長阿含經 18.p62

18.p62

Śāriputra then said to the Buddha, “If I were asked, ‘Weren’t the ascetics and priests of the past equals of the Buddha?’ I would answer, ‘They were.’ If I was asked, ‘Won’t the ascetics and priests of the future be equals of the Buddha?’ I would answer, ‘They will be.’ If I was asked, ‘Aren’t the ascetics and priests of the present equals of the Buddha?’ I would answer, ‘They aren’t.’”