1At one time Venerable Sāriputta was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then in the late afternoon, Venerable Ānanda came out of retreat … and said to Sāriputta:

“Reverend, how many things do people have to possess in order for the Buddha to declare that they’re a stream-enterer, not liable to be reborn in the underworld, bound for awakening?”

“Reverend, people have to possess four things in order for the Buddha to declare that they’re a stream-enterer, not liable to be reborn in the underworld, bound for awakening.

2What four? It’s when a noble disciple has experiential confidence in the Buddha … the teaching … the Saṅgha … And they have the ethical conduct loved by the noble ones … leading to immersion.

People have to possess these four things in order for the Buddha to declare that they’re a stream-enterer, not liable to be reborn in the underworld, bound for awakening.”

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca ānando sāvatthiyaṁ vihāranti jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Atha kho āyasmā ānando sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito … pe … ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca:

"Katinaṁ nu kho, āvuso sāriputta, dhammānaṁ samannāgamanahetu evamayaṁ pajā bhagavatā byākatā sotāpannā avinipātadhammā niyatā sambodhiparāyaṇā"ti?

"Catunnaṁ kho, āvuso, dhammānaṁ samannāgamanahetu evamayaṁ pajā bhagavatā byākatā sotāpannā avinipātadhammā niyatā sambodhiparāyaṇā.

2Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ? Idhāvuso, ariyasāvako buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti – itipi so bhagavā … pe … satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavāti. Dhamme … pe … saṅghe … pe … ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato hoti akhaṇḍehi … pe … samādhisaṁvattanikehi.

Imesaṁ kho, āvuso, catunnaṁ dhammānaṁ samannāgamanahetu evamayaṁ pajā bhagavatā byākatā sotāpannā avinipātadhammā niyatā sambodhiparāyaṇā"ti.

Catutthaṁ.