There are these four drains that affect this supreme knowledge and conduct. What four? Firstly, take some ascetic or brahmin who, not managing to obtain this supreme knowledge and conduct, plunges into a wilderness region carrying their stuff with a shoulder-pole, thinking they will get by eating fallen fruit. In fact they succeed only in serving someone accomplished in knowledge and conduct. This is the first drain that affects this supreme knowledge and conduct.

Furthermore, take some ascetic or brahmin who, not managing to obtain this supreme knowledge and conduct or to get by eating fallen fruit, plunges into a wilderness region carrying a spade and basket, thinking they will get by eating tubers and fruit. In fact they succeed only in serving someone accomplished in knowledge and conduct. This is the second drain that affects this supreme knowledge and conduct.

Furthermore, take some ascetic or brahmin who, not managing to obtain this supreme knowledge and conduct, or to get by eating fallen fruit, or to get by eating tubers and fruit, sets up a fire chamber in the neighborhood of a village or town and dwells there serving the sacred flame. In fact they succeed only in serving someone accomplished in knowledge and conduct. This is the third drain that affects this supreme knowledge and conduct.

Furthermore, take some ascetic or brahmin who, not managing to obtain this supreme knowledge and conduct, or to get by eating fallen fruit, or to get by eating tubers and fruit, or to serve the sacred flame, sets up a fire chamber in the central square and dwells there, thinking: ‘When an ascetic or brahmin comes from the four quarters, I will honor them as best I can.’ In fact they succeed only in serving someone accomplished in knowledge and conduct. This is the fourth drain that affects this supreme knowledge and conduct. These are the four drains that affect this supreme knowledge and conduct.

What do you think, Ambaṭṭha? Is this supreme knowledge and conduct seen in your own tradition?”

“No, Master Gotama. Who am I and my tradition compared with the supreme knowledge and conduct? We are far from that.”

“What do you think, Ambaṭṭha? Since you’re not managing to obtain this supreme knowledge and conduct, have you with your tradition plunged into a wilderness region carrying your stuff with a shoulder-pole, thinking you will get by eating fallen fruit?”

“No, Master Gotama.”

“What do you think, Ambaṭṭha? Have you with your tradition … plunged into a wilderness region carrying a spade and basket, thinking you will get by eating tubers and fruit?”

“No, Master Gotama.”

“What do you think, Ambaṭṭha? Have you with your tradition … set up a fire chamber in the neighborhood of a village or town and dwelt there serving the sacred flame?”

“No, Master Gotama.”

“What do you think, Ambaṭṭha? Have you with your tradition … set up a fire chamber in the central square and dwelt there, thinking: ‘When an ascetic or brahmin comes from the four quarters, I will honor them as best I can’?”

“No, Master Gotama.”

“So you with your tradition are not only inferior to the supreme knowledge and conduct, you are even inferior to the four drains that affect the supreme knowledge and conduct. But you have been told this by your teacher, the brahmin Pokkharasāti: ‘Who are these shavelings, fake ascetics, riffraff, black spawn from the feet of our Kinsman compared with conversation with the brahmins of the three knowledges?” Yet he himself has not even fulfilled one of the drains! See, Ambaṭṭha, how your teacher Pokkharasāti has wronged you.