Thus I heard:

On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Rajagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels’ feeding place.

Then Prince Abhaya went to the Nigaṇṭhā (Jain) Nātaputta, and after paying homage to him, he sat down at one side. When he had done so, the Nigaṇṭhā Nātaputta said to him:

“Come, Prince, prove the monk Gotama’s theory wrong and a good report of you will be spread to this effect: ‘The theory of the monk Gotama, successful and mighty as he is, has been proved wrong by Prince Abhaya.’”

“But, venerable sir, how shall I prove wrong the theory of the monk Gotama, successful and mighty as he is?”

“Come, Prince, go to the monk Gotama and say thus: ‘Venerable sir, would a Tathāgata utter such speech as would be unwelcome and disagreeable to others?’ If the monk Gotama, on being asked thus, answers thus: ‘A Tathāgata, Prince, would utter such speech as would be unwelcome and disagreeable to others’, then say to him thus: ‘Then, venerable sir, what is the difference between you and an ordinary man? For an ordinary man also utters such speech as would be unwelcome and disagreeable to others.’ But if the monk Gotama, on being asked thus, answers thus: ‘A Tathāgata, Prince, would not utter such speech as would be unwelcome and disagreeable to others’, then say to him: ‘Then, venerable sir, why has Devadatta been declared by you to be thus: “Devadatta belongs to the states of deprivation, Devadatta belongs to hell, Devadatta will remain in hell for the aeon, Devadatta is incorrigible”? Devadatta was disturbed and dissatisfied with that speech of yours.’ When the monk Gotama is posed this two-horned question by you, he will not be able either to gulp it down or throw it up. If an iron-spiked pod were stuck in a man’s throat, he would not be able either to gulp it down or throw it up, so too, Prince, when the monk Gotama is posed this two-horned question by you, he will not be able either to gulp it down or throw it up.”

“Yes, venerable sir,” Prince Abhaya replied. He rose from his seat and after paying homage to the Nigaṇṭhā Nātaputta, keeping him on his right, he left. He went to the Blessed One, and after paying homage to him, he sat down at one side. When he had done so, he looked at the sun, and he considered: “It is too late today to prove the Blessed One’s theory wrong. I shall prove the Blessed One’s theory wrong in my own house tomorrow”, and he said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, let the Blessed One with three others accept tomorrow’s meal from me.” The Blessed One accepted in silence.

Then, knowing that the Blessed One had accepted, Prince Abhaya rose from his set, and after paying homage to him, keeping him on his right, he departed.

Then when the night was ended, it being morning, the Blessed One dressed, and taking his bowl and outer robe, he went to Prince Abhaya’s house and he sat down on the seat made ready. Then with his own hands Prince Abhaya served and satisfied the Blessed One with various kinds of good food. Then when the Blessed One had eaten and no longer had the bowl in his hand, Prince Abhaya took another, lower, seat and sat down at one side. When he had done so, he said:

“Venerable sir, would a Tathāgata utter such speech as would be unwelcome and disagreeable to others?”

“There is no outright answer to that, Prince.”

“Then, venerable sir, the Nigaṇṭhas have lost in this.”

“Why do you say so, Prince: ‘Then, venerable sir, the Nigaṇṭhas have lost in this’?

Prince Abhaya then recounted his conversation with the Nigaṇṭhā Nataputta.

Now on that occasion a young tender recumbent infant was sitting on Prince Abhaya’s lap. Then the Blessed One said to Prince Abhaya: “How do you conceive this, Prince? If this child, while you or your nurse were not attending, put a stick or a pebble in his mouth, what would you do to him?”

“Venerable sir, I should take it away from him. If I could not take it away from him at once, I should take his head in my left hand, and crooking a finger of my right hand, I should take it away even if it meant drawing blood. Why is that? Because I have pity on the child.”

“So too, Prince, such speech as a Tathāgata knows does not represent what is, does not accord with reality, and is unconnected with good, which speech is also unwelcome and disagreeable to others: such speech a Tathāgata does not utter. Such speech as a Tathāgata knows does represent what is, does accord with reality, but is unconnected with good, and which speech is also unwelcome and disagreeable to others: such speech a Tathāgata does not utter. Such speech as a Tathāgata knows does represent what is, does accord with reality, and is connected with good, but which speech is unwelcome and disagreeable to others: a Tathāgata knows the time to use that speech. Such speech as a Tathāgata knows does not represent what is, does not accord with reality, and is unconnected with good, but which speech is welcome and agreeable to others: such speech a Tathāgata does not utter. Such speech as a Tathāgata knows does represent what is, does accord with reality, but is unconnected with good, and which speech is welcome and agreeable to others: such speech a Tathāgata does not utter. Such speech as a Tathāgata knows does represent what is, does accord with reality, and is connected with good, and which speech is welcome and agreeable to others: a Tathāgata knows the time to use that speech. Why is that? Because a Tathāgata has pity on beings.”

“Venerable sir, when warrior-noble caste scholars and divine-caste scholars and householder-scholars and monk-scholars determine a formulated question and then go to the Blessed One and pose it, has there already been in the Blessed One’s mind the thought: ‘Whoever comes and asks me thus, I shall answer him thus’, or does that answer occur to a Tathāgata on the spot?”

“As to that, Prince, I shall ask you a question in return; answer it as you choose. How do you conceive this, Prince, are you skilled in the parts of a chariot?”

“Yes, venerable sir, I am.”

“How do you conceive this, Prince, when people come to you and ask: ‘What is the name of this part of the chariot?’, has there already been in your mind the thought: ‘Whoever comes and asks me thus, I shall answer him thus’, or does that answer occur to you on the spot?”

“Venerable sir, I am well-known as a chariotman skilled in the parts of a chariot. All the parts of a chariot are well known to me. That answer would occur to me on the spot.”

“So too, Prince, when warrior-noble caste scholars or divine-caste scholars or householder scholars or monk scholars determine a formulated question and then come to a Tathāgata and pose it, the answer occurs to a Tathāgata on the spot. Why is that? The element of dhammas has been fully penetrated by a Tathāgata, owing to the full penetration of which element of dhammas the answer occurs to a Tathāgata on the spot.”

When this was said, Prince Abhaya said: “Magnificent, Master Gotama! Magnificent, Master Gotama! The Dhamma has been made clear in many ways by Master Gotama, as though he were righting the overthrown, revealing the hidden, showing the way to one who was lost, holding up a lamp in the darkness for those with eyesight to see forms.

“I go to Master Gotama for refuge, and to the Dhamma and to the Sangha. From today let Master Gotama remember me as a follower who has gone to him for refuge for life.”