Nigrodha said, “I have made a mistake, sir. It was foolish, stupid, and unskillful of me to speak in that way. Please, sir, accept my mistake for what it is, so I will restrain myself in future.”

“Indeed, Nigrodha, you made a mistake. It was foolish, stupid, and unskillful of you to speak in that way. But since you have recognized your mistake for what it is, and have dealt with it properly, I accept it. For it is growth in the training of the noble one to recognize a mistake for what it is, deal with it properly, and commit to restraint in the future. Nigrodha, this is what I say:

Let a sensible person come—neither devious nor deceitful, a person of integrity. I teach and instruct them. By practicing as instructed they will realize the supreme end of the spiritual path in this very life, in seven years. They will live having achieved with their own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness. Let alone seven years. Let a sensible person come—neither devious nor deceitful, a person of integrity. I teach and instruct them. By practicing as instructed they will realize the supreme end of the spiritual path in this very life, in six years … five years … four years … three years … two years … one year … seven months … six months … five months … four months … three months … two months … one month … a fortnight. Let alone a fortnight. Let a sensible person come—neither devious nor deceitful, a person of integrity. I teach and instruct them. By practicing as instructed they will realize the supreme end of the spiritual path in this very life, in seven days.