[221] Then the Venerable Subhūti, together with the bhikkhu Saddha, approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. As the Venerable Subhūti was seated to one side, the Blessed One said this to him: "Subhūti, what is this bhikkhu's name?"
"Bhante, this bhikkhu is named Saddha; he is the son of a lay follower endowed with faith, and he has gone forth out of faith from the household life into homelessness."
"But, Subhūti, is this bhikkhu Saddha, the son of a faithful lay follower, who has gone forth out of faith from the household life into homelessness, seen among the manifestations of faith (saddhāpadāna)?"
"It is the time for this, Blessed One! It is the time for this, Fortunate One! Let the Blessed One speak of the manifestations of faith of one endowed with faith. Now I shall know whether this bhikkhu is seen among the manifestations of faith or not."
"Then, Subhūti, listen and attend closely; I will speak." "Yes, Bhante," the Venerable Subhūti replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this:
"Here, Subhūti, a bhikkhu is virtuous; he dwells restrained by the restraint of the Pātimokkha, accomplished in conduct and resort, seeing danger in the slightest faults; having undertaken the training rules, he trains in them. In that a bhikkhu is virtuous … and, having undertaken the training rules, trains in them, this too, Subhūti, is a manifestation of faith in one endowed with faith.
"Furthermore, Subhūti, a bhikkhu is learned, a bearer of what he has heard, one who stores up what he has heard: those teachings that are good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, which proclaim, with meaning and phrasing, the holy life utterly complete and pure — of such teachings he has heard much; he has retained them, recited them verbally, examined them with the mind, and penetrated them well by view. In that a bhikkhu is learned … penetrated well by view, this too, Subhūti, is a manifestation of faith in one endowed with faith.
"Furthermore, Subhūti, a bhikkhu has good friends, good companions, good comrades. In that a bhikkhu has good friends, good companions, good comrades, this too is a manifestation of faith in one endowed with faith.
"Furthermore, Subhūti, a bhikkhu is easy to correct, endowed with qualities that make him easy to correct; he is patient and receives instruction respectfully. In that a bhikkhu is easy to correct, endowed with qualities that make him easy to correct, patient, receiving instruction respectfully, this too, Subhūti, is a manifestation of faith in one endowed with faith.
"Furthermore, Subhūti, whatever various duties there are to be done for his fellows in the holy life, in these a bhikkhu is skillful and diligent, possessed of sound judgment about the means suitable for them, able to carry them out, able to arrange them. In that a bhikkhu, whatever duties there are for his fellows in the holy life … is able to carry them out, able to arrange them, this too, Subhūti, is a manifestation of faith in one endowed with faith.
"Furthermore, Subhūti, a bhikkhu loves the Dhamma, is endearing in his converse, and has abundant gladness in the higher Dhamma and the higher discipline. In that a bhikkhu loves the Dhamma, is endearing in his converse, and has abundant gladness in the higher Dhamma and the higher discipline, this too, Subhūti, is a manifestation of faith in one endowed with faith.
"Furthermore, Subhūti, a bhikkhu dwells with energy (vīriya) aroused for the abandoning of unwholesome dhammas and for the acquisition of wholesome dhammas; he is strong, firm in exertion, not shirking the responsibility with regard to wholesome dhammas. In that a bhikkhu dwells with energy aroused … this too, Subhūti, is a manifestation of faith in one endowed with faith.
"Furthermore, Subhūti, a bhikkhu gains at will, without trouble, without difficulty, the four jhānas that pertain to the higher mind and are pleasant dwellings in this very life. In that a bhikkhu gains at will, without trouble, without difficulty, the four jhānas that pertain to the higher mind and are pleasant dwellings in this very life, this too, Subhūti, is a manifestation of faith in one endowed with faith.
"Furthermore, Subhūti, a bhikkhu recollects his manifold past abodes, that is: one birth (jāti), two births, three births, four births, five births, ten births, twenty births, thirty births, forty births, fifty births, a hundred births, a thousand births, a hundred thousand births, many aeons of world-contraction, many aeons of world-expansion, many aeons of world-contraction and expansion: 'There I was so named, of such a clan, of such an appearance, with such food, experiencing such pleasure and pain, with such a life-span; passing away from there, I was reborn elsewhere; and there too I was so named, of such a clan, of such an appearance, with such food, experiencing such pleasure and pain, with such a life-span; passing away from there, I was reborn here.' Thus he recollects his manifold past abodes with their aspects and particulars. In that a bhikkhu recollects his manifold past abodes, that is: one birth, two births … thus he recollects his manifold past abodes with their aspects and particulars, this too, Subhūti, is a manifestation of faith in one endowed with faith.
"Furthermore, Subhūti, with the divine eye, purified and surpassing the human, a bhikkhu sees beings passing away and being reborn — inferior and superior, fair and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate — and he understands beings as faring according to their kamma: 'These beings, sirs, endowed with misconduct of body, endowed with misconduct of speech, endowed with misconduct of mind, revilers of the noble ones, of wrong view, undertaking actions based on wrong view — with the breakup of the body, after death, they have been reborn in the plane of misery, a bad destination, the lower world, hell. But these beings, sirs, endowed with good conduct of body, endowed with good conduct of speech, endowed with good conduct of mind, not revilers of the noble ones, of right view, undertaking actions based on right view — with the breakup of the body, after death, they have been reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world.' Thus with the divine eye, purified and surpassing the human, he sees beings passing away and being reborn — inferior and superior, fair and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate — and he understands beings as faring according to their kamma. In that a bhikkhu, with the divine eye, purified … understands beings as faring according to their kamma, this too, Subhūti, is a manifestation of faith in one endowed with faith.
"Furthermore, Subhūti, with the destruction of the taints (āsava), a bhikkhu realizes for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind (cetovimutti) and liberation by wisdom (paññāvimutti), and having entered upon them, he dwells therein. In that a bhikkhu, with the destruction of the taints … having realized and entered upon them, dwells therein, this too, Subhūti, is a manifestation of faith in one endowed with faith."
When this was said, the Venerable Subhūti said to the Blessed One: "Bhante, these manifestations of faith of one endowed with faith which the Blessed One has spoken of are found in this bhikkhu, and this bhikkhu is seen among them. Bhante, this bhikkhu is virtuous; he dwells restrained by the restraint of the Pātimokkha, accomplished in conduct and resort, seeing danger in the slightest faults; having undertaken the training rules, he trains in them. Bhante, this bhikkhu is learned, a bearer of what he has heard, one who stores up what he has heard: those teachings that are good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, which proclaim, with meaning and phrasing, the holy life utterly complete and pure — of such teachings he has heard much; he has retained them, recited them verbally, examined them with the mind, and penetrated them well by view. Bhante, this bhikkhu has good friends, good companions, good comrades. Bhante, this bhikkhu is easy to correct, endowed with qualities that make him easy to correct; he is patient and receives instruction respectfully. Bhante, whatever various duties there are to be done for his fellows in the holy life, in these this bhikkhu is skillful and diligent, possessed of sound judgment about the means suitable for them, able to carry them out, able to arrange them. Bhante, this bhikkhu loves the Dhamma, is endearing in his converse, and has abundant gladness in the higher Dhamma and the higher discipline. Bhante, this bhikkhu dwells with energy aroused; he is strong, firm in exertion, not shirking the responsibility with regard to wholesome dhammas. Bhante, this bhikkhu gains at will, without trouble, without difficulty, the four jhānas that pertain to the higher mind and are pleasant dwellings in this very life. Bhante, this bhikkhu recollects his manifold past abodes, that is: one birth, two births … thus he recollects his manifold past abodes with their aspects and particulars. Bhante, this bhikkhu, with the divine eye, purified and surpassing the human … understands beings as faring according to their kamma. Bhante, this bhikkhu, with the destruction of the taints … having realized and entered upon them, dwells therein. Bhante, these manifestations of faith of one endowed with faith which the Blessed One has spoken of are found in this bhikkhu, and this bhikkhu is seen among them."
"Good, good, Subhūti! Then, Subhūti, you should dwell together with this bhikkhu Saddha. And, Subhūti, when you wish to see the Tathāgata, you should approach together with this bhikkhu Saddha to see the Tathāgata."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.