At one time Venerable Sāriputta was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.
Now at that time Venerable Sāriputta was educating, encouraging, firing up, and inspiring the mendicants in the assembly hall with a Dhamma talk. His words were polished, clear, articulate, and expressed the meaning. And those mendicants were paying attention, applying the mind, concentrating wholeheartedly, and actively listening.
Then Venerable Vaṅgīsa thought, “This Venerable Sāriputta is educating the mendicants. … And those mendicants are paying attention, applying the mind, concentrating wholeheartedly, and actively listening. Why don’t I extoll him in his presence with fitting verses?”
Then Venerable Vaṅgīsa rose from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his cupped palms toward Sāriputta, and said, “I feel inspired to speak, Reverend Sāriputta! I feel inspired to speak, Reverend Sāriputta!”
“Then speak as you feel inspired,” said Sāriputta.
Then Vaṅgīsa extolled Sāriputta in his presence with fitting verses:
“Deep in wisdom, intelligent, expert in the path and what is not the path; Sāriputta, so greatly wise, teaches Dhamma to the mendicants.
He teaches in brief, or he speaks at length. His call, like a myna bird, overflows with eloquence.
While he teaches the mendicants listen to his sweet voice, sounding attractive, clear and graceful. They listen joyfully, their hearts elated.”