Atha kho aññataro bhikkhu yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Then a mendicant went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“‘dhammavihārī, dhammavihārī’ti, bhante, vuccati.

“Sir, they speak of ‘one who lives by the teaching’.

Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, bhikkhu dhammavihārī hotī”ti?

How is a mendicant who lives by the teaching defined?”

“Idha, bhikkhu, bhikkhu dhammaṁ pariyāpuṇāti—

“Mendicant, take a mendicant who memorizes the teaching—

suttaṁ, geyyaṁ, veyyākaraṇaṁ, gāthaṁ, udānaṁ, itivuttakaṁ, jātakaṁ, abbhutadhammaṁ, vedallaṁ;

statements, mixed prose & verse, discussions, verses, inspired exclamations, legends, stories of past lives, amazing stories, and elaborations.

uttari cassa paññāya atthaṁ nappajānāti.

But they don’t understand the higher meaning.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhu: ‘bhikkhu pariyattibahulo, no dhammavihārī’.

That mendicant is called one who studies a lot, not one who lives by the teaching.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhu, bhikkhu yathāsutaṁ yathāpariyattaṁ dhammaṁ vitthārena paresaṁ deseti, uttari cassa paññāya atthaṁ nappajānāti.

Furthermore, a mendicant teaches Dhamma in detail to others as they learned and memorized it. But they don’t understand the higher meaning.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhu: ‘bhikkhu paññattibahulo, no dhammavihārī’.

That mendicant is called one who advocates a lot, not one who lives by the teaching.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhu, bhikkhu yathāsutaṁ yathāpariyattaṁ dhammaṁ vitthārena sajjhāyaṁ karoti, uttari cassa paññāya atthaṁ nappajānāti.

Furthermore, a mendicant rehearses the teaching in detail as they learned and memorized it. But they don’t understand the higher meaning.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhu: ‘bhikkhu sajjhāyabahulo, no dhammavihārī’.

That mendicant is called one who rehearses a lot, not one who lives by the teaching.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhu, bhikkhu yathāsutaṁ yathāpariyattaṁ dhammaṁ cetasā anuvitakketi anuvicāreti manasānupekkhati, uttari cassa paññāya atthaṁ nappajānāti.

Furthermore, a mendicant thinks about and considers the teaching in their heart, examining it with the mind as they learned and memorized it. But they don’t understand the higher meaning.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhu: ‘bhikkhu vitakkabahulo, no dhammavihārī’.

That mendicant is called one who thinks a lot, not one who lives by the teaching.

Idha, bhikkhu, bhikkhu dhammaṁ pariyāpuṇāti—

Take a mendicant who memorizes the teaching—

suttaṁ, geyyaṁ, veyyākaraṇaṁ, gāthaṁ, udānaṁ, itivuttakaṁ, jātakaṁ, abbhutadhammaṁ, vedallaṁ;

statements, mixed prose & verse, discussions, verses, inspired exclamations, legends, stories of past lives, amazing stories, and elaborations.

uttari cassa paññāya atthaṁ pajānāti.

And they do understand the higher meaning.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhu, bhikkhu dhammavihārī hoti.

That’s how a mendicant is one who lives by the teaching.

Iti kho, bhikkhu, desito mayā pariyattibahulo, desito paññattibahulo, desito sajjhāyabahulo, desito vitakkabahulo, desito dhammavihārī.

So, mendicant, I’ve taught you the one who studies a lot, the one who advocates a lot, the one who rehearses a lot, the one who thinks a lot, and the one who lives by the teaching.

Yaṁ kho, bhikkhu, satthārā karaṇīyaṁ sāvakānaṁ hitesinā anukampakena anukampaṁ upādāya, kataṁ vo taṁ mayā.

Out of sympathy, I’ve done what a teacher should do who wants what’s best for their disciples.

Etāni, bhikkhu, rukkhamūlāni, etāni suññāgārāni. Jhāyatha bhikkhu, mā pamādattha, mā pacchā vippaṭisārino ahuvattha. Ayaṁ vo amhākaṁ anusāsanī”ti.

Here are these roots of trees, and here are these empty huts. Practice absorption, mendicant! Don’t be negligent! Don’t regret it later! This is my instruction to you.”

Catutthaṁ.