1.1Atha kho āyasmā ānando yenāyasmā sāriputto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā sāriputtena saddhiṁ sammodi.Then Venerable Ānanda went up to Venerable Sāriputta, and exchanged greetings with him.1.2Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca:When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to him:

2.1“Kittāvatā nu kho, āvuso sāriputta, bhikkhu khippanisanti ca hoti, kusalesu dhammesu suggahitaggāhī ca, bahuñca gaṇhāti, gahitañcassa nappamussatī”ti?“Reverend Sāriputta, how are we to define a mendicant who is quick-witted when it comes to skillful teachings, who learns well, learns much, and does not forget what they’ve learned?”

2.2“Āyasmā kho ānando bahussuto.“Well, Venerable Ānanda, you’re very learned.2.3Paṭibhātu āyasmantaṁyeva ānandan”ti.Why don’t you clarify this yourself?”

2.4“Tenahāvuso sāriputta, suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi; bhāsissāmī”ti.“Well then, Reverend Sāriputta, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

2.5“Evamāvuso”ti kho āyasmā sāriputto āyasmato ānandassa paccassosi.“Yes, reverend,” Sāriputta replied.2.6Āyasmā ānando etadavoca:Venerable Ānanda said this:

3.1“Idhāvuso sāriputta, bhikkhu atthakusalo ca hoti, dhammakusalo ca, byañjanakusalo ca, niruttikusalo ca, pubbāparakusalo ca.“It’s when a mendicant is skilled in the meaning, skilled in the teaching, skilled in definition, skilled in phrasing, and skilled in sequence.3.2Ettāvatā kho, āvuso sāriputta, bhikkhu khippanisanti ca hoti kusalesu dhammesu, suggahitaggāhī ca, bahuñca gaṇhāti, gahitañcassa nappamussatī”ti.That is how to define a mendicant who is quick-witted when it comes to skillful teachings, who learns well, learns much, and does not forget what they’ve learned.”

3.3“Acchariyaṁ, āvuso, abbhutaṁ, āvuso.“It’s incredible, it’s amazing!3.4Yāva subhāsitañcidaṁ āyasmatā ānandena.How well this was said by Venerable Ānanda!3.5Imehi ca mayaṁ pañcahi dhammehi samannāgataṁ āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ dhārema:And we will remember Venerable Ānanda as someone who possesses these five qualities:3.6‘āyasmā ānando atthakusalo dhammakusalo byañjanakusalo niruttikusalo pubbāparakusalo’”ti.‘Reverend Ānanda is skilled in the meaning, skilled in the teaching, skilled in definition, skilled in phrasing, and skilled in sequence.’”

3.7Navamaṁ.