Soon afterwards a number of monks, thinking they had seen and realized what in fact they had not, declared final knowledge because of overestimation. After some time, their minds inclined to sensual desire, ill will, and confusion. They became anxious, thinking, “The Buddha has laid down a training rule, yet we declared final knowledge because of overestimation. Could it be that we’ve committed an offense entailing expulsion?” They told Venerable Ānanda, who told the Buddha. He said, “This is negligible, Ānanda. And so, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

Final ruling ‘If a monk falsely claims for himself a superhuman quality, a knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, saying, “This I know, this I see,”

but after some time—whether he is questioned or not, but having committed the offense and seeking purification—should say: “Not knowing I said that I know, not seeing that I see; what I said was empty and false,” then, except if it is due to overestimation, he too is expelled and excluded from the community.’”

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