Linked Discourses 48.44

1. Old Age

At the Eastern Gate

So I have heard.

At one time the Buddha was staying in Sāvatthī at the eastern gate.

Then the Buddha said to Venerable Sāriputta:

“Sāriputta, do you have faith that

the faculties of faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom, when developed and cultivated, have freedom from death as their objective, destination, and culmination?”

“Sir, in this case I don’t rely on faith in the Buddha’s claim that

the faculties of faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom, when developed and cultivated, have freedom from death as their objective, destination, and culmination.

There are those who have not known or seen or understood or realized or experienced this with wisdom. They may rely on faith in this matter.

But there are those who have known, seen, understood, realized, and experienced this with wisdom. They have no doubts or uncertainties in this matter.

I have known, seen, understood, realized, and experienced this with wisdom.

I have no doubts or uncertainties that the faculties of faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom, when developed and cultivated, have freedom from death as their objective, destination, and culmination.”

“Good, good, Sāriputta!

There are those who have not known or seen or understood or realized or experienced this with wisdom. They may rely on faith in this matter.

But there are those who have known, seen, understood, realized, and experienced this with wisdom. They have no doubts or uncertainties that

the faculties of faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom, when developed and cultivated, have freedom from death as their objective, destination, and culmination.”