At one time the Buddha was staying between a pair of sal trees in the sal forest of the Mallas at Upavattana near Kusinārā at the time of his full extinguishment. Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kusinārāyaṁ viharati upavattane mallānaṁ sālavane antarena yamakasālānaṁ parinibbānasamaye. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “Mendicants!” “bhikkhavo”ti.

“Venerable sir,” they replied. “Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. The Buddha said this: Bhagavā etadavoca:

“Perhaps even a single mendicant has doubt or uncertainty regarding the Buddha, the teaching, the Saṅgha, the path, or the practice. So ask, mendicants! Don’t regret it later, thinking: “Siyā kho pana, bhikkhave, ekabhikkhussapi kaṅkhā vā vimati vā buddhe vā dhamme vā saṅghe vā magge vā paṭipadāya vā, pucchatha, bhikkhave, mā pacchā vippaṭisārino ahuvattha: ‘We were in the Teacher’s presence and we weren’t able to ask the Buddha a question.’” ‘sammukhībhūto no satthā ahosi, nāsakkhimha bhagavantaṁ sammukhā paṭipucchitun’”ti. When this was said, the mendicants kept silent. Evaṁ vutte, te bhikkhū tuṇhī ahesuṁ.

For a second time the Buddha addressed the mendicants: … Dutiyampi kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “siyā kho pana, bhikkhave, ekabhikkhussapi kaṅkhā vā vimati vā buddhe vā dhamme vā saṅghe vā magge vā paṭipadāya vā, pucchatha, bhikkhave, mā pacchā vippaṭisārino ahuvattha: ‘sammukhībhūto no satthā ahosi, nāsakkhimha bhagavantaṁ sammukhā paṭipucchitun’”ti. For a second time, the mendicants kept silent. Dutiyampi kho te bhikkhū tuṇhī ahesuṁ.

For a third time the Buddha addressed the mendicants: … Tatiyampi kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “siyā kho pana, bhikkhave, ekabhikkhussapi kaṅkhā vā vimati vā buddhe vā dhamme vā saṅghe vā magge vā paṭipadāya vā, pucchatha, bhikkhave, mā pacchā vippaṭisārino ahuvattha: ‘sammukhībhūto no satthā ahosi, nāsakkhimha bhagavantaṁ sammukhā paṭipucchitun’”ti. For a third time, the mendicants kept silent. Tatiyampi kho te bhikkhū tuṇhī ahesuṁ.

Then the Buddha said to the mendicants: Atha kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

“Mendicants, perhaps you don’t ask out of respect for the Teacher. So let a friend tell a friend.” “siyā kho pana, bhikkhave, satthugāravenapi na puccheyyātha, sahāyakopi, bhikkhave, sahāyakassa ārocetū”ti. When this was said, the mendicants kept silent. Evaṁ vutte, te bhikkhū tuṇhī ahesuṁ. Then Venerable Ānanda said to the Buddha: Atha kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing! “acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante. I am quite confident that there’s not even a single mendicant in this Saṅgha who has doubt or uncertainty regarding the Buddha, the teaching, the Saṅgha, the path, or the practice.” Evaṁ pasanno ahaṁ, bhante. Natthi imasmiṁ bhikkhusaṅghe ekabhikkhussapi kaṅkhā vā vimati vā buddhe vā dhamme vā saṅghe vā magge vā paṭipadāya vā”ti.

“Ānanda, you speak from faith. But the Realized One knows that there’s not even a single mendicant in this Saṅgha who has doubt or uncertainty regarding the Buddha, the teaching, the Saṅgha, the path, or the practice. “Pasādā kho tvaṁ, ānanda, vadesi. Ñāṇameva hettha, ānanda, tathāgatassa: ‘natthi imasmiṁ bhikkhusaṅghe ekabhikkhussapi kaṅkhā vā vimati vā buddhe vā dhamme vā saṅghe vā magge vā paṭipadāya vā’. Even the last of these five hundred mendicants is a stream-enterer, not liable to be reborn in the underworld, bound for awakening.” Imesañhi, ānanda, pañcannaṁ bhikkhusatānaṁ yo pacchimako bhikkhu so sotāpanno avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyaṇo”ti.

Chaṭṭhaṁ.