[618] Now it is the custom of Buddhas, Blessed Ones, to exchange friendly greetings with incoming bhikkhus. Then the Blessed One said to that bhikkhu: "I hope, bhikkhu, you are bearing up; I hope you are keeping going; I hope you have come along the road with little fatigue. And from where, bhikkhu, do you come?"
"I am bearing up, Blessed One; I am keeping going, Blessed One; and I have come along the road, venerable sir, with little fatigue. Here, venerable sir, having spent the rains in the Kāsi country, while coming to Sāvatthī to see the Blessed One, I arrived at Kīṭāgiri. Then, venerable sir, in the morning, having dressed and taken my bowl and robe, I entered Kīṭāgiri for alms. A certain lay follower (upāsaka) saw me,¹ venerable sir, walking for alms in Kīṭāgiri; having seen me, he approached me, and having approached and paid homage to me, he said: 'Venerable sir, is almsfood to be had?' 'No, friend, almsfood is not to be had.' 'Come, venerable sir, we shall go to the house.' Then, venerable sir, that lay follower, having led me to the house and fed me, said: 'Where, venerable sir, will the master go?' 'I shall go to Sāvatthī, friend, to see the Blessed One.' 'Then, venerable sir, in my name pay homage with your head at the Blessed One's feet, and say this: "Venerable sir, the residence at Kīṭāgiri is corrupted. The followers of Assaji and Punabbasuka (Assajipunabbasukā), resident bhikkhus at Kīṭāgiri, are shameless, evil bhikkhus. They engage in improper conduct of such a kind as this: they plant flowering shrubs and have them planted, they water them and have them watered … they engage in improper conduct of various kinds. Even those people, venerable sir, who formerly had faith and confidence are now without faith and without confidence; even those channels of giving to the Saṅgha that formerly existed are now cut off; well-behaved bhikkhus are leaving, and evil bhikkhus dwell there. It would be good, venerable sir, if the Blessed One would send bhikkhus to Kīṭāgiri, so that this residence at Kīṭāgiri might be established."' From there, Blessed One, I come."
¹ [Editorial note in the Siam Raṭṭha edition: "From this point onward, in the European edition, the reading 'uṭṭhāyāsanā' (having risen from his seat) appears."]
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.