[67] Thus have I heard. At one time the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha, on the mountain Gijjhakūṭa (Vulture Peak). Now at that time the king of Magadha, Ajātasattu, son of the Videhan princess (Vedehiputta), desired to march against the Vajjis. He spoke thus: "I shall cut off these Vajjis, so mighty and so powerful; I shall destroy the Vajjis; I shall bring the Vajjis to ruin and destruction."
Then the king of Magadha, Ajātasattu Vedehiputta, addressed the brahmin Vassakāra, the chief minister of Magadha: "Come, brahmin, go to the Blessed One, and having approached, pay homage in my name with your head at the feet of the Blessed One, and ask whether he is free from affliction and free from ailment, whether he is in lightness of movement, in strength, and dwelling at ease, saying: 'Venerable sir, the king of Magadha, Ajātasattu Vedehiputta, pays homage with his head at the feet of the Blessed One, and asks whether he is free from affliction and free from ailment, whether he is in lightness of movement, in strength, and dwelling at ease.' And say this: 'Venerable sir, the king of Magadha, Ajātasattu Vedehiputta, desires to march against the Vajjis. He has spoken thus: "I shall cut off these Vajjis, so mighty and so powerful; I shall destroy the Vajjis; I shall bring the Vajjis to ruin and destruction."' And however the Blessed One answers you, having learned that well, report it to me; for Tathāgatas do not speak what is untrue."
"So be it, sir," the brahmin Vassakāra, the chief minister of Magadha, assented to the king of Magadha, Ajātasattu Vedehiputta. Having had excellent carriages harnessed, he mounted an excellent carriage and with the excellent carriages departed from Rājagaha and set out for the mountain Gijjhakūṭa. Having gone by carriage as far as the ground was passable for a carriage, he descended from the carriage and approached the Blessed One on foot. Having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Blessed One, and when the courteous and memorable talk was concluded, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the brahmin Vassakāra, the chief minister of Magadha, said to the Blessed One: "Worthy Gotama, the king of Magadha, Ajātasattu Vedehiputta, pays homage with his head at the feet of the worthy Gotama, and asks whether you are free from affliction and free from ailment, whether you are in lightness of movement, in strength, and dwelling at ease. Worthy Gotama, the king of Magadha, Ajātasattu Vedehiputta, desires to march against the Vajjis. He has spoken thus: 'I shall cut off these Vajjis, so mighty and so powerful; I shall destroy the Vajjis; I shall bring the Vajjis to ruin and destruction.'"
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.