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 When I’ve heard it, I’ll live alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute.”

“When you identify, mendicant, you’re bound by Māra. Not identifying, 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 identify with form you’re bound by Māra. Not identifying, you’re free from the Wicked One. When you identify with feeling … perception … choices … consciousness, you’re bound by Māra. Not identifying, 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 identify with form you’re bound by Māra. Not identifying, you’re free from the Wicked One. When you identify with feeling … perception … choices … consciousness, you’re bound by Māra. Not identifying, you’re free from the Wicked One.

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 … pe … ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

"sādhu me, bhante, bhagavā saṅkhittena dhammaṁ desetu … pe … ātāpī pahitatto vihareyyan"ti.

"Maññamāno kho, bhikkhu, baddho mārassa; amaññamāno mutto pāpimato"ti.

"Aññātaṁ, bhagavā, aññātaṁ, sugatā"ti.

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

"Rūpaṁ kho, bhante, maññamāno baddho mārassa; amaññamāno mutto pāpimato. vedanāṁ … saññaṁ … saṅkhāre … viññāṇaṁ maññamāno baddho mārassa; amaññamāno 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, maññamāno baddho mārassa; amaññamāno mutto pāpimato. vedanāṁ … saññaṁ … saṅkhāre … viññāṇaṁ maññamāno baddho mārassa; amaññamāno mutto pāpimato.

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

… aññataro ca pana so bhikkhu arahataṁ ahosīti.

Dutiyaṁ.