Saṃyukta Āgama (352:1)

(1) Original text: Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying at Śrāvastī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. Then the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: "If any ascetics or brahmins do not truly understand the Dhamma, do not truly understand the arising of the Dhamma, the cessation of the Dhamma, and the way leading to the cessation of the Dhamma, then they are not true ascetics among ascetics, nor true brahmins among brahmins. They do not fulfill the meaning of being an ascetic or a brahmin; they have not seen the Dhamma for themselves with direct knowledge, attained it, and realized: 'Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to any state of existence.'"

Explanation: The Blessed One told the bhikkhus: If ascetics or brahmins do not truly understand the Dhamma, do not truly understand the arising and cessation of the Dhamma, and do not truly understand the path to be cultivated regarding the cessation of the Dhamma, then they are not ascetics, not counted among ascetics; they are not brahmins, not counted among brahmins. They are not true ascetics, not true brahmins; they have not seen the Dhamma, nor realized through personal experience: "Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done. They know for themselves that there will be no more rebirth."

Original text: "What is not truly understood as the Dhamma? What arising of the Dhamma is not truly understood? What cessation of the Dhamma is not truly understood? What way leading to the cessation of the Dhamma is not truly understood? That is, regarding the Dhamma of aging-and-death, it is not truly understood; the arising of aging-and-death, the cessation of aging-and-death, and the way leading to the cessation of aging-and-death are not truly understood. Similarly, regarding the Dhamma of birth, existence, clinging, craving, feeling, contact, and the six sense bases, it is not truly understood; the arising of the six sense bases is not truly understood, the cessation of the six sense bases is not truly understood, and the way leading to the cessation of the six sense bases is not truly understood. In the same way, regarding all these Dharmas, they are not truly understood; the arising of the Dharmas is not truly understood, the cessation of the Dharmas is not truly understood, and the way leading to the cessation of the Dharmas is not truly understood."

Explanation: What Dhamma is not truly understood? What arising of the Dhamma is not truly understood? What cessation of the Dhamma is not truly understood? What path leading to the cessation of the Dhamma is not truly understood? It is regarding the Dhamma of aging-and-death that is not truly understood; regarding the arising and cessation of the Dhamma of aging-and-death that is not truly understood; regarding the path to be cultivated for the cessation of the Dhamma of aging-and-death that is not truly understood. Similarly, regarding the Dhamma of birth, existence, clinging, craving, feeling, contact, and the six sense bases, it is not truly understood; regarding the arising of the Dhamma of birth, existence, clinging, craving, feeling, contact, and the six sense bases, it is not truly understood; regarding the cessation of this Dhamma, it is not truly understood; regarding the path leading to the cessation of this Dhamma, it is not truly understood. In the same manner, regarding all Dharmas, they are not truly understood; regarding the arising of all Dharmas, it is not truly understood; regarding the cessation of all Dharmas, it is not truly understood; regarding the path leading to the cessation of all Dharmas, it is not truly understood.