[7] Then, Bhaggava, in the morning I dressed and, taking bowl and robe, entered Vesālī for alms. Having walked for alms in Vesālī, after the meal, on returning from almsround, I went to the monastery of the naked ascetic (acela) Pāṭikaputta for the day's abiding.
Then, Bhaggava, Sunakkhatta the Licchavi son hurriedly entered Vesālī and approached the very well-known Licchavis; having approached, he said to the very well-known Licchavis: "Sirs, the Blessed One, having walked for alms in Vesālī, after the meal, on returning from almsround, has gone to the monastery of the naked ascetic Pāṭikaputta for the day's abiding. Come forth, venerable sirs! Come forth, venerable sirs! There will be a demonstration of psychic power (iddhipāṭihāriya), a state surpassing the human (uttarimanussadhamma), by holy ascetics."
Then, Bhaggava, the very well-known Licchavis thought: "It seems, sirs, there will be a demonstration of psychic power, a state surpassing the human, by holy ascetics. Come then, sirs, let us go!" And he approached the very well-known wealthy brahmins, rich householders, and ascetics and brahmins of various other sects; having approached, he said to the very well-known ascetics and brahmins of the various sects: "Sirs, the Blessed One, having walked for alms in Vesālī, after the meal, on returning from almsround, has gone to the monastery of the naked ascetic Pāṭikaputta for the day's abiding. Come forth, venerable sirs! Come forth, venerable sirs! There will be a demonstration of psychic power, a state surpassing the human, by holy ascetics." Then, Bhaggava, the very well-known ascetics and brahmins of the various sects thought: "It seems, sirs, there will be a demonstration of psychic power, a state surpassing the human, by holy ascetics. Come then, sirs, let us go!"
Then, Bhaggava, the very well-known Licchavis, and the very well-known wealthy brahmins, rich householders, and ascetics and brahmins of various sects, went to the monastery of the naked ascetic Pāṭikaputta. That assembly, Bhaggava, numbered many hundreds, many thousands.
The naked ascetic Pāṭikaputta heard: "It seems the very well-known Licchavis have come forth, and the very well-known wealthy brahmins, rich householders, and ascetics and brahmins of various sects have come forth; and the ascetic Gotama is seated in my monastery for the day's abiding." On hearing this, fear, trepidation, and horripilation arose in him. Then, Bhaggava, the naked ascetic Pāṭikaputta, frightened, agitated, with hair standing on end, went to the Tiṇḍukakhānu wanderers' monastery. That assembly heard: "It seems the naked ascetic Pāṭikaputta, frightened, agitated, with hair standing on end, has gone to the Tiṇḍukakhānu wanderers' monastery."
Then, Bhaggava, that assembly addressed a certain man: "Come, good man, go to the naked ascetic Pāṭikaputta at the Tiṇḍukakhānu wanderers' monastery; having gone, say this to the naked ascetic Pāṭikaputta: 'Come forth, friend Pāṭikaputta! The very well-known Licchavis have come forth, and the very well-known wealthy brahmins, rich householders, and ascetics and brahmins of various sects have come forth; and the ascetic Gotama is seated in the venerable one's monastery for the day's abiding. Moreover, friend Pāṭikaputta, you spoke this word in the assembly at Vesālī: "The ascetic Gotama professes knowledge (ñāṇavāda); I too profess knowledge. Now one who professes knowledge is worthy to display a demonstration of psychic power, a state surpassing the human, with another who professes knowledge. Let the ascetic Gotama come half the way, and I too shall go half the way. There we might both perform a demonstration of psychic power, a state surpassing the human. If the ascetic Gotama will perform one demonstration of psychic power, a state surpassing the human, I will perform two; if the ascetic Gotama will perform two demonstrations of psychic power, a state surpassing the human, I will perform four; if the ascetic Gotama will perform four demonstrations of psychic power, a state surpassing the human, I will perform eight. Thus however many demonstrations of psychic power, a state surpassing the human, the ascetic Gotama will perform, I will perform double that number." Come forth then, friend Pāṭikaputta, just half the way! The ascetic Gotama, having come the very first of all, is seated in the venerable one's monastery for the day's abiding.'"
"Yes, sir," that man replied to that assembly, Bhaggava, and went to the naked ascetic Pāṭikaputta at the Tiṇḍukakhānu wanderers' monastery; having approached, he said this to the naked ascetic Pāṭikaputta: "Come forth, friend Pāṭikaputta! The very well-known Licchavis have come forth, and the very well-known wealthy brahmins … Come forth then, friend Pāṭikaputta, just half the way! The ascetic Gotama, having come the very first of all, is seated in the venerable one's monastery for the day's abiding."
When this was said, Bhaggava, the naked ascetic Pāṭikaputta, saying "I am coming, friend! I am coming, friend!" only squirmed about right there and could not rise even from his seat.
Then, Bhaggava, that man said this to the naked ascetic Pāṭikaputta: "What is this, friend Pāṭikaputta? Are your buttocks stuck to the bench, or is the bench stuck to your buttocks? Saying 'I am coming, friend! I am coming, friend!' you only squirm about right there and cannot rise even from your seat." Even being spoken to thus, Bhaggava, the naked ascetic Pāṭikaputta, saying "I am coming, friend! I am coming, friend!" only squirmed about right there and could not rise even from his seat.
When, Bhaggava, that man knew, "This naked ascetic Pāṭikaputta is defeated; saying 'I am coming, friend! I am coming, friend!' he only squirms about right there and cannot rise even from his seat," he then came back to that assembly and announced: "Sirs, this naked ascetic Pāṭikaputta is defeated; saying 'I am coming, friend! I am coming, friend!' he only squirms about right there and cannot rise even from his seat."
When this was said, Bhaggava, I said this to that man: "Friend, the naked ascetic Pāṭikaputta is incapable of coming face to face with me without abandoning that speech, without abandoning that mind (citta), and without relinquishing that view. Even if he should think, 'Without abandoning that speech, without abandoning that mind, without relinquishing that view, I could go face to face with the ascetic Gotama,' his very head would split apart."
The first recitation section (bhāṇavāra) is concluded.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.