[68] Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu dwells not devoted to development (bhāvanā), even though such a wish as this might arise in him: "Oh, that my mind (citta) might be liberated from the taints (āsava) through non-clinging!" — still his mind is not liberated from the taints through non-clinging. For what reason? It should be said: because of non-development. Because of non-development of what? Of the four establishments of mindfulness (satipaṭṭhāna), the four right exertions (sammappadhāna), the four bases for success (iddhipāda), the five faculties (indriya), the five powers (bala), the seven factors of awakening (bojjhaṅga), and the Noble Eightfold Path (ariya aṭṭhaṅgika magga). Suppose, bhikkhus, a hen had eight, ten, or twelve eggs, and she had not properly sat upon them, not properly warmed them, not properly incubated them. Even though such a wish as this might arise in that hen: "Oh, that my chicks might break through the eggshell with the tips of their claws or with their beaks and hatch out safely!" — still those chicks would be incapable of breaking through the eggshell with the tips of their claws or with their beaks and hatching out safely. For what reason? Because, bhikkhus, the hen's eggs have not been properly sat upon, not properly warmed, not properly incubated. So too, bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu dwells not devoted to development, even though such a wish as this might arise in him: "Oh, that my mind might be liberated from the taints through non-clinging!" — still his mind is not liberated from the taints through non-clinging. For what reason? It should be said: because of non-development. Because of non-development of what? Of the four establishments of mindfulness, the four right exertions, the four bases for success, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, and the Noble Eightfold Path.
Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu dwells devoted to development, even though no such wish as this might arise in him: "Oh, that my mind might be liberated from the taints through non-clinging!" — still his mind is liberated from the taints through non-clinging. For what reason? It should be said: because of development. Because of development of what? Of the four establishments of mindfulness, the four right exertions, the four bases for success, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, and the Noble Eightfold Path. Suppose, bhikkhus, a hen had eight, ten, or twelve eggs, and she had properly sat upon them, properly warmed them, properly incubated them. Even though no such wish as this might arise in that hen: "Oh, that my chicks might break through the eggshell with the tips of their claws or with their beaks and hatch out safely!" — still those chicks would be capable of breaking through the eggshell with the tips of their claws or with their beaks and hatching out safely. For what reason? Because, bhikkhus, the hen's eggs have been properly sat upon, properly warmed, properly incubated. So too, bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu dwells devoted to development, even though no such wish as this might arise in him: "Oh, that my mind might be liberated from the taints through non-clinging!" — still his mind is liberated from the taints through non-clinging. For what reason? It should be said: because of development. Because of development of what? Of the four establishments of mindfulness … the Noble Eightfold Path.
Suppose, bhikkhus, a carpenter or a carpenter's apprentice sees on the handle of his adze the marks of his fingers and the mark of his thumb, yet he has no such knowledge (ñāṇa) as this: "So much of the adze handle has been worn away today, so much yesterday, so much the day before"; rather, when it has been worn away, the knowledge arises in him simply that it has been worn away. So too, bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu dwells devoted to development, even though he has no such knowledge as this: "So much of my taints has been destroyed today, so much yesterday, so much the day before" — still, when they have been destroyed, the knowledge arises in him simply that they have been destroyed.
Suppose, bhikkhus, there were a seafaring ship bound with rattan rigging, which, having spent six months in the water, is hauled up onto dry land in the winter: its rigging, weathered by wind and sun, drenched by the rain clouds of the wet season, would easily give way and become rotten. So too, bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu dwells devoted to development, his fetters (saṃyojana) easily give way.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.