[174] Then the Blessed One, having expressed his appreciation (anumodanā) to Sunīdha and Vassakāra, the chief ministers of Magadha, with these verses, rose from his seat and departed. Now on that occasion Sunīdha and Vassakāra, the chief ministers of Magadha, were following close behind the Blessed One, thinking: "By whichever gate the ascetic Gotama goes out today, that shall be named the Gotama Gate (Gotamadvāra); and by whichever ford he crosses the river Gaṅgā, that shall be named the Gotama Ford (Gotamatittha)." Then the gate by which the Blessed One went out came to be named the Gotama Gate. And the Blessed One approached the river Gaṅgā. Now on that occasion the river Gaṅgā was full, brimming level with its banks, so that a crow could drink from it. Some people were seeking a boat, some were seeking a float (uḷumpa), and some were binding a raft (kulla), wishing to go from the near shore to the far shore. Then, just as a strong man might extend his drawn-in arm or draw in his extended arm, even so the Blessed One vanished from the near bank of the river Gaṅgā and reappeared on the far bank together with the Saṅgha of bhikkhus. And the Blessed One saw those people — some seeking a boat, some seeking a float, some binding a raft — wishing to go from the near shore to the far shore.
Then the Blessed One, having understood the significance of this, on that occasion uttered this inspired utterance (udāna):
"Those who cross a deluge, a vast expanse of water,
having made a bridge, leaving the marshy pools behind —
while the people are binding a raft,
the wise have crossed over."
The sixth.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.