[246] "Does an Arahant (arahā) fall away (parihāyati) from Arahantship (arahatta)?" — "Yes (āmantā)."
"Did the Elder (thera) Sāriputta fall away from Arahantship?" — "It should not be said thus (na hevaṃ vattabbe)."
"Did the Elder Mahāmoggallāna, the Elder Mahākassapa, the Elder Mahākaccāyana, the Elder Mahākoṭṭhika, the Elder Mahāpaṇṭhaka fall away from Arahantship?" — "It should not be said thus."
"Did the Elder Sāriputta not fall away from Arahantship?" — "Yes."
"If the Elder Sāriputta did not fall away from Arahantship, then indeed, good sir, it should not be said (no vata re vattabbe) that an Arahant falls away from Arahantship."
"Did the Elder Mahāmoggallāna … the Elder Mahākassapa … the Elder Mahākaccāyana … the Elder Mahākoṭṭhika … the Elder Mahāpaṇṭhaka not fall away from Arahantship?" — "Yes."
"If the Elder Mahāmoggallāna … … the Elder Mahāpaṇṭhaka did not fall away from Arahantship, then indeed, good sir, it should not be said that an Arahant falls away from Arahantship."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.