This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard. Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:

“Mendicants, suppose a mendicant were to hold the corner of my cloak and follow behind me step by step. “Saṅghāṭikaṇṇe cepi, bhikkhave, bhikkhu gahetvā piṭṭhito piṭṭhito anubandho assa pāde pādaṁ nikkhipanto, Yet they covet sensual pleasures; they’re infatuated, full of ill will and malicious intent. They are unmindful, lacking situational awareness and immersion, with straying minds and undisciplined faculties. so ca hoti abhijjhālu kāmesu tibbasārāgo byāpannacitto paduṭṭhamanasaṅkappo muṭṭhassati asampajāno asamāhito vibbhantacitto pākatindriyo; Then they are far from me, and I from them. atha kho so ārakāva mayhaṁ, ahañca tassa. Why is that? Taṁ kissa hetu? Because that mendicant does not see the teaching. Dhammañhi so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na passati. Not seeing the teaching, they do not see me. Dhammaṁ apassanto na maṁ passati.

Suppose a mendicant were to live a hundred leagues away. Yojanasate cepi so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vihareyya. Yet they do not covet sensual pleasures; they’re not infatuated, or full of ill will and malicious intent. They have established mindfulness, situational awareness and immersion, with unified mind and restrained faculties. So ca hoti anabhijjhālu kāmesu na tibbasārāgo abyāpannacitto apaduṭṭhamanasaṅkappo upaṭṭhitassati sampajāno samāhito ekaggacitto saṁvutindriyo; Then they are close to me, and I to them. atha kho so santikeva mayhaṁ, ahañca tassa. Why is that? Taṁ kissa hetu? Because that mendicant sees the teaching. Dhammañhi so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu passati; Seeing the teaching, they see me.” dhammaṁ passanto maṁ passatī”ti.

The Buddha spoke this matter. Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca. On this it is said: Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:

“One full of desire and distress “Anubandhopi ce assa, may follow close behind, mahiccho ca vighātavā; yet see how distant they are—Ejānugo anejassa, the stirred from the still, nibbutassa anibbuto; the burning from the quenched, Giddho so vītagedhassa, the greedy from the greedless. passa yāvañca ārakā.

An astute person who has understood Yo ca dhammamabhiññāya, and directly known the teaching, dhammamaññāya paṇḍito; grows calm, Rahadova nivāte ca, like a lake unstirred by the wind. anejo vūpasammati.

See how close they are—Anejo so anejassa, the still to the still, nibbutassa ca nibbuto; the quenched to the quenched, Agiddho vītagedhassa, the greedless to the greedless.” passa yāvañca santike”ti.

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard. Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.

Tatiyaṁ.