[112] 3. Thus have I heard.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha, in the Veḷuvana, the Kalandakanivāpa. Now at that time there was in Rājagaha a leper named Suppabuddha — a poor human being, a wretched human being, a miserable human being. And at that time the Blessed One was seated teaching the Dhamma, surrounded by a great assembly. Suppabuddha the leper saw from afar a great body of people gathered together, and on seeing them it occurred to him: "Without doubt some hard food or soft food is being distributed here. Suppose I were to approach that great body of people; perhaps I might obtain here some hard food or soft food." Then Suppabuddha the leper approached that great body of people. And Suppabuddha the leper saw the Blessed One seated teaching the Dhamma, surrounded by a great assembly; on seeing this it occurred to him: "No hard food or soft food is being distributed here. This is the ascetic Gotama teaching the Dhamma in the assembly. Suppose I too were to listen to the Dhamma." He sat down right there to one side, thinking, "I too shall listen to the Dhamma." Then the Blessed One, having encompassed with his own mind the minds of the entire assembly, gave attention thus: "Who here is capable of understanding the Dhamma?" The Blessed One saw Suppabuddha the leper seated in that assembly, and on seeing him it occurred to him: "This one here is capable of understanding the Dhamma." With reference to Suppabuddha the leper he spoke a progressive discourse (anupubbikathā), that is: talk on giving, talk on virtue, and talk on heaven; and he made plain the danger, the degradation, and the defilement of sensual pleasures, and the benefit in renunciation (nekkhamma). When the Blessed One knew that Suppabuddha the leper's mind (citta) was ready, pliant, free from the hindrances (nīvaraṇa), uplifted, and confident, he then made plain the Dhamma teaching that the Buddhas themselves have exalted: suffering (dukkha), its origin (samudaya), its cessation (nirodha), and the path (magga). And just as a clean cloth free from stain would take the dye evenly, even so, as he sat in that very seat, there arose in Suppabuddha the leper the dust-free, stainless Dhamma-eye (dhammacakkhu): "Whatever is subject to origination, all that is subject to cessation."
[Apparatus of the Siam Raṭṭha edition for this passage: (1) at "saw … a great body of people," the Burmese and European editions insert "taṃ" ("that great body of people"); (2) for "nekkhamme ca" ("and … in renunciation"), some editions read "nikkhame ca," and the Burmese edition omits "ca."]
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.