[729] "What do you think, student (māṇava)? Is the village of Naḷakāra near to here — is the village of Naḷakāra not far from here?"
"So it is, Master Gotama. The village of Naḷakāra is near to here; the village of Naḷakāra is not far from here."
"What do you think, student? Suppose there were a man born and raised in the village of Naḷakāra, and, just as he had left the village of Naḷakāra, people were to ask him the way to the village of Naḷakāra. Would there be, student, any slowness or hesitancy in that man — born and raised in the village of Naḷakāra — when asked the way to the village of Naḷakāra?"
"No indeed, Master Gotama. Why is that? Because that man, Master Gotama, born and raised in the village of Naḷakāra, knows well all the roads of the village of Naḷakāra."
"Student, there might be no slowness or hesitancy in that man born and raised in the village of Naḷakāra when asked the way to the village of Naḷakāra; but never is there slowness or hesitancy in the Tathāgata when asked about the Brahmā world or the practice (paṭipadā) leading to the Brahmā world. I know Brahmā, student, and I know the Brahmā world and the practice leading to the Brahmā world; and I also know how one who has practised is reborn in the Brahmā world."
"Master Gotama, I have heard this: 'The ascetic Gotama teaches the path to companionship with Brahmā (brahmānaṃ sahabyatā).' It would be good if Master Gotama would teach me the path to companionship with Brahmā."
"Then, student, listen and attend well; I will speak."
"Yes, sir," Subha the student, Todeyya's son, replied to the Blessed One.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.