Sāriputta and Moggallāna (a)

Translated from the Pali by f. L. Woodward, M.A.

[1] Thus have I heard:

Now the venerable Sāriputta went to visit the venerable Moggallāna the Great, and on coming to him greeted him courteously,
and after the exchange of greetings and courtesies,
sat down at one side.

So seated the venerable Sāriputta said this to the venerable Moggallāna the Great:

"Moggallāna, your reverence,
there are these four modes of progress.

What four?

The mode of progress that is painful
with sluggish intuition,
the mode of progress that is painful
with swift intuition,
the mode of progress that is pleasant
with sluggish intuition,
and the mode of progress that is pleasant
and accompanied with swift intuition.

These are the four.

Now, your reverence,
by way of which of these four modes of progress
was your heart released from the āsavas without grasping?

[160] 'Sāriputta, your reverence,
there are four modes of progress.

What four?

These are the four.

Now of these four
the one I followed
was the mode of progress that is painful,
but with swift intuition.

By way of this mode of progress
was my heart released from the āsavas without grasping.'

Aṇguttara Nikāya Catukka Nipāta XVII: Paṭipadā Vagga

The Book of the Gradual Sayings The Book of the Fours Chapter XVII: Modes of Progress

Sutta 167

Moggallāna Paṭipadā Suttaṃ

Sāriputta and Moggallāna (a)

Aṇguttara Nikāya
Catukka Nipāta
XVII: Paṭipadā Vagga

The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Fours
Chapter XVII: Modes of Progress