[20] Then Sandhāna the householder approached Nigrodha the wanderer; having approached, he exchanged greetings with Nigrodha the wanderer, and when the courteous and memorable talk was concluded, he sat down at one side. Seated at one side, Sandhāna the householder said this to Nigrodha the wanderer: "The manner of these honorable wanderers of other sects is one thing: having met and assembled together, they dwell making an uproar, with loud voices and a great clamor, engaged in various kinds of low talk (tiracchānakathā) — namely, talk of kings, talk of thieves, … talk of existence in this way and that. But quite otherwise does the Blessed One frequent remote lodgings in the forest wilderness — of little sound, of little noise, with an air of solitude (vijanavāta), affording privacy from people, suitable for retreat."
When this was said, Nigrodha the wanderer said this to Sandhāna the householder: "Surely, householder, you should know: with whom does the ascetic Gotama converse? With whom does he engage in discussion? With whom does he attain lucidity of wisdom? The ascetic Gotama's wisdom is ruined by empty huts; not moving in assemblies, the ascetic Gotama is not fit for conversation; he keeps only to the remote fringes. Just as a one-eyed cow, wandering the periphery, keeps only to the remote fringes, even so the ascetic Gotama's wisdom is ruined by empty huts; not moving in assemblies, the ascetic Gotama is not fit for conversation; he keeps only to the remote fringes. Come now, householder — were the ascetic Gotama to come to this assembly, with but a single question we would sink him; we would, methinks, shut him in like an empty pot."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.