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

“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?” “Kittāvatā nu kho, āvuso sāriputta, bhikkhu khippanisanti ca hoti, kusalesu dhammesu suggahitaggāhī ca, bahuñca gaṇhāti, gahitañcassa nappamussatī”ti?

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

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

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

“It’s when a mendicant is skilled in the meaning, skilled in the teaching, skilled in definition, skilled in phrasing, and skilled in sequence. “Idhāvuso sāriputta, bhikkhu atthakusalo ca hoti, dhammakusalo ca, byañjanakusalo ca, niruttikusalo ca, pubbāparakusalo ca. 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.” Ettāvatā kho, āvuso sāriputta, bhikkhu khippanisanti ca hoti kusalesu dhammesu, suggahitaggāhī ca, bahuñca gaṇhāti, gahitañcassa nappamussatī”ti.

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

Navamaṁ.