3.
The Discourse on the Trainee
523.
Thus have I heard.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Kosambī in Ghosita's park.
There the Blessed One addressed the monks thus:
"Is there indeed, monks, a method by which method a trainee monk, standing on the trainee's plane, might understand 'I am a trainee', and a monk beyond training, standing on the plane of one beyond training, might understand 'I am one beyond training'?"
"The teachings have the Blessed One as their root, venerable sir, etc. "There is, monks, a method by which method a trainee monk, standing on the trainee's plane, might understand 'I am a trainee', and a monk beyond training, standing on the plane of one beyond training, might understand 'I am one beyond training'."
"And what, monks, is the method by which method a trainee monk, standing on the trainee's plane, understands 'I am a trainee'? Here, monks, a trainee monk understands as it really is: 'This is suffering'; he understands as it really is: 'This is the origin of suffering'; he understands as it really is: 'This is the cessation of suffering'; he understands as it really is: 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering' - This too, monks, is the method by which method a trainee monk, standing on the trainee's plane, understands 'I am a trainee'."
"Furthermore, monks, a trainee monk considers thus - 'Is there indeed outside of here another ascetic or brahmin who expounds a teaching that is thus factual, true, real, as does the Blessed One?' He thus understands: 'There is not indeed outside of here another ascetic or brahmin who expounds a teaching that is thus factual, true, real, as does the Blessed One.' This too, monks, is the method by which method a trainee monk, standing on the trainee's plane, understands 'I am a trainee'."
"Furthermore, monks, a trainee monk understands the five faculties - the faith faculty, the energy faculty, the mindfulness faculty, the concentration faculty, the wisdom faculty - their destination, their highest point, their fruit, their final goal. But he does not dwell having touched them with the body; and having penetrated them with wisdom, he sees. This too, monks, is the method by which method a trainee monk, standing on the trainee's plane, understands 'I am a trainee'."
"And what, monks, is the method by which method a monk beyond training, standing on the plane of one beyond training, understands 'I am one beyond training'? Here, monks, a monk beyond training understands the five faculties - the faith faculty, the energy faculty, the mindfulness faculty, the concentration faculty, the wisdom faculty - their destination, their highest point, their fruit, their final goal. And he dwells having touched them with the body; and having penetrated them with wisdom, he sees. This too, monks, is the method by which method a monk beyond training, standing on the plane of one beyond training, understands 'I am one beyond training'."
"Furthermore, monks, a monk beyond training understands the six faculties. 'The eye faculty, the ear faculty, the nose faculty, the tongue faculty, the body faculty, the mind faculty - these six faculties will cease entirely, in every way, without remainder, and no other six faculties will arise anywhere in anything,' he understands. This too, monks, is the method by which method a monk beyond training, standing on the plane of one beyond training, understands 'I am one beyond training'." The third.