1Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park. Then a certain bhikkhu approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:

"Venerable sir, it would be good if the Blessed One would teach me the Dhamma in brief, so that, having heard the Dhamma from the Blessed One, I might dwell alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute."

"Bhikkhu, in clinging one is bound by Māra; by not clinging one is freed from the Evil One." [n.97] Spk: Clinging (upādiyamāno): seizing by way of craving, conceit, and views. In the next two suttas, conceiving (maññamano) and seeking delight (abhinandamāno) are explained in the same way. sn.iii.74

"Understood, Blessed One! Understood, Fortunate One!"

2"In what way, bhikkhu, do you understand in detail the meaning of what was stated by me in brief?"

"In clinging to form, venerable sir, one is bound by Māra; by not clinging to it one is freed from the Evil One. In clinging to feeling … to perception … to volitional formations … to consciousness one is bound by Māra; by not clinging to it one is freed from the Evil One.

"It is in such a way, venerable sir, that I understand in detail the meaning of what was stated by the Blessed One in brief."

3"Good, good, bhikkhu! It is good that you understand in detail the meaning of what was stated by me in brief. In clinging to form, bhikkhu, one is bound by Māra … as above in full … by not clinging to it one is freed from the Evil One. It is in such a way that the meaning of what was stated by me in brief should be understood in detail."

4Then that bhikkhu, having delighted and rejoiced in the Blessed One's words, rose from his seat, and, after paying homage to the Blessed One, keeping him on his right, he departed.

Then, dwelling alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute, that bhikkhu, by realizing it for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life entered and dwelt in that unsurpassed goal of the holy life for the sake of which clansmen rightly go forth from the household life into homelessness. He directly knew: "Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being." And that bhikkhu became one of the arahants.

1Evaṁ me sutaṁ—​ ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ vihārati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Atha kho aññataro bhikkhu yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

"sādhu me, bhante, bhagavā saṅkhittena dhammaṁ desetu yamahaṁ bhagavato dhammaṁ sutvā eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto vihareyyan"ti.

"Upādiyamāno kho, bhikkhu, baddho mārassa; anupādiyamāno mutto pāpimato"ti.

"Aññātaṁ bhagavā, aññātaṁ sugatā"ti.

2"Yathā kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, bhikkhu, mayā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāsī"ti?

"Rūpaṁ kho, bhante, upādiyamāno baddho mārassa; anupādiyamāno mutto pāpimato. vedanāṁ upādiyamāno baddho mārassa; anupādiyamāno mutto pāpimato. Saññaṁ … saṅkhāre … viññāṇaṁ upādiyamāno baddho mārassa; anupādiyamāno mutto pāpimato.

Imassa khvāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa evaṁ vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāmī"ti.

3"Sādhu sādhu, bhikkhu. Sādhu kho tvaṁ, bhikkhu, mayā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāsi. Rūpaṁ kho, bhikkhu, upādiyamāno baddho mārassa; anupādiyamāno mutto pāpimato. vedanāṁ … saññaṁ … saṅkhāre … viññāṇaṁ upādiyamāno baddho mārassa; anupādiyamāno mutto pāpimato. Imassa kho, bhikkhu, mayā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa evaṁ vitthārena attho daṭṭhabbo"ti.

4Atha kho so bhikkhu bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.

Atha kho so bhikkhu eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto vihāranto nacirasseva – yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ – brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihārati. "Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā"ti abbhaññāsi. Aññataro ca pana so bhikkhu arahataṁ ahosīti.

Paṭhamaṁ.