[167] Then, in the evening, the Blessed One, having emerged from seclusion, went to the Nigrodhārāma; having approached, he sat down on the seat that had been prepared. Having sat down, the Blessed One performed such a feat of psychic power (iddhābhisaṅkhāra) that those bhikkhus, appearing timid, approached the Blessed One one by one and in pairs; having approached, they paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side.
When those bhikkhus were seated to one side, the Blessed One said this to them: "Bhikkhus, this is the lowest of livelihoods, namely, the gathering of alms. This is a term of abuse in the world: 'You wander about as an alms-gatherer, bowl in hand!' And yet, bhikkhus, clansmen take up this [way of life] moved by a purpose, in dependence on a purpose: not driven to it by kings, not driven to it by robbers, not because of debt, not because of fear, not because of the loss of a livelihood; but rather [thinking]: 'We are sunk in birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair; sunk in suffering (dukkha), oppressed by suffering. Perhaps the making of an end of this whole mass of suffering might be discerned.' It is thus, bhikkhus, that this clansman has gone forth. And yet he is covetous, strongly impassioned with lust for sensual pleasures, with a mind (citta) of ill will, with corrupt mental intentions, with muddled mindfulness, without clear comprehension, unconcentrated, with a wandering mind, with faculties unrestrained. Just as, bhikkhus, a firebrand from a funeral pyre, blazing at both ends and smeared with dung in the middle, serves as timber neither in the village nor in the forest — just so, bhikkhus, do I speak of this person: he has forfeited the enjoyments of a householder, and yet he does not fulfill the goal of the ascetic life."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.