1.1Evaṁ me sutaṁ—So I have heard.1.2ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sakkesu viharati kapilavatthusmiṁ nigrodhārāme.At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans, near Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Tree Monastery.1.3Atha kho mahānāmo sakko yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho mahānāmo sakko bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:Then Mahānāma the Sakyan went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

1.4“idaṁ, bhante, kapilavatthu iddhañceva phītañca bāhujaññaṁ ākiṇṇamanussaṁ sambādhabyūhaṁ.“Sir, this Kapilavatthu is successful and prosperous, populous and full of people, with cramped cul-de-sacs.1.5So khvāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavantaṁ vā payirupāsitvā manobhāvanīye vā bhikkhū sāyanhasamayaṁ kapilavatthuṁ pavisanto;In the late afternoon, after paying homage to the Buddha or an esteemed mendicant, I enter Kapilavatthu.1.6bhantenapi hatthinā samāgacchāmi;I encounter a stray elephant,1.7bhantenapi assena samāgacchāmi;horse,1.8bhantenapi rathena samāgacchāmi;chariot,1.9bhantenapi sakaṭena samāgacchāmi;cart,1.10bhantenapi purisena samāgacchāmi.or person.1.11Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, tasmiṁ samaye mussateva bhagavantaṁ ārabbha sati, mussati dhammaṁ ārabbha sati, mussati saṅghaṁ ārabbha sati.At that time I lose mindfulness regarding the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha.1.12Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, evaṁ hoti:I think:1.13‘imamhi cāhaṁ samaye kālaṁ kareyyaṁ, kā mayhaṁ gati, ko abhisamparāyo’”ti?‘If I were to die at this time, where would I be reborn in my next life?’”

2.1“Mā bhāyi, mahānāma, mā bhāyi, mahānāma.“Do not fear, Mahānāma, do not fear!2.2Apāpakaṁ te maraṇaṁ bhavissati apāpikā kālaṅkiriyā.Your death will not be a bad one; your passing will not be a bad one.2.3Catūhi kho, mahānāma, dhammehi samannāgato ariyasāvako nibbānaninno hoti nibbānapoṇo nibbānapabbhāro.A noble disciple who has four things slants, slopes, and inclines toward extinguishment.2.4Katamehi catūhi?What four?2.5Idha, mahānāma, ariyasāvako buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti—It’s when a noble disciple has experiential confidence in the Buddha …2.6itipi so bhagavā …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavāti.2.7Dhamme …pe…the teaching …2.8saṅghe …pe…the Saṅgha …2.9ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato hoti akhaṇḍehi …pe… samādhisaṁvattanikehi.And they have the ethical conduct loved by the noble ones … leading to immersion.

3.1Seyyathāpi, mahānāma, rukkho pācīnaninno pācīnapoṇo pācīnapabbhāro, so mūlacchinno katamena papateyyā”ti?Suppose there was a tree that slants, slopes, and inclines to the east. If it was cut off at the root where would it fall?”

3.2“Yena, bhante, ninno yena poṇo yena pabbhāro”ti.“Sir, it would fall in the direction that it slants, slopes, and inclines.”

3.3“Evameva kho, mahānāma, imehi catūhi dhammehi samannāgato ariyasāvako nibbānaninno hoti nibbānapoṇo nibbānapabbhāro”ti.“In the same way, a noble disciple who has four things slants, slopes, and inclines toward extinguishment.”

3.4Dutiyaṁ.