1At Sāvatthī.

Then a mendicant went up to the Buddha … and asked him: “Sir, may the Buddha please teach me Dhamma in brief. When I’ve heard it, I’ll live alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute.”

“Mendicant, you’re measured against what you have an underlying tendency for, and you’re defined by what you’re measured against. You’re not measured against what you have no underlying tendency for, and you’re not defined by what you’re not measured against.”

“Understood, Blessed One! Understood, Holy One!”

“But how do you see the detailed meaning of my brief statement?”

“If you have an underlying tendency for form, you’re measured against that, and you’re defined by what you’re measured against. If you have an underlying tendency for feeling … perception … choices … consciousness, you’re measured against that, and you’re defined by what you’re measured against.

If you have no underlying tendency for form, you’re not measured against that, and you’re not defined by what you’re not measured against. If you have no underlying tendency for feeling … perception … choices … consciousness, you’re not measured against that, and you’re not defined by what you’re not measured against.

That’s how I understand the detailed meaning of the Buddha’s brief statement.”

“Good, good, mendicant! It’s good that you understand the detailed meaning of what I’ve said in brief like this.

If you have an underlying tendency for form, you’re measured against that, and you’re defined by what you’re measured against. If you have an underlying tendency for feeling … perception … choices … consciousness, you’re measured against that, and you’re defined by what you’re measured against.

If you have no underlying tendency for form, you’re not measured against that, and you’re not defined by what you’re not measured against. If you have no underlying tendency for feeling … perception … choices … consciousness, you’re not measured against that, and you’re not defined by what you’re not measured against.

This is how to understand the detailed meaning of what I said in brief.” …

And that mendicant became one of the perfected.

1Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Atha kho aññataro bhikkhu yena bhagavā … pe … ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "sādhu me, bhante, bhagavā saṅkhittena dhammaṁ desetu yamahaṁ bhagavato dhammaṁ sutvā eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto vihareyyan"ti.

"Yaṁ kho, bhikkhu, anuseti taṁ anumīyati; yaṁ anumīyati tena saṅkhaṁ gacchati. Yaṁ nānuseti na taṁ anumīyati; yaṁ nānumīyati na tena saṅkhaṁ gacchatī"ti.

"Aññātaṁ, bhagavā, aññātaṁ, sugatā"ti.

2"Yathā kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, bhikkhu, mayā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāsī"ti?

"Rūpañce, bhante, anuseti taṁ anumīyati; yaṁ anumīyati tena saṅkhaṁ gacchati. vedanāñce anuseti … saññañce anuseti … saṅkhāre ce anuseti … viññāṇañce anuseti taṁ anumīyati; yaṁ anumīyati tena saṅkhaṁ gacchati.

Rūpañce, bhante, nānuseti na taṁ anumīyati; yaṁ nānumīyati na tena saṅkhaṁ gacchati. vedanāñce nānuseti … saññañce nānuseti … saṅkhāre ce nānuseti … viññāṇañce nānuseti na taṁ anumīyati; yaṁ nānumīyati na tena saṅkhaṁ gacchati.

Imassa khvāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa evaṁ vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāmī"ti.

3"Sādhu sādhu, bhikkhu. Sādhu kho tvaṁ, bhikkhu, mayā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāsi. Rūpañce, bhikkhu, anuseti taṁ anumīyati; yaṁ anumīyati tena saṅkhaṁ gacchati. vedanāñce, bhikkhu … saññañce, bhikkhu … saṅkhāre ce, bhikkhu … viññāṇañce, bhikkhu, anuseti taṁ anumīyati; yaṁ anumīyati tena saṅkhaṁ gacchati. Rūpañce, bhikkhu, nānuseti na taṁ anumīyati; yaṁ nānumīyati na tena saṅkhaṁ gacchati. vedanāñce nānuseti … saññañce nānuseti … saṅkhāre ce nānuseti … viññāṇañce nānuseti na taṁ anumīyati; yaṁ nānumīyati na tena saṅkhaṁ gacchati.

Imassa kho, bhikkhu, mayā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa evaṁ vitthārena attho daṭṭhabbo"ti … pe … aññataro ca pana so bhikkhu arahataṁ ahosīti.

Catutthaṁ.