[134] "It is wonderful, venerable sir! It is marvellous, venerable sir! How well spoken is this by the Blessed One: 'It is hard, great king, for you — a layman who enjoys sensual pleasures (gihī kāmabhogī), living in a home crowded with children, enjoying sandalwood from Kāsi, wearing garlands, scents, and unguents, accepting gold and silver — to know: "These are arahants (arahanto)," or "These have entered upon the path of arahantship (arahattamagga)." It is by living together, great king, that virtue (sīla) is to be known, and that only after a long time, not after a short one; by one who attends (manasikaroti), not by one who does not attend; by one who is wise, not by one who is unwise. It is by dealings, great king, that integrity (soceyya) is to be known, and that only after a long time, not after a short one; by one who attends, not by one who does not attend; by one who is wise, not by one who is unwise. It is in adversities, great king, that fortitude (thāma) is to be known, and that only after a long time, not after a short one; by one who attends, not by one who does not attend; by one who is wise, not by one who is unwise. It is by discussion, great king, that wisdom (paññā) is to be known, and that only after a long time, not after a short one; by one who attends, not by one who does not attend; by one who is wise, not by one who is unwise.'
These, venerable sir, are men of mine — spies, undercover agents — coming back after having gone down into the countryside. What they have first gone into, I shall go into afterwards. And now, venerable sir, having washed off that dust and dirt, well bathed and well anointed, with hair and beard trimmed, clothed in white garments, they amuse themselves, supplied and endowed with the five cords of sensual pleasure (pañca kāmaguṇā)."
Then the Blessed One, having understood this matter, on that occasion uttered this inspired utterance (udāna):
"One should not strive everywhere;
one should not be another's man;
one should not live in dependence on another;
nor should one go about making a trade of the Dhamma."
The Second [Sutta].
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.