SO I HAVE HEARD. At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof. Now at that time several brahmin emissaries from Kosala and Magadha were residing in Vesālī on some business. They heard:

“It seems the ascetic Gotama—a Sakyan, gone forth from a Sakyan family—is staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof. He has this good reputation: ‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those who wish to train, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.’ He has realized with his own insight this world—with its gods, Māras and Brahmās, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, gods and humans—and he makes it known to others. He teaches Dhamma that’s good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased. And he reveals a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure. It’s good to see such perfected ones.”

Then they went to the hall with the peaked roof in the Great Wood to see the Buddha.

Now, at that time Venerable Nāgita was the Buddha’s attendant. The brahmin emissaries went up to him and said, “Master Nāgita, where is Master Gotama at present? For we want to see him.”

“It’s the wrong time to see the Buddha; he is on retreat.”

So the brahmin emissaries sat down to one side, thinking, “We’ll go only after we’ve seen Master Gotama.”