Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. Then, venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One:
“Yāvakīvañca, bhante, tathāgatā loke nuppajjanti arahanto sammāsambuddhā tāva aññatitthiyā paribbājakā sakkatā honti garukatā mānitā pūjitā apacitā lābhino cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānapaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānaṁ. Yato ca kho, bhante, tathāgatā loke uppajjanti arahanto sammāsambuddhā atha aññatitthiyā paribbājakā asakkatā honti agarukatā amānitā apūjitā anapacitā na lābhino cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānapaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānaṁ. Bhagavāyeva dāni, bhante, sakkato hoti garukato mānito pūjito apacito lābhī cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānapaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānaṁ, bhikkhusaṅgho cā”ti.
“As long, venerable sir, as Tathāgatas, Arahants, perfectly Awakened Ones, do not arise in the world, wanderers of other sects are honored, respected, revered, worshipped, and esteemed. They are recipients of the four requisites: robes, alms food, lodging, and medicines. But when, venerable sir, Tathāgatas, Arahants, perfectly Awakened Ones, arise in the world, then wanderers of other sects are dishonored, disrespected, unrevered, unworshipped, and unesteemed. They are not recipients of the four requisites: robes, alms food, lodging, and medicines. Now, venerable sir, it is the Blessed One who is honored, respected, revered, worshipped, and esteemed. He is a recipient of the four requisites: robes, alms food, lodging, and medicines, and so is the Saṅgha of bhikkhus.”
“Evametaṁ, ānanda, yāvakīvañca, ānanda, tathāgatā loke nuppajjanti arahanto sammāsambuddhā tāva aññatitthiyā paribbājakā sakkatā honti garukatā mānitā pūjitā apacitā lābhino cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānapaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānaṁ. Yato ca kho, ānanda, tathāgatā loke uppajjanti arahanto sammāsambuddhā atha aññatitthiyā paribbājakā asakkatā honti agarukatā amānitā apūjitā anapacitā na lābhino cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānapaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānaṁ. Tathāgatova dāni sakkato hoti garukato mānito pūjito apacito lābhī cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānapaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānaṁ, bhikkhusaṅgho cā”ti.
“That is so, Ānanda. As long, Ānanda, as Tathāgatas, Arahants, perfectly Awakened Ones, do not arise in the world, wanderers of other sects are honored, respected, revered, worshipped, and esteemed. They are recipients of the four requisites: robes, alms food, lodging, and medicines. But when, Ānanda, Tathāgatas, Arahants, perfectly Awakened Ones, arise in the world, then wanderers of other sects are dishonored, disrespected, unrevered, unworshipped, and unesteemed. They are not recipients of the four requisites: robes, alms food, lodging, and medicines. Now, it is the Tathāgata who is honored, respected, revered, worshipped, and esteemed. He is a recipient of the four requisites: robes, alms food, lodging, and medicines, and so is the Saṅgha of bhikkhus.”
Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:
Then, understanding the significance of this, the Blessed One at that time expressed this inspired utterance:
“Obhāsati tāva so kimi,
Yāva na unnamate pabhaṅkaro;
Sa verocanamhi uggate,
Hatappabho hoti na cāpi bhāsati.
“The |glowworm::firefly, a small nocturnal insect that emits a faint light [kimi]| shines only so long,
as the sun has not yet risen;
But when the radiant sun comes up,
its light is extinguished and it shines no more.
Evaṁ obhāsitameva takkikānaṁ,
Yāva sammāsambuddhā loke nuppajjanti;
Na takkikā sujjhanti na cāpi sāvakā,
Duddiṭṭhī na dukkhā pamuccare”ti.
Likewise do the |speculators::logicians; lit. thinkers [takkikā]| shine,
until the perfectly Awakened Ones arise in the world;
The speculators are not purified, nor are their disciples,
those of wrong view are not freed from |suffering::discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering [dukkha]|.”