[74] Then the Blessed One, having expressed his appreciation to Sunīdha and Vassakāra, the chief ministers of Magadha, with these verses, rose from his seat and departed. Now at that time Sunīdha and Vassakāra, the chief ministers of Magadha, were following close behind the Blessed One, thinking: "The gate by which the ascetic Gotama departs today shall be named the Gotama Gate; the ford by which he crosses the river Gaṅgā shall be named the Gotama Ford." Then the gate by which the Blessed One departed came to be named the Gotama Gate.
Then the Blessed One approached the river Gaṅgā. Now at that time the river Gaṅgā was full, brimming level with the banks, so that a crow could drink from it. Some people were seeking a boat, some were seeking a float, and some were binding together a raft, wishing to go from the near shore to the far shore. The Blessed One saw those people — some seeking a boat, some seeking a float, some binding together a raft, wishing to go from the near shore to the far shore. Having seen them, then — just as a strong man might stretch out his bent arm or bend back his outstretched 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 (bhikkhu).
Then the Blessed One, understanding the meaning of this, on that occasion uttered this inspired utterance (udāna):
"Those who cross a flood, a vast expanse of water,
have built a bridge, leaving the marshy pools behind;
while people are still binding together a raft,
the wise have already crossed over."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.