[230] On one occasion the Venerable Sāriputta and the Venerable Candikāputta were dwelling at Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels' Feeding Ground. There the Venerable Candikāputta addressed the bhikkhus: "Friends, Devadatta teaches the Dhamma to the bhikkhus thus: 'When, friends, a bhikkhu's mind (citta) has been consolidated by mind (cetasā citaṃ hoti), it is fitting for that bhikkhu to declare: "I understand: Destroyed is birth (jāti), the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to this state of being."'"
When this was said, the Venerable Sāriputta said to the Venerable Candikāputta: "It is not thus, friend Candikāputta, that Devadatta teaches the Dhamma to the bhikkhus: 'When, friends, a bhikkhu's mind has been consolidated by mind, it is fitting for that bhikkhu to declare: "I understand: Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to this state of being."' Rather, friend Candikāputta, Devadatta teaches the Dhamma to the bhikkhus thus: 'When, friends, a bhikkhu's mind has been well consolidated by mind (cetasā cittaṃ suparicitaṃ hoti), it is fitting for that bhikkhu to declare: "I understand: Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to this state of being."'"
A second time the Venerable Candikāputta addressed the bhikkhus: "Friends, Devadatta teaches the Dhamma to the bhikkhus thus: 'When, friends, a bhikkhu's mind has been consolidated by mind, it is fitting for that bhikkhu to declare: "I understand: Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to this state of being."'" A second time the Venerable Sāriputta said to the Venerable Candikāputta: "It is not thus, friend Candikāputta, that Devadatta teaches the Dhamma to the bhikkhus: 'When, friends, a bhikkhu's mind has been consolidated by mind, it is fitting for that bhikkhu to declare: "I understand: Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to this state of being."' Rather, friend Candikāputta, Devadatta teaches the Dhamma to the bhikkhus thus: 'When, friends, a bhikkhu's mind has been well consolidated by mind, it is fitting for that bhikkhu to declare: "I understand: Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to this state of being."'"
A third time the Venerable Candikāputta addressed the bhikkhus: "Friends, Devadatta teaches the Dhamma to the bhikkhus thus: 'When, friends, a bhikkhu's mind has been consolidated by mind, it is fitting for that bhikkhu to declare: "I understand: Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to this state of being."'" A third time the Venerable Sāriputta said to the Venerable Candikāputta: "It is not thus, friend Candikāputta, that Devadatta teaches the Dhamma to the bhikkhus: 'When, friends, a bhikkhu's mind has been consolidated by mind, it is fitting for that bhikkhu to declare: "I understand: Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to this state of being."' Rather, friend Candikāputta, Devadatta teaches the Dhamma to the bhikkhus thus: 'When, friends, a bhikkhu's mind has been well consolidated by mind, it is fitting for that bhikkhu to declare: "I understand: Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to this state of being."'
"And how, friends, is a bhikkhu's mind well consolidated by mind? 'My mind is free of lust (vītarāga)' — thus his mind is well consolidated by mind. 'My mind is free of hatred' — thus his mind is well consolidated by mind. 'My mind is free of delusion' — thus his mind is well consolidated by mind. 'My mind is not subject to lust' — thus his mind is well consolidated by mind. 'My mind is not subject to hatred' — thus his mind is well consolidated by mind. 'My mind is not subject to delusion' — thus his mind is well consolidated by mind. 'My mind is not subject to returning to sense-sphere existence (kāmabhava)' — thus his mind is well consolidated by mind. 'My mind is not subject to returning to form existence (rūpabhava)' — thus his mind is well consolidated by mind. 'My mind is not subject to returning to formless existence (arūpabhava)' — thus his mind is well consolidated by mind.
"Friends, when a bhikkhu's mind is thus rightly liberated, even if powerful forms cognizable by the eye come into the range of the eye, they do not overwhelm his mind; his mind remains unmixed with them, steady, attained to imperturbability, and he contemplates their passing away. Even if powerful sounds cognizable by the ear … odours cognizable by the nose … tastes cognizable by the tongue … tangibles cognizable by the body … mental phenomena cognizable by the mind come into the range of the mind, they do not overwhelm his mind; his mind remains unmixed with them, steady, attained to imperturbability, and he contemplates their passing away.
"Suppose, friends, there were a stone pillar sixteen cubits long: eight cubits would have gone down into the base, and eight cubits would be above the base. Then even if a violent storm of wind and rain should come from the eastern quarter, it would not shake it, rock it, or make it tremble; then even if from the western … then from the northern … then even if from the southern quarter a violent storm of wind and rain should come, it would not shake it, rock it, or make it tremble. For what reason? Because of the depth of the base, friends, and because the stone pillar is well planted. Even so, friends, when a bhikkhu's mind is thus rightly liberated, even if powerful forms cognizable by the eye come into the range of the eye, they do not overwhelm his mind; his mind remains unmixed with them, steady, attained to imperturbability, and he contemplates their passing away. Even if powerful sounds cognizable by the ear … odours cognizable by the nose … tastes cognizable by the tongue … tangibles cognizable by the body … mental phenomena cognizable by the mind come into the range of the mind, they do not overwhelm his mind; his mind remains unmixed with them, steady, attained to imperturbability, and he contemplates their passing away."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.