The Discourse about the Great Emancipation

The Fifth Chapter for Recitation
a doubt that has arisen for me, and I have confidence in the ascetic
Gotama thus: ‘The ascetic Gotama is able to teach the Teaching in such
a way that I will be able to abandon that doubt’. It would be well, dear
Ānanda, if I was allowed to see the ascetic Gotama.
For a second time venerable Ānanda said this to the wanderer
Subhadda: “Enough, friend Subhadda, do not trouble the Realised One,
the Gracious One is exhausted.”
For a third time the wanderer Subhadda said this to venerable Ānanda:
“I have heard this from old, elderly wanderers, dear Ānanda, who are
teachers and teachers' teachers, when they said: ‘Only occasionally,
rarely, do Realised Ones, Worthy Ones, Perfect Sambuddhas arise in
the world.’ Today, in the last watch of the night, will be the ascetic
Gotama's attainment of Final Emancipation. There is a doubt that has
arisen for me, and I have confidence in the ascetic Gotama thus: ‘The
ascetic Gotama is able to teach the Teaching in such a way that I will
be able to abandon that doubt’. It would be well, dear Ānanda, if I was
allowed to see the ascetic Gotama.”
For a third time venerable Ānanda said this to the wanderer Subhadda:
“Enough, friend Subhadda, do not trouble the Realised One, the
Gracious One is exhausted.”
The Gracious One heard venerable Ānanda having this conversation
with the wanderer Subhadda. Then the Gracious One said this to
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