The Related Suttas Collection 48.44

5. 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, samādhi, and wisdom, when developed and cultivated, culminate, finish, and end in the deathless?”

“Sir, in this case I don’t rely on faith in the Buddha’s claim that the faculties of faith, energy, mindfulness, samādhi, and wisdom, when developed and cultivated, culminate, finish, and end in the deathless. 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, samādhi, and wisdom, when developed and cultivated, culminate, finish, and end in the deathless.”

“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, samādhi, and wisdom, when developed and cultivated, culminate, finish, and end in the deathless.”