3.
The Discourse on a Certain Monk
35.
At Sāvatthī.
Then a certain monk approached the Blessed One;
having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, that monk said this to the Blessed One -
"It would be good, venerable sir, if the Blessed One would expound to me the Teaching in brief,
so that having heard the Teaching from the Blessed One, I might dwell alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute."
"Whatever, monk, one underlies, by that one goes by the term;
whatever one does not underlie, by that one does not go by the term."
"Understood, Blessed One;
understood, Fortunate One."
"In what way, then, monk, do you understand in detail the meaning of what was spoken by me in brief?" "If, venerable sir, one underlies matter, by that one goes by the term. If one underlies feeling, by that one goes by the term. If one underlies perception, by that one goes by the term. If one underlies activities, by that one goes by the term. If one underlies consciousness, by that one goes by the term. If, venerable sir, one does not underlie matter, by that one does not go by the term. If feeling... if perception... if activities... if one does not underlie consciousness, by that one does not go by the term. I, venerable sir, understand in detail the meaning of what the Blessed One has spoken in brief thus."
"Good, good, monk! Good indeed, monk, you understand in detail the meaning of what was spoken by me in brief. If, monk, one underlies matter, by that one goes by the term. If feeling... if perception... if activities... if one underlies consciousness, by that one goes by the term. If, monk, one does not underlie matter, by that one does not go by the term. If feeling... if perception... if activities... if one does not underlie consciousness, by that one does not go by the term. This, monk, is how the meaning of what was spoken by me in brief should be understood in detail."
Then that monk, having delighted in and given thanks for what the Blessed One had said, rose from his seat, paid respect to the Blessed One, circumambulated him keeping him on his right, and departed.
Then dwelling alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute, that monk soon realised for himself, with direct knowledge, in this very life, that unsurpassed consummation of the holy life for the sake of which sons of good family rightly go forth from home into homelessness; and, having entered upon it, he dwelt in it. He directly knew: "Birth is eliminated, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to any state of being." And that monk became one of the Worthy Ones. The third.