1So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Then a mendicant went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to 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 When I’ve heard it, I’ll live alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute.”

“When you grasp, mendicant, you’re bound by Māra. Not grasping, you’re free from the Wicked One.”

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

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

“Sir, when you grasp form you’re bound by Māra. Not grasping, you’re free from the Wicked One. When you grasp feeling … perception … choices … consciousness, you’re bound by Māra. Not grasping, you’re free from the Wicked One.

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

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

When you grasp form you’re bound by Māra. Not grasping, you’re free from the Wicked One. When you grasp feeling … perception … choices … consciousness, you’re bound by Māra. Not grasping, you’re free from the Wicked One.

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

4And then that mendicant approved and agreed with what the Buddha said. He got up from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving.

Then that mendicant, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, soon realized the supreme end of the spiritual path in this very life. He lived having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.

He understood: “Rebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is no return to any state of existence.” And that mendicant became one of the perfected.

1Evaṁ me sutaṁ — ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ vihārati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

Atha kho aññataro bhikkhu yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. 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.

"Upādiyamāno kho, bhikkhu, baddho mārassa; anupādiyamāno mutto pāpimato"ti.

"Aññātaṁ bhagavā, aññātaṁ sugatā"ti.

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

"Rūpaṁ kho, bhante, upādiyamāno baddho mārassa; anupādiyamāno mutto pāpimato. vedanāṁ upādiyamāno baddho mārassa; anupādiyamāno mutto pāpimato. Saññaṁ … saṅkhāre … viññāṇaṁ upādiyamāno baddho mārassa; anupādiyamāno mutto pāpimato.

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.

Rūpaṁ kho, bhikkhu, upādiyamāno baddho mārassa; anupādiyamāno mutto pāpimato. vedanāṁ … saññaṁ … saṅkhāre … viññāṇaṁ upādiyamāno baddho mārassa; anupādiyamāno mutto pāpimato.

Imassa kho, bhikkhu, mayā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa evaṁ vitthārena attho daṭṭhabbo"ti.

4Atha kho so bhikkhu bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.

Atha kho so bhikkhu eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto vihāranto nacirasseva – yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ – brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihārati.

"Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā"ti abbhaññāsi. Aññataro ca pana so bhikkhu arahataṁ ahosīti.

Paṭhamaṁ.