8.
The Discourse on Ascetics and Brahmins
121.
He was dwelling at Sāvatthī, etc.
"There are, monks, these four elements.
What are the four?
The solid element, the liquid element, the heat element, the air element.
Whatever ascetics or brahmins, monks, who do not understand as it really is the gratification, danger, and escape of these four elements, they are not for me, monks, ascetics or brahmins who are considered ascetics among ascetics or considered brahmins among brahmins;
and those venerable ones do not dwell having attained the goal of asceticism or the goal of the holy life in this very life, having realised by direct knowledge themselves."
"But whatever ascetics or brahmins, monks, who understand as it really is the gratification, danger, and escape of these four elements, they are for me, monks, ascetics or brahmins who are considered ascetics among ascetics and considered brahmins among brahmins; and those venerable ones dwell having attained the goal of asceticism and the goal of the holy life in this very life, having realised by direct knowledge themselves." The eighth.