[83] Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in the Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park. Now on that occasion, when many bhikkhus, having returned from the alms round after their meal, were sitting gathered together in the round pavilion (maṇḍalamāḷa), this conversation arose among them: "Who, friends, knows a craft (sippa)? Who has trained in what craft? Which craft is the foremost of crafts?"
Thereupon some said: "The craft of elephants is the foremost of crafts." Some said: "The craft of horses is the foremost of crafts." Some said: "The craft of chariots is the foremost of crafts." Some said: "The craft of the bow is the foremost of crafts." Some said: "The craft of the sword (tharu) is the foremost of crafts." Some said: "The craft of finger-reckoning (muddā) is the foremost of crafts." Some said: "The craft of calculation (gaṇanā) is the foremost of crafts." Some said: "The craft of computation (saṅkhāna) is the foremost of crafts." Some said: "The craft of writing (lekhā) is the foremost of crafts." Some said: "The craft of poetry (kāveyya) is the foremost of crafts." Some said: "The craft of worldly philosophy (lokāyata) is the foremost of crafts." Some said: "The craft of the science of fields (khettavijjā) is the foremost of crafts." And now this conversation among those bhikkhus was left unfinished.
Then the Blessed One, emerging from seclusion in the evening, approached the round pavilion; having approached, he sat down on the seat that had been prepared. Having sat down, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus, for what talk are you sitting together here now? And what was the conversation among you that was left unfinished?"
"Here, venerable sir, when we, having returned from the alms round after our meal, were sitting gathered together in the round pavilion, this conversation arose among us: 'Who, friends, knows a craft? Who has trained in what craft? Which craft is the foremost of crafts?' Thereupon some said: 'The craft of elephants is the foremost of crafts.' Some said: 'The craft of horses is the foremost of crafts.' Some said: 'The craft of chariots is the foremost of crafts.' Some said: 'The craft of the bow is the foremost of crafts.' Some said: 'The craft of the sword is the foremost of crafts.' Some said: 'The craft of finger-reckoning is the foremost of crafts.' Some said: 'The craft of calculation is the foremost of crafts.' Some said: 'The craft of computation is the foremost of crafts.' Some said: 'The craft of writing is the foremost of crafts.' Some said: 'The craft of poetry is the foremost of crafts.' Some said: 'The craft of worldly philosophy is the foremost of crafts.' Some said: 'The craft of the science of fields is the foremost of crafts.' This, venerable sir, was the conversation among us that was left unfinished; and then the Blessed One arrived."
"Bhikkhus, this is not fitting for you, sons of good family (kulaputtā) who out of faith have gone forth from the home life into homelessness, that you should talk such talk as this. When you have gathered together, bhikkhus, there are two things to be done: either talk on the Dhamma, or the noble silence."
Then the Blessed One, having understood this matter, on that occasion uttered this inspired utterance (udāna):
Living by no craft, light, desiring the good,
his faculties restrained, everywhere fully released,
wandering homeless, without possessiveness, without longing,
having slain Māra, faring alone — he is a bhikkhu.
The Ninth.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.