Aspiration Āyācanasutta

“Mendicants, a faithful monk would rightly aspire: “Saddho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ sammā āyācamāno āyāceyya: ‘May I be like Sāriputta and Moggallāna!’ ‘tādiso homi yādisā sāriputtamoggallānā’ti. These are a standard and a measure for my monk disciples, that is, Sāriputta and Moggallāna. Esā, bhikkhave, tulā etaṁ pamāṇaṁ mama sāvakānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ, yadidaṁ sāriputtamoggallānā.

A faithful nun would rightly aspire: Saddhā, bhikkhave, bhikkhunī evaṁ sammā āyācamānā āyāceyya: ‘May I be like the nuns Khemā and Uppalavaṇṇā!’ ‘tādisā homi yādisā khemā ca bhikkhunī uppalavaṇṇā cā’ti. These are a standard and a measure for my nun disciples, that is, the nuns Khemā and Uppalavaṇṇā. Esā, bhikkhave, tulā etaṁ pamāṇaṁ mama sāvikānaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ, yadidaṁ khemā ca bhikkhunī uppalavaṇṇā ca.

A faithful layman would rightly aspire: Saddho, bhikkhave, upāsako evaṁ sammā āyācamāno āyāceyya: ‘May I be like the householder Citta and Hatthaka of Āḷavī!’ ‘tādiso homi yādiso citto ca gahapati hatthako ca āḷavako’ti. These are a standard and a measure for my male lay disciples, that is, the householder Citta and Hatthaka of Āḷavī. Esā, bhikkhave, tulā etaṁ pamāṇaṁ mama sāvakānaṁ upāsakānaṁ, yadidaṁ citto ca gahapati hatthako ca āḷavako.

A faithful laywoman would rightly aspire: Saddhā, bhikkhave, upāsikā evaṁ sammā āyācamānā āyāceyya: ‘May I be like the laywomen Khujjuttarā and Veḷukaṇṭakī, Nanda’s mother!’ ‘tādisā homi yādisā khujjuttarā ca upāsikā veḷukaṇḍakiyā ca nandamātā’ti. These are a standard and a measure for my female lay disciples, that is, the laywomen Khujjuttarā and Veḷukaṇṭakī, Nanda’s mother.” Esā, bhikkhave, tulā etaṁ pamāṇaṁ mama sāvikānaṁ upāsikānaṁ, yadidaṁ khujjuttarā ca upāsikā veḷukaṇḍakiyā ca nandamātā”ti.