With KhemaKhemasutta

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

Now at that time Venerable Khema and Venerable Sumana were staying near Sāvatthī in the Dark Forest.Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā ca khemo āyasmā ca sumano sāvatthiyaṁ viharanti andhavanasmiṁ. Then they went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. Venerable Khema said to the Buddha:Atha kho āyasmā ca khemo āyasmā ca sumano yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā khemo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“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:“Yo so, bhante, bhikkhu arahaṁ khīṇāsavo vusitavā katakaraṇīyo ohitabhāro anuppattasadattho parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojano sammadaññāvimutto tassa na evaṁ hoti: ‘There is someone better than me, or equal to me, or worse than me.’”‘atthi me seyyoti vā atthi me sadisoti vā atthi me hīnoti vā’”ti.

That is what Khema said,Idamavocāyasmā khemo. and the Teacher concurred.Samanuñño satthā ahosi. 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 khemo “samanuñño me satthā”ti uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.

And then, not long after Khema had left, Sumana said to the Buddha:Atha kho āyasmā sumano acirapakkante āyasmante kheme bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“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:“yo so, bhante, bhikkhu arahaṁ khīṇāsavo vusitavā katakaraṇīyo ohitabhāro anuppattasadattho parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojano sammadaññāvimutto tassa na evaṁ hoti: ‘There is no one better than me, or equal to me, or worse than me.’”‘natthi me seyyoti vā natthi me sadisoti vā natthi me hīnoti vā’”ti.

That is what Sumana said,Idamavocāyasmā sumano. and the Teacher concurred.Samanuñño satthā ahosi. 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 āyasmā sumano “samanuñño me satthā”ti uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.

Then, not long after Khema and Sumana had left, the Buddha addressed the mendicants:Atha kho bhagavā acirapakkantesu āyasmante ca kheme āyasmante ca sumane bhikkhū āmantesi: “Mendicants, this is how gentlemen declare enlightenment.“evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, kulaputtā aññaṁ byākaronti. The goal is spoken of, but the self is not involved.Attho ca vutto attā ca anupanīto. But it seems that there are some futile men here who declare enlightenment as a joke.Atha ca pana idhekacce moghapurisā hasamānakā maññe aññaṁ byākaronti. Later they will fall into distress.Te pacchā vighātaṁ āpajjantīti.

They don’t represent themselvesNa ussesu na omesu, as being among superiors, inferiors, or equals.Samatte nopanīyare; Rebirth is ended, <j>the spiritual journey has been completed.Khīṇā jāti vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, They live freed from fetters.”Caranti saṁyojanavippamuttā”ti.