[394] Now at that time some five hundred Licchavis had assembled in the meeting hall on some business or other. Then Saccaka the Nigaṇṭha's son approached those Licchavis and, having approached, said to them: "Come forth, good Licchavis, come forth, good Licchavis! Today there will be a discussion between me and the ascetic Gotama. If the ascetic Gotama takes his stand before me in the same way as was maintained to me by one of his well-known disciples, the bhikkhu named Assaji, then, just as a strong man might seize a long-fleeced ram by its fleece and drag it to and fro, so shall I, in debate with debate, drag the ascetic Gotama to and fro and drag him all about. Just as a strong brewer's workman might throw a large brewer's straining-mat into a deep pool of water, seize it by the corners, and drag it to and fro and drag it all about, so shall I, in debate with debate, drag the ascetic Gotama to and fro and drag him all about. Just as a strong brewer's rogue might seize a strainer by the rim and shake it down, shake it out, and thrash it, so shall I, in debate with debate, shake the ascetic Gotama down, shake him out, and thrash him. Just as a sixty-year-old elephant might plunge into a deep lotus pond and play the kind of game called 'hemp-washing' (sāṇadhovika), so shall I, methinks, play the hemp-washing game with the ascetic Gotama. Come forth, good Licchavis, come forth, good Licchavis! Today there will be a discussion between me and the ascetic Gotama."
Thereupon some of the Licchavis said: "How could the ascetic Gotama refute the doctrine of Saccaka the Nigaṇṭha's son? Rather it is Saccaka the Nigaṇṭha's son who will refute the doctrine of the ascetic Gotama." But some of the Licchavis said: "Who is this Saccaka the Nigaṇṭha's son that he should refute the doctrine of the Blessed One? Rather it is the Blessed One who will refute the doctrine of Saccaka the Nigaṇṭha's son." Then Saccaka the Nigaṇṭha's son, surrounded by some five hundred Licchavis, went to the hall with the peaked roof in the Great Wood.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.