[272] "Bhikkhus, even if a bhikkhu, taking hold of the corner of my outer robe (saṅghāṭi), should follow close behind me, placing his feet in my footsteps, yet if he is covetous (abhijjhālu), strongly lustful for sensual pleasures (kāmesu tibbasārāgo), with a mind of ill will (byāpannacitto), with corrupt intentions of mind (paduṭṭhamanasaṅkappo), muddled in mindfulness (muṭṭhassati), not clearly comprehending (asampajāno), unconcentrated (asamāhito), with a wandering mind, with faculties unrestrained — then he is far from me indeed, and I am far from him. For what reason? Because, bhikkhus, that bhikkhu does not see the Dhamma; not seeing the Dhamma, he does not see me. Bhikkhus, even if a bhikkhu should dwell a hundred yojanas away, yet if he is not covetous, not strongly lustful for sensual pleasures, with a mind free of ill will, with uncorrupted intentions of mind, with mindfulness established, clearly comprehending, concentrated, of one-pointed mind, with faculties restrained — then he is near to me indeed, and I am near to him. For what reason? Because, bhikkhus, that bhikkhu sees the Dhamma; seeing the Dhamma, he sees me."
Though he should follow close behind,
one of great desires, beset by vexation —
pursuing craving (ejā), from one free from craving,
unquenched, from one quenched,
greedy, from one rid of greed —
see how far away he is!
But the wise one who, having directly known the Dhamma,
having understood the Dhamma,
grows still, free from craving,
like a lake unstirred by wind:
free from craving, he, to one free from craving,
quenched, to one quenched,
rid of greed, to one rid of greed —
see how near he is!
The Third [Sutta].
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.