Mahākhandhako The Great Chapter - Ancient Buddhist Texts

Atha kho Bhagavato etad-ahosi:
Then this occurred to the Gracious One:
“Mahājāniyo kho Āḷāro Kālāmo,
“Āḷāra Kālāma had great understanding,
The Great Chapter - 42
sace hi so imaṁ Dhammaṁ suṇeyya khippam-eva ājāneyyā.” ti
if he had heard this Dhamma he would have understood it quickly.”
Atha kho Bhagavato etad-ahosi:
Then this occurred to the Gracious One:
“Kassa nu kho ahaṁ paṭhamaṁ Dhammaṁ deseyyaṁ
“To whom should I first teach the Dhamma
Ko imaṁ Dhammaṁ khippam-eva ājānissatī” ti
Who will be able to understand the Dhamma quickly”
Atha kho Bhagavato etad-ahosi:
Then this occurred to the Gracious One:
“Ayaṁ kho Uddako Rāmaputto paṇḍito byatto medhāvī,
“This Uddaka Rāmaputta is wise, learned, intelligent,
dīgharattaṁ apparajakkhajātiko.
for a long time he has been one with little dust on his eyes. 99
Yan-nūnāhaṁ Uddakassa Rāmaputtassa paṭhamaṁ Dhammaṁ deseyyaṁ
Now, what if I first teach the Dhamma to Uddaka Rāmaputta
So imaṁ Dhammaṁ khippam-eva ājānissatī.” ti
He will be able to understand the Dhamma quickly.”
Atha kho antarahitā devatā Bhagavato ārocesi:
Then an invisible god informed the Gracious One:
98 Comm: ākiñcaññāyatane nibbatto; (and) arose in the sphere of Nothingness. This is the
cosmic equivalent of the level of meditation that he had taught to the Bodhisatta.
99 Uddaka had been a friend in the spiritual life, and had led a group formed around his
Father Rāma, who had attained the Sphere of Neither-Perception-nor-Non-Perception.