AN 6.49

Khemasutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā ca khemo āyasmā ca sumano sāvatthiyaṁ viharanti andhavanasmiṁ. Atha kho āyasmā ca khemo āyasmā ca sumano yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā khemo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

With Khema

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time Venerable Khema and Venerable Sumana were staying near Sāvatthī in the Dark Forest. Then they went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. Venerable Khema said to the Buddha:

“Yo so, bhante, bhikkhu arahaṁ khīṇāsavo vusitavā katakaraṇīyo ohitabhāro anuppattasadattho parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojano sammadaññāvimutto tassa na evaṁ hoti: ‘atthi me seyyoti vā atthi me sadisoti vā atthi me hīnoti vā’”ti. Idamavocāyasmā khemo. Samanuñño satthā ahosi. Atha kho āyasmā khemo “samanuñño me satthā”ti uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.

“Sir, a mendicant who is perfected—with defilements ended, who has completed the spiritual journey, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, achieved their heart’s goal, utterly ended the fetter of continued existence, and is rightly freed through enlightenment—does not think: ‘There is someone better than me, or equal to me, or worse than me.’” That is what Khema said, and the Teacher concurred. Then Khema, knowing that the Teacher concurred, got up from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving.

Atha kho āyasmā sumano acirapakkante āyasmante kheme bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “yo so, bhante, bhikkhu arahaṁ khīṇāsavo vusitavā katakaraṇīyo ohitabhāro anuppattasadattho parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojano sammadaññāvimutto tassa na evaṁ hoti: ‘natthi me seyyoti vā natthi me sadisoti vā natthi me hīnoti vā’”ti. Idamavocāyasmā sumano. Samanuñño satthā ahosi. Atha kho āyasmā sumano “samanuñño me satthā”ti uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.

And then, not long after Khema had left, Sumana said to the Buddha: “Sir, a mendicant who is perfected—with defilements ended, who has completed the spiritual journey, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, achieved their heart’s goal, utterly ended the fetter of continued existence, and is rightly freed through enlightenment—does not think: ‘There is no one better than me, or equal to me, or worse than me.’” That is what Sumana said, and the Teacher concurred. Then Sumana, knowing that the Teacher concurred, got up from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving.

Atha kho bhagavā acirapakkantesu āyasmante ca kheme āyasmante ca sumane bhikkhū āmantesi: “evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, kulaputtā aññaṁ byākaronti. Attho ca vutto attā ca anupanīto. Atha ca pana idhekacce moghapurisā hasamānakā maññe aññaṁ byākaronti. Te pacchā vighātaṁ āpajjantīti.

Then, not long after Khema and Sumana had left, the Buddha addressed the mendicants: “Mendicants, this is how gentlemen declare enlightenment. The goal is spoken of, but the self is not involved. But it seems that there are some futile men here who declare enlightenment as a joke. Later they will fall into distress.

Na ussesu na omesu, Samatte nopanīyare; Khīṇā jāti vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, Caranti saṁyojanavippamuttā”ti.

They don’t represent themselves as being among superiors, inferiors, or equals. Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed. They live freed from fetters.”