Ekaṃ samayaṃ āyasmā sāriputto vajjīsu viharati ukkacelāyaṃ gaṅgāya nadiyā tīre. Atha kho sāmaṇḍako paribbājako yen·āyasmā sāriputto ten·upasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā sāriputtena saddhiṃ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṃ kathaṃ sāraṇīyaṃ vītisāretvā ekam·antaṃ nisīdi. Ekam·antaṃ nisinno kho sāmaṇḍako paribbājako āyasmantaṃ sāriputtaṃ etad·avoca:

On one occasion, the venerable Sāriputta was dwelling among the Vajjīs, on the bank of the Ganga river, at Ukkacelā. On that occasion, Sāmaṇḍaka the wanderer approached the venerable Sāriputta; having approached the venerable Sāriputta, he exchanged friendly greetings with him. Having exchanged friendly greetings and courtesies, he sat down to one side. While sitting down to one side, Sāmaṇḍaka the wanderer said to the venerable Sāriputta:

– Kiṃ nu kho, āvuso sāriputta, imasmiṃ dhamma·vinaye dukkaran ti?

– What, friend Sāriputta, is difficult to do in this Teaching and Discipline?

– Pabbajjā kho, āvuso, imasmiṃ dhamma·vinaye dukkarā ti.

– Going forth, friend, is difficult to do in this Teaching and Discipline.

– Pabbajitena pan·āvuso, kiṃ dukkaran ti?

– But, friend, to one gone forth, what is difficult to do?

– Pabbajitena kho, āvuso, abhirati dukkarā ti.

– To one gone forth, friend, to find delight is difficult to do.

– Abhiratena pan·āvuso, kiṃ dukkaran ti?

– But, friend, to one finding delight, what is difficult to do?

– Abhiratena kho, āvuso, dhamm·ānudhamma·p·paṭipatti dukkarā ti.

– To one finding delight, friend, practicing according to the Dhamma is difficult to do.

– Kīva·ciraṃ panāvuso, dhamm·ānudhamma·p·paṭipanno bhikkhu arahaṃ assā ti?

– But, friend, how long does it take for a bhikkhu practicing according to the Dhamma to become an arahant?

– Na·ciraṃ, āvuso ti.

– Not long, friend.