Then, Bhaggava, I robed up in the morning and, taking my bowl and robe, entered Vesālī for alms. After the meal, on my return from alms-round, I went to Pāṭikaputta’s monastery for the day’s meditation. Then Sunakkhatta rushed into Vesālī to see the very well-known Licchavis and said to them, ‘Sirs, after his alms-round, the Buddha has gone to Pāṭikaputta’s monastery for the day’s meditation. Come forth, sirs, come forth! There will be a superhuman demonstration of psychic power by the holy ascetics!’ So the very well-known Licchavis thought, ‘It seems there will be a superhuman demonstration of psychic power by the holy ascetics! Let’s go!’

Then he went to see the very well-known well-to-do brahmins, rich householders, and ascetics and brahmins who follow various other paths, and said the same thing. They all said, ‘It seems there will be a superhuman demonstration of psychic power by the holy ascetics! Let’s go!’

Then all those very well-known people went to Pāṭikaputta’s monastery. That assembly was large, Bhaggava; there were many hundreds, many thousands of them.

Pāṭikaputta heard, ‘It seems that very well-known Licchavis, well-to-do brahmins, rich householders, and ascetics and brahmins who follow various other paths have come forth. And the ascetic Gotama is sitting in my monastery for the day’s meditation.’ When he heard that, he became frightened, scared, his hair standing on end. In fear he went to the Pale-Moon Ebony Trunk Monastery of the wanderers.

The assembly heard of this, and instructed a man, ‘Come, my man, go to see Pāṭikaputta at the Pale-Moon Ebony Trunk Monastery and say to him, “Come forth, Reverend Pāṭikaputta! All these very well-known people have come forth, and the ascetic Gotama is sitting in your monastery for the day’s meditation. For you stated this in the assembly at Vesālī: ‘Both the ascetic Gotama and I speak from knowledge. One who speaks from knowledge ought to display a superhuman demonstration of psychic power to another who speaks from knowledge. If the ascetic Gotama meets me half-way, there we should both perform a superhuman demonstration of psychic power. If he performs one demonstration of psychic power, I’ll perform two. If he performs two, I’ll perform four. If he performs four, I’ll perform eight. However many demonstrations of psychic power the ascetic Gotama performs, I’ll perform double.’ Come forth, Reverend Pāṭikaputta, half-way. The ascetic Gotama has come the first half, and is sitting in your monastery.”’

‘Yes, sir,’ replied that man, and delivered the message.

When he had spoken, Pāṭika said: ‘I’m coming, sir, I’m coming!’ But wriggle as he might, he couldn’t get up from his seat. Then that man said to Pāṭikaputta, ‘What’s up, Reverend Pāṭikaputta? Is your bottom stuck to the bench, or is the bench stuck to your bottom? You say “I’m coming, sir, I’m coming!” But wriggle as you might, you can’t get up from your seat.’ And as he was speaking, Pāṭika said: ‘I’m coming, sir, I’m coming!’ But wriggle as he might, he couldn’t get up from his seat.

When that man knew that Pāṭikaputta had lost, he returned to the assembly and said, ‘Pāṭikaputta has lost, sirs. He says “I’m coming, sir, I’m coming!” But wriggle as he might, he can’t get up from his seat.’ When he said this, I said to the assembly, ‘The naked ascetic Pāṭikaputta is not capable of coming into my presence, unless he gives up that statement and that intention, and lets go of that view. If he thinks he can come into my presence without giving up those things, his head may explode.’

The first recitation section is finished.

Then, Bhaggava, a certain Licchavi minister stood up and said to the assembly, ‘Well then, sirs, wait a moment, I’ll go. Hopefully I’ll be able to lead Pāṭikaputta back to the assembly.’

So that minister went to see Pāṭikaputta and said, ‘Come forth, Reverend Pāṭikaputta! It’s best for you to come forth. All these very well-known people have come forth, and the ascetic Gotama is sitting in your monastery for the day’s meditation. You said you’d meet the ascetic Gotama half-way. The ascetic Gotama has come the first half, and is sitting in your monastery. The ascetic Gotama has told the assembly that you’re not capable of coming into his presence. Come forth, Pāṭikaputta! When you come forth we’ll make you win and the ascetic Gotama lose.’

When he had spoken, Pāṭikaputta said: ‘I’m coming, sir, I’m coming!’ But wriggle as he might, he couldn’t get up from his seat. Then the minister said to Pāṭikaputta, ‘What’s up, Reverend Pāṭikaputta? Is your bottom stuck to the bench, or is the bench stuck to your bottom? You say “I’m coming, sir, I’m coming!” But wriggle as you might, you can’t get up from your seat.’ And as he was speaking, Pāṭikaputta said: ‘I’m coming, sir, I’m coming!’ But wriggle as he might, he couldn’t get up from his seat.

When the Licchavi minister knew that Pāṭikaputta had lost, he returned to the assembly and said, ‘Pāṭikaputta has lost, sirs.’ When he said this, I said to the assembly, ‘Pāṭikaputta is not capable of coming into my presence, otherwise his head may explode. Even if the good Licchavis were to think, “Let’s bind Pāṭikaputta with straps and drag him with a pair of oxen!” But either the straps will break or Pāṭikaputta will.’

Then, Bhaggava, Jāliya, the pupil of the wood-bowl ascetic, stood up and said to the assembly, ‘Well then, sirs, wait a moment, I’ll go. Hopefully I’ll be able to lead Pāṭikaputta back to the assembly.’

So Jāliya went to see Pāṭikaputta and said, ‘Come forth, Reverend Pāṭikaputta! It’s best for you to come forth. All these very well-known people have come forth, and the ascetic Gotama is sitting in your monastery for the day’s meditation. You said you’d meet the ascetic Gotama half-way. The ascetic Gotama has come the first half, and is sitting in your monastery. The ascetic Gotama has told the assembly that you’re not capable of coming into his presence. And he said that even if the Licchavis try to bind you with straps and drag you with a pair of oxen, either the straps will break or you will. Come forth, Pāṭikaputta! When you come forth we’ll make you win and the ascetic Gotama lose.’

When he had spoken, Pāṭikaputta said: ‘I’m coming, sir, I’m coming!’ But wriggle as he might, he couldn’t get up from his seat. Then Jāliya said to Pāṭikaputta, ‘What’s up, Reverend Pāṭikaputta? Is your bottom stuck to the bench, or is the bench stuck to your bottom? You say “I’m coming, sir, I’m coming!” But wriggle as you might, you can’t get up from your seat.’ And as he was speaking, Pāṭikaputta said: ‘I’m coming, sir, I’m coming!’ But wriggle as he might, he couldn’t get up from his seat.

When Jāliya knew that Pāṭikaputta had lost, he said to him,

‘Once upon a time, Reverend Pāṭikaputta, it occurred to a lion, king of beasts, “Why don’t I make my lair near a certain forest? Towards evening I can emerge from my den, yawn, look all around the four directions, roar my lion’s roar three times, and set out on the hunt. Having slain the very best of the deer herd, and eaten the most tender flesh, I could return to my den.”

And so that’s what he did.

Now, there was an old jackal who had grown fat on the lion’s leavings, becoming arrogant and strong. He thought, “What does the lion, king of beasts, have that I don’t? Why don’t I make my lair near a certain forest? Towards evening I can emerge from my den, yawn, look all around the four directions, roar my lion’s roar three times, and set out on the hunt. Having slain the very best of the deer herd, and eaten the most tender flesh, I could return to my den.”

And so that’s what he did. But when he tried to roar a lion’s roar, he only managed to squeal and yelp like a jackal. And what is a pathetic jackal’s squeal next to the roar of a lion?

In the same way, reverend, while living on the harvest of the Holy One, enjoying the leftovers of the Holy One, you presume to attack the Realized One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha! Who are the pathetic Pāṭikaputtas to attack the Realized Ones, the perfected ones, the fully awakened Buddhas?’

When Jāliya couldn’t get Pāṭikaputta to shift from his seat even with this simile, he said to him:

‘Seeing himself as equal to the lion,
the jackal presumed “I’m the king of the beasts!”
But in reality he only managed to yelp,
and what’s a sad jackal’s squeal to the roar of a lion?

In the same way, reverend, while living on the harvest of the Holy One, you presume to attack him!’

When Jāliya couldn’t get Pāṭikaputta to shift from his seat even with this simile, he said to him:

‘Following in the steps of another,
seeing himself grown fat on scraps,
until he doesn’t even see himself,
the jackal presumes he’s a tiger.

But in reality he only managed to yelp, and what’s a sad jackal’s squeal to the roar of a lion?

In the same way, reverend, while living on the harvest of the Holy One, you presume to attack him!’

When Jāliya couldn’t get Pāṭikaputta to shift from his seat even with this simile, he said to him:

‘Gorged on frogs, and mice from the barn,
and carcasses tossed in the cemetery,
thriving in the great, empty wood,
the jackal presumed “I’m the king of the beasts!”
But in reality he only managed to yelp,
and what’s a sad jackal’s squeal to the roar of a lion?

In the same way, reverend, while living on the harvest of the Holy One, enjoying the leftovers of the Holy One, you presume to attack the Realized One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha! Who are the pathetic Pāṭikaputtas to attack the Realized Ones, the perfected ones, the fully awakened Buddhas?’

When Jāliya couldn’t get Pāṭikaputta to shift from his seat even with this simile, he returned to the assembly and said, ‘Pāṭikaputta has lost, sirs. He says “I’m coming, sir, I’m coming!” But wriggle as he might, he can’t get up from his seat.’

When he said this, I said to the assembly, ‘The naked ascetic Pāṭikaputta is not capable of coming into my presence, unless he gives up that statement and that intention, and lets go of that view. If he thinks he can come into my presence without giving up those things, his head may explode. The good Licchavis might even think, “Let’s bind Pāṭikaputta with straps and drag him with a pair of oxen!” But either the straps will break or Pāṭikaputta will. Pāṭikaputta is not capable of coming into my presence, otherwise his head may explode.’

Then, Bhaggava, I educated, encouraged, fired up, and inspired that assembly with a Dhamma talk. I released that assembly from the great bondage, and lifted 84,000 beings from the great swamp. Next I entered upon the fire element, rose into the sky to the height of seven palm trees, and created a flame another seven palm trees high, blazing and smoking. Finally I landed at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof.

Then Sunakkhatta came to me, bowed, and sat down to one side. I said to him, ‘What do you think, Sunakkhatta? Did the declaration I made about Pāṭikaputta turn out to be correct, or not?’

‘It turned out to be correct.’

‘What do you think, Sunakkhatta? If that is so, has a superhuman demonstration of psychic power been performed or not?’

‘Clearly, sir, a superhuman demonstration of psychic power has been performed.’

‘Though I perform such a superhuman demonstration of psychic power you say this: “But sir, the Buddha never performs any superhuman demonstrations of psychic power for me.” See how far you have strayed!’

Though I spoke to Sunakkhatta like this, he still left this teaching and training, like someone on the highway to hell.