[67] Then Sāriputta the wanderer approached Moggallāna the wanderer. Moggallāna the wanderer saw Sāriputta the wanderer coming from afar; having seen him, he said this to Sāriputta the wanderer: "Friend, your faculties are serene; your complexion is pure and bright. Can it be, friend, that you have attained the Deathless (amata)?"
"Yes, friend, I have attained the Deathless."
"But in what way, friend, did you attain the Deathless?"
"Here, friend, I saw the bhikkhu Assaji walking for alms in Rājagaha—inspiring in his going forward and returning, in his looking ahead and looking aside, in his bending and stretching, with eyes downcast, accomplished in his postures (iriyāpatha). Having seen him, this occurred to me: 'Of those in the world who are arahants (arahant) or who have entered upon the path to arahantship, this bhikkhu is surely one of them. What if I were to approach this bhikkhu and ask: "On account of whom, friend, have you gone forth? Who is your teacher? Whose Dhamma do you profess?"' Then, friend, it occurred to me: 'This is not the time to question this bhikkhu; he has entered among the houses and is walking for alms. What if I were to follow close behind this bhikkhu—the path made known by those who seek?' Then, friend, the bhikkhu Assaji, having walked for alms in Rājagaha, took his almsfood and returned. Then, friend, I approached the bhikkhu Assaji; having approached, I exchanged greetings with the bhikkhu Assaji, and when the courteous and memorable talk was concluded, I stood to one side. Standing to one side, friend, I said this to the bhikkhu Assaji: 'Friend, your faculties are serene; your complexion is pure and bright. On account of whom, friend, have you gone forth? Who is your teacher? Whose Dhamma do you profess?'
"'There is, friend, the Great Ascetic, the son of the Sakyans, gone forth from the Sakyan clan. On account of that Blessed One I have gone forth; that Blessed One is my teacher; and it is that Blessed One's Dhamma that I profess.'
"'But what does the venerable one's teacher hold, what does he declare?'
"'I, friend, am new, not long gone forth, recently come to this Dhamma and Discipline. I am not able to teach you the Dhamma in detail, but I will tell you its meaning in brief.'
"'Speak little or much,
tell me only the meaning;
it is the meaning alone I need—
what will you do with many words?'"
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.