Bhaggava, this one time I was staying in the land of the Thūlus where they have a town named Uttarakā. Then I robed up in the morning and, taking my bowl and robe, entered Uttarakā for alms with Sunakkhatta the Licchavi as my second monk. Now at that time the naked ascetic Korakkhattiya had taken a vow to behave like a dog. When food is tossed on the ground, he gets down on all fours, eating and devouring it just with his mouth.

Sunakkhatta saw him doing this and thought, ‘That ascetic is a true holy man!’

Then, knowing what Sunakkhatta was thinking, I said to him, ‘Don’t you claim to be an ascetic, a follower of the Sakyan, you silly man?’

‘But why does the Buddha say this to me?’

‘When you saw that naked ascetic Korakkhattiya, didn’t you think, “That ascetic is a true holy man!”?’

‘Yes, sir. But sir, are you jealous of the perfected ones?’

‘I’m not jealous of the perfected ones, you silly man. Rather, you should give up this harmful misconception that has arisen in you. Don’t create lasting harm and suffering for yourself!

That naked ascetic Korakkhattiya, who you imagine to be a true holy man, will die of flatulence in seven days. And when he dies, he’ll be reborn in the very lowest rank of demons, named the Kālakañjas. And they’ll throw him in the charnel ground on a clump of vetiver. If you wish, Sunakkhatta, go to Korakkhattiya and ask him whether he knows his own destiny. It’s possible that he will answer: “Reverend Sunakkhatta, I know my own destiny. I’ll be reborn in the very lowest rank of demons, named the Kālakañjas.”’

So, Bhaggava, Sunakkhatta went to see Korakkhattiya and said to him, ‘Reverend Korakkhattiya, the ascetic Gotama has declared that you will die of flatulence in seven days. And when you die, you’ll be reborn in the very lowest rank of demons, named the Kālakañjas. And when you die, they’ll throw you in the charnel ground on a clump of vetiver. But by eating just a little food and drinking just a little water, you’ll prove what the ascetic Gotama says to be false.’

Then Sunakkhatta counted up the days until the seventh day, as happens when you have no faith in the Realized One. But on the seventh day, the naked ascetic Korakkhattiya died of flatulence. And when he passed away, he was reborn in the very lowest rank of demons, named the Kālakañjas. And when he passed away, they threw him in the charnel ground on a clump of vetiver.

Sunakkhatta the Licchavi heard about this. So he went to see Korakkhattiya in the charnel ground on the clump of vetiver. There he struck Korakkhattiya with his fist three times, ‘Reverend Korakkhattiya, do you know your destiny?’

Then Korakkhattiya got up, rubbing his back with his hands, and said, ‘Reverend Sunakkhatta, I know my own destiny. I’ve been reborn in the very lowest rank of demons, named the Kālakañjas.’ After speaking, he fell flat right there.

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 Korakkhattiya 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 performed 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.