Ascetics and BrahminsSamaṇabrāhmaṇasutta

At Sāvatthī.Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

“Mendicants, there are these four elements.“Catasso imā, bhikkhave, dhātuyo. What four?Katamā catasso? The elements of earth, water, fire, and air.Pathavīdhātu, āpodhātu, tejodhātu, vāyodhātu. There are ascetics and brahmins who don’t truly understand these four elements’ gratification, drawback, and escape.Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā imāsaṁ catunnaṁ dhātūnaṁ assādañca ādīnavañca nissaraṇañca yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti, I don’t deem them as true ascetics and brahmins. Those venerables don’t realize the goal of life as an ascetic or brahmin, and don’t live having realized it with their own insight in this very life.na me te, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā samaṇesu vā samaṇasammatā brāhmaṇesu vā brāhmaṇasammatā; na ca pana te āyasmanto sāmaññatthaṁ vā brahmaññatthaṁ vā diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharanti.

There are ascetics and brahmins who do truly understand these four elements’ gratification, drawback, and escape.Ye ca kho keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā imāsaṁ catunnaṁ dhātūnaṁ assādañca ādīnavañca nissaraṇañca yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti, I deem them as true ascetics and brahmins. Those venerables realize the goal of life as an ascetic or brahmin, and live having realized it with their own insight.”te ca kho me, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā samaṇesu ceva samaṇasammatā brāhmaṇesu ca brāhmaṇasammatā; te ca panāyasmanto sāmaññatthañca brahmaññatthañca diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharantī”ti.