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an.6.49 Aṅguttara Nikāya (Numbered Discourses)

With Khema

On one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Savatthi in Jeta’s Grove, Anathapindika’s monastery. And at that time Ven. Khema and Ven. Sumana were staying near Savatthi in the Blind Man’s Grove. Then Ven. Khema and Ven. Sumana went to the Blessed One and on arrival, have bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, Ven. Khema said to the Blessed One, “When a monk is an arahant, with his fermentations ended—one who has reached fulfillment, done the task, laid down the burden, attained the true goal, totally destroyed the fetter of becoming, and is released through right gnosis—the thought doesn’t occur to him that ‘There is someone better than me,’ or ‘There is someone equal to me,’ or ‘There is someone worse than me.’” That is what Ven. Khema said, and the Teacher approved. Sensing that “The Teacher approves of me,” Ven. Khema got up from his seat, bowed down to the Blessed One, circled him—keeping him on his right—and left.

Then Ven. Sumana, not long after Ven. Khema had left, said to the Blessed One, “When a monk is an arahant, with his fermentations ended—one who has reached fulfillment, done the task, laid down the burden, attained the true goal, totally destroyed the fetter of becoming, and is released through right gnosis—the thought doesn’t occur to him that ‘There is no one better than me,’ or ‘There is no one equal to me,’ or ‘There is no one worse than me.’” That is what Ven. Sumana said, and the Teacher approved. Sensing that “The Teacher approves of me,” Ven. Sumana got up from his seat, bowed down to the Blessed One, circled him—keeping him on his right—and left.

Then the Blessed One, not long after Ven. Khema & Ven. Sumana had left, said to the monks, “Monks, this is how clansmen declare gnosis. The meaning [of gnosis] is stated, but without mention of self. Yet there are some worthless people who declare gnosis as if in jest. They will fall into trouble afterward.

Not as higher, lower, nor equal
do they refer to themselves.
With birth ended,
the holy life fulfilled
they go about
totally freed from fetters.”

- Translator: Thanissaro Bhikkhu

- Editor: Gabriel Laera

With Khema

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.
Now at that time Venerable Khema and Venerable Sumana were staying near Sāvatthī in the Dark Forest.
Then they went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. Venerable Khema said to the Buddha:
“Sir, a mendicant who is perfected—with defilements ended, who has completed the spiritual journey, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, achieved their own true goal, utterly ended the fetters of rebirth, and is rightly freed through enlightenment—does not think:
‘There is someone better than me, or equal to me, or worse than me.’”
That is what Khema said,
and the teacher approved.
Then Khema, knowing that the teacher approved, got up from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving.
And then, not long after Khema had left, Sumana said to the Buddha:
“Sir, a mendicant who is perfected—with defilements ended, who has completed the spiritual journey, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, achieved their own true goal, utterly ended the fetters of rebirth, and is rightly freed through enlightenment—does not think:
‘There is no-one better than me, or equal to me, or worse than me.’”
That is what Sumana said,
and the teacher approved.
Then Sumana, knowing that the teacher approved, got up from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving.
And then, soon after Khema and Sumana had left, the Buddha addressed the mendicants:
“Mendicants, this is how gentlemen declare enlightenment.
The goal is spoken of, but the self is not involved.
But it seems that there are some foolish people here who declare enlightenment as a joke.
Later they will fall into anguish.
They don’t rank themselves
as being among superiors, inferiors, or equals.
Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed.
They live freed from fetters.”