: "Friends, whoever dies with a residue remaining (sa-upādisesa) — all such are not freed from hell (niraya), not freed from the animal realm, not freed from the realm of hungry ghosts, not freed from the plane of misery, the bad destination, the lower realm."
Then the Venerable Sāriputta neither delighted in nor rejected the statement of those wanderers of other sects; without delighting in it and without rejecting it, he rose from his seat and departed, thinking: "I shall come to understand the meaning of this statement in the presence of the Blessed One." Then the Venerable Sāriputta, having walked for alms in Sāvatthī, after the meal, on returning from his almsround, 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 Sāriputta said this to the Blessed One: "Here, venerable sir, in the morning, having dressed and taken my bowl and robe, I entered Sāvatthī for alms. Then, venerable sir, it occurred to me: 'It is still too early to walk for alms in Sāvatthī. Suppose I were to approach the park of the wanderers of other sects.' Then, venerable sir, I approached the park of the wanderers of other sects; having approached, I exchanged greetings with those wanderers of other sects, and when the courteous and memorable talk was concluded, I sat down to one side. Now on that occasion, as those wanderers of other sects were sitting assembled together, this conversation arose among them: 'Friends, whoever dies with a residue remaining — all such are not freed from hell, not freed from the animal realm, not freed from the realm of hungry ghosts, not freed from the plane of misery, the bad destination, the lower realm.' Then, venerable sir, I neither delighted in nor rejected the statement of those wanderers of other sects; without delighting in it and without rejecting it, I rose from my seat and departed, thinking: 'I shall come to understand the meaning of this statement in the presence of the Blessed One.'"
"Some wanderers of other sects, Sāriputta, are foolish and incompetent — will any know one with a residue remaining as 'one with a residue remaining,' or one without residue remaining (anupādisesa) as 'one without residue remaining'? There are, Sāriputta, these nine persons who, dying with a residue remaining, are freed from hell, freed from the animal realm, freed from the realm of hungry ghosts, freed from the plane of misery, the bad destination, the lower realm. Which nine?
"Here, Sāriputta, a certain person is one who fulfills virtue, one who fulfills concentration (samādhi), one who practices wisdom to a moderate extent. With the destruction of the five lower fetters, he is one who attains final Nibbāna in the interval (antarāparinibbāyī). This, Sāriputta, is the first person who, dying with a residue remaining, is freed from hell, freed from the animal realm, freed from the realm of hungry ghosts, freed from the plane of misery, the bad destination, the lower realm.
"Again, Sāriputta, here a certain person is one who fulfills virtue, one who fulfills concentration, one who practices wisdom to a moderate extent. With the destruction of the five lower fetters, he is one who attains final Nibbāna upon landing (upahaccaparinibbāyī); he is one who attains final Nibbāna without exertion (asaṅkhāraparinibbāyī); he is one who attains final Nibbāna with exertion (sasaṅkhāraparinibbāyī); he is one bound upstream, heading to the Akaniṭṭha realm (uddhaṃsota akaniṭṭhagāmī). This, Sāriputta, is the fifth person who, dying with a residue remaining, is freed from hell, freed from the animal realm, freed from the realm of hungry ghosts, freed from the plane of misery, the bad destination, the lower realm.
"Again, Sāriputta, here a certain person is one who fulfills virtue, one who practices concentration to a moderate extent, one who practices wisdom to a moderate extent. With the destruction of three fetters and the attenuation of greed, hatred, and delusion, he is a Once-Returner (sakadāgāmī): having come back to this world only once, he makes an end of suffering (dukkha). This, Sāriputta, is the sixth person who, dying with a residue remaining, is freed from hell … freed from the plane of misery, the bad destination, the lower realm.
"Again, Sāriputta, here a certain person is one who fulfills virtue, one who practices concentration to a moderate extent, one who practices wisdom to a moderate extent. With the destruction of three fetters, he is a one-seeder (ekabījī): having generated only one more human existence, he makes an end of suffering. This, Sāriputta, is the seventh person who, dying with a residue remaining, is freed from hell … freed from the plane of misery, the bad destination, the lower realm.
"Again, Sāriputta, here a certain person is one who fulfills virtue, one who practices concentration to a moderate extent, one who practices wisdom to a moderate extent. With the destruction of three fetters, he is one who goes from family to family (kolaṃkola): having roamed and wandered on among two or three families, he makes an end of suffering. This, Sāriputta, is the eighth person who, dying with a residue remaining, is freed from hell … freed from the plane of misery, the bad destination, the lower realm.
"Again, Sāriputta, here a certain person is one who fulfills virtue, one who practices concentration to a moderate extent, one who practices wisdom to a moderate extent. With the destruction of three fetters, he is one with seven lives at most (sattakkhattuparama): having roamed and wandered on among devas and human beings seven times at most, he makes an end of suffering. This, Sāriputta, is the ninth person who, dying with a residue remaining, is freed from hell, freed from the animal realm, freed from the realm of hungry ghosts, freed from the plane of misery, the bad destination, the lower realm. Some wanderers of other sects, Sāriputta, are foolish and incompetent — will any know one with a residue remaining as 'one with a residue remaining,' or one without residue remaining as 'one without residue remaining'? These, Sāriputta, are the nine persons who, dying with a residue remaining, are freed from hell, freed from the animal realm, freed from the realm of hungry ghosts, freed from the plane of misery, the bad destination, the lower realm.
"Until now, Sāriputta, this exposition of the Dhamma had not been disclosed to the bhikkhus, the bhikkhunīs, the male lay followers, or the female lay followers. For what reason? Lest, having heard this exposition of the Dhamma, they should take up heedlessness. Nevertheless, it has been spoken by me on account of being asked a question."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.