Then Ven. Sumana, not long after Ven. Khema had left, said to the Blessed One, "When a monk is an arahant, with his fermentations ended -- one who has reached fulfillment, done the task, laid down the burden, attained the true goal, totally destroyed the fetter of becoming, and is released through right gnosis -- the thought doesn't occur to him that 'There is no one better than me,' or 'There is no one equal to me,' or 'There is no one worse than me.'" That is what Ven. Sumana said, and the Teacher approved. Sensing that "The Teacher approves of me," Ven. Sumana got up from his seat, bowed down to the Blessed One, circled him -- keeping him on his right -- and left.

Then the Blessed One, not long after Ven. Khema & Ven. Sumana had left, said to the monks, "Monks, this is how clansmen declare gnosis. The meaning [of gnosis] is stated, but without mention of self. Yet there are some worthless people who declare gnosis as if in jest. They will fall into trouble afterwards.

"Not as higher, lower, nor equal
do they refer to themselves.
With birth ended,
the holy life fulfilled
they go about
totally freed from fetters."