SO I HAVE HEARD. At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans in a stilt longhouse in a mango grove belonging to the Sakyan family named Vedhañña.

Now at that time the Nigaṇṭha Nātaputta had recently passed away at Pāvā. With his passing the Jain ascetics split, dividing into two factions, arguing, quarreling, and fighting, continually wounding each other with barbed words:

“You don’t understand this teaching and training. I understand this teaching and training. What, you understand this teaching and training? You’re practicing wrong. I’m practicing right. I stay on topic, you don’t. You said last what you should have said first. You said first what you should have said last. What you’ve thought so much about has been disproved. Your doctrine is refuted. Go on, save your doctrine! You’re trapped; get yourself out of this—if you can!”

You’d think there was nothing but slaughter going on among the Jain ascetics. And the Nigaṇṭha Nātaputta’s white-clothed lay disciples were disillusioned, dismayed, and disappointed in the Jain ascetics. They were equally disappointed with a teaching and training so poorly explained and poorly propounded, not emancipating, not leading to peace, proclaimed by someone who is not a fully awakened Buddha, with broken monument and without a refuge.

And then, after completing the rainy season residence near Pāvā, the novice Cunda went to see Venerable Ānanda at Sāma village. He bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened.

Ānanda said to him, “Reverend Cunda, we should see the Buddha about this matter. Come, let’s go to the Buddha and tell him about this.”

“Yes, sir,” replied Cunda.

Then Ānanda and Cunda went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened.

• DN29.1. The Teaching of the Unawakened

• DN29.2. The Teaching of the Awakened

• DN29.3. When Disciples Have Regrets

• DN29.4. When Disciples Have No Regrets

• DN29.5. On the Incomplete Spiritual Path, Etc

• DN29.6. Teachings Should be Recited in Concert

• DN29.7. Reaching Agreement

• DN29.8. The Reasons for Allowing Requisites

• DN29.9. Indulgence in Pleasure

• DN29.10. The Benefits of Indulgence in Pleasure

• DN29.11. Things Impossible for the Perfected

• DN29.12. Questions and Answers

• DN29.13. The Undeclared Points

• DN29.14. The Declared Points

• DN29.15. Views of the Past

• DN29.16. Views of the Future