Thus I heard: At one time the Gracious One was dwelling near Sāvatthī, in Jeta’s Wood, at Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then at that time venerable Sāriputta was instructing, rousing, enthusing, and cheering venerable Bhaddiya the Dwarf in countless ways with a Dhamma talk.

Then while venerable Bhaddiya the Dwarf was being instructed, roused, enthused, and cheered by venerable Sāriputta in countless ways with a Dhamma talk, his mind was freed from the pollutants without attachment. The Gracious One saw venerable Bhaddiya the Dwarf being instructed, roused, enthused, and cheered by venerable Sāriputta in countless ways with a Dhamma talk, and that his mind was being freed from the pollutants without attachment.

Then the Gracious One, having understood the significance of it, on that occasion uttered this exalted utterance:

“Above, below, everywhere free,
Not contemplating the conceit ‘this I am’,
Free like this, having crossed over the flood
Not crossed before, with no continuation in existence.”