9.
The Discourse on Ānanda
51.
Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Venerable Sāriputta;
having approached, he exchanged friendly greetings with the Venerable Sāriputta.
Having concluded the pleasant and memorable talk, he sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, the Venerable Ānanda said this to the Venerable Sāriputta -
"In what way, friend Sāriputta, does a monk hear the Teaching not heard before, and the teachings heard by him do not go to decline, and those teachings previously experienced by the mind occur to him, and he cognises what was not cognised?" "The Venerable Ānanda is very learned. Let it occur to the Venerable Ānanda himself." "Then, friend Sāriputta, listen, pay close attention; I will speak." "Yes, friend," the Venerable Sāriputta assented to the Venerable Ānanda. The Venerable Ānanda said this -
"Here, friend Sāriputta, a monk learns the Teaching thoroughly - discourse, mixed prose and verse, explanation, verse, inspired utterance, thus-it-is-said, birth story, wonderful phenomena, catechism. He expounds the Teaching in detail to others as he has heard it, as he has learned it; he recites the Teaching in detail to others as he has heard it, as he has learned it; he recites the Teaching in detail as he has heard it, as he has learned it; he reflects upon, examines, and mentally contemplates the Teaching as he has heard it, as he has learned it. In whatever residence elder monks dwell who are very learned, who have learnt the collections, who are bearers of the Teaching, bearers of the monastic discipline, bearers of the matrices, in that residence he enters the rains retreat. Approaching them from time to time, he questions and inquires - 'How is this, venerable sir? What is the meaning of this?' They open up what is not opened up for that venerable one, make clear what is not made clear, and dispel doubt regarding the various phenomena that are grounds for doubt. To this extent, friend Sāriputta, a monk hears the Teaching not heard before, and the teachings heard by him do not go to decline, and those teachings previously experienced by the mind occur to him, and he cognises what was not cognised."
"Wonderful, friend, marvellous, friend, how well spoken is this by the Venerable Ānanda. And we remember the Venerable Ānanda as endowed with these six qualities. For the Venerable Ānanda learns the Teaching thoroughly - discourse, mixed prose and verse, explanation, verse, inspired utterance, thus-it-is-said, birth story, wonderful phenomena, catechism. The Venerable Ānanda expounds the Teaching in detail to others as he has heard it, as he has learned it; the Venerable Ānanda recites the Teaching in detail to others as he has heard it, as he has learned it; the Venerable Ānanda recites the Teaching in detail as he has heard it, as he has learned it; the Venerable Ānanda reflects upon, examines, and mentally contemplates the Teaching as he has heard it, as he has learned it. The Venerable Ānanda, in whatever residence elder monks dwell who are very learned, who have learnt the collections, who are bearers of the Teaching, bearers of the monastic discipline, bearers of the matrices, in that residence enters the rains retreat. The Venerable Ānanda, approaching them from time to time, questions and inquires - 'How is this, venerable sir? What is the meaning of this?' They open up what is not opened up for the Venerable Ānanda, make clear what is not made clear, and dispel doubt regarding the various phenomena that are grounds for doubt." The ninth.