This discourse was taught by the Blessed One, taught by the Arahant, the fully enlightened Supreme Buddha. This is as I heard:
“Monks, there are three faculties. What three?
The faculty of assurance: I will realize the Four Noble Truths that have not yet been fully realized (in terms of the knowledge of the task to be completed and the knowledge that the task has been accomplished).
The faculty of reaching final knowledge: I have realized the Four Noble Truths (in terms of the knowledge of tasks to be accomplished from the fruit of once returning to the path of Arahantship).
The faculty of final knowledge: I have realized the Four Noble Truths (in terms of the knowledge of truths at the fruit of stream entry, in terms of the knowledge that the task to be completed from the fruit of stream entry to the path of Arahantship, and in terms of the knowledge that the task has been accomplished at the fruit of Arahantship).
Monks, these are the three faculties.”
This is the meaning of what the Blessed One said. So, with regard to this, it was said:
For a trainee who trains along the straight Noble Eightfold Path, the knowledge of destruction of defilements arises first, and the fruit of liberation immediately follows.
He is freed from defilements by the final knowledge and has destroyed the fetters of existence. The liberated one has the knowledge “Unshakable is my liberation.”
Endowed with these three faculties, the peaceful one delights in the peaceful state, Nibbāna. Having conquered Māra and his army, he bears his final body.
This, too, is the meaning of what was said by the Blessed One. This is exactly as I heard.
