[394] "Aggivessana, suppose there were a great mountain not far from a village or a town. Two friends, setting out from that village or town, would approach that mountain, helping each other along by the hand. Having approached, one friend would remain standing at the foot of the mountain below, while the other friend would climb to the top of the mountain. The friend standing at the foot of the mountain below would say to the friend standing on top of the mountain: 'Well, friend, what do you see, standing on top of the mountain?' He would say: 'Standing on top of the mountain, friend, I see delightful parks, delightful groves, delightful stretches of land, and delightful lotus ponds.' The other would say: 'It is impossible, friend, there is no way, that you, standing on top of the mountain, should see delightful parks, delightful groves, delightful stretches of land, and delightful lotus ponds.' Then the friend standing on top of the mountain would descend to the foot of the mountain below, take that friend by the arm, make him climb to the top of the mountain, and, having let him catch his breath for a moment, would say: 'Well, friend, what do you see, standing on top of the mountain?' He would say: 'Standing on top of the mountain, friend, I see delightful parks, delightful groves, delightful stretches of land, and delightful lotus ponds.' The other would say: 'Just now, friend, we understood your words thus: "It is impossible, friend, there is no way, that you, standing on top of the mountain, should see delightful parks, delightful groves, delightful stretches of land, and delightful lotus ponds." And yet just now we understand your words thus: "Standing on top of the mountain, friend, I see delightful parks, delightful groves, delightful stretches of land, and delightful lotus ponds."' He would say: 'That is because, friend, being obstructed by this great mountain, I did not see what was there to be seen.'
"Even so, Aggivessana — and by something greater still than that — Prince Jayasena is obstructed, hindered, blocked, and enveloped by the mass of ignorance (avijjā). That Prince Jayasena — dwelling in the midst of sensual pleasures, enjoying sensual pleasures, being devoured by thoughts of sensual pleasures, being consumed by the fever of sensual pleasures, eager in the search for sensual pleasures — should know, or see, or realize that which is to be known by renunciation (nekkhamma), to be seen by renunciation, to be attained by renunciation, to be realized by renunciation: this is impossible. If, Aggivessana, these two similes had occurred to you for Prince Jayasena, it would be no wonder that Prince Jayasena would have gained confidence in you, and, having gained confidence, would have shown you the manner of one who has confidence."
"But how, venerable sir, could these two similes have occurred to me for Prince Jayasena as they occurred to the Blessed One — spontaneous, never heard before?"
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.