‘Venerable Nāgasena, that one quality of the gourd which you say he ought to take, which is it?’
‘Just, O king, as the gourd, climbing up with its tendrils on to some other plant—whether a grass, or a thorn, or a creeper—grows all over it; just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, who desires to grow up into Arahatship, do so by climbing up with his mind over the ideas that present themselves (as subjects for the Kammaṭṭhāna meditations). This, O king, is the one quality of the gourd which he ought to have. For it was said, O king, by Sāriputta, the Elder, the Commander of the Faith:
“As the gourd, clambering up with its tendrils, grows
O’er the grass, or the thorn-bush, or creeper widespread,
So the son of the Buddha on Ar’hatship bent,
Climbs up o’er ideas, to perfection and peace.”’