[93] When Prince Abhaya was seated to one side, he said to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, would the Tathāgata utter such speech as is disliked by others and disagreeable to them?"
"Prince, there is no one-sided answer to this."
"Venerable sir, in this the Nigaṇṭhas are lost."
"But why, prince, do you speak thus: 'Venerable sir, in this the Nigaṇṭhas are lost'?"
"Venerable sir, here I approached the Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta; having approached, I paid homage to the Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta and sat down to one side. When I was seated to one side, venerable sir, the Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta said to me: 'Come, prince, refute the doctrine of the ascetic Gotama. Thus a fair report of you will spread abroad: "The doctrine of the ascetic Gotama, so mighty, so powerful, has been refuted by Prince Abhaya."' When this was said, venerable sir, I said to the Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta: 'But how, sir, shall I refute the doctrine of the ascetic Gotama, so mighty, so powerful?' — 'Come, prince, go to the ascetic Gotama; having approached, speak thus to the ascetic Gotama: "Venerable sir, would the Tathāgata utter such speech as is disliked by others and disagreeable to them?" If the ascetic Gotama, being asked thus, answers thus: "Prince, the Tathāgata would utter such speech as is disliked by others and disagreeable to them," then you should say to him: "Then, venerable sir, what difference is there between you and an ordinary person? For even an ordinary person would utter such speech as is disliked by others and disagreeable to them." But if the ascetic Gotama, being asked thus, answers thus: "Prince, the Tathāgata would not utter such speech as is disliked by others and disagreeable to them," then you should say to him: "Then, venerable sir, why have you declared of Devadatta: 'Devadatta is bound for the plane of misery, Devadatta is bound for hell, Devadatta will remain there for an eon, Devadatta is incurable'? — and at that speech of yours Devadatta was angry and displeased." Prince, when the ascetic Gotama is asked this two-pronged question by you, he will be able neither to spit it up nor to swallow it down. Just as if an iron caltrop were stuck in a man's throat, and he would be able neither to spit it up nor to swallow it down — even so, prince, when the ascetic Gotama is asked this two-pronged question by you, he will be able neither to spit it up nor to swallow it down.'"
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.