[78] Now at that time a number of well-known and distinguished Licchavis, seated and assembled together in the council hall (santhāgāra), were speaking in many ways in praise of the Buddha, in praise of the Dhamma, in praise of the Saṅgha. And at that time Sīha the general, a disciple of the Nigaṇṭhas, was sitting in that assembly. Then it occurred to Sīha the general: "Without doubt, that Blessed One must be an Arahant, a Perfectly Enlightened One; for these well-known and distinguished Licchavis, seated and assembled together in the council hall, are speaking in many ways in praise of the Buddha, in praise of the Dhamma, in praise of the Saṅgha. Suppose I were to go to see that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One."
Then Sīha the general approached Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta; having approached, he paid homage to Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, Sīha the general said this to Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta: "Venerable sir, I wish to go to see the ascetic Gotama."
"But how is it, Sīha, that you, being one who holds the doctrine of action (kiriyavāda), will go to see the ascetic Gotama, who holds the doctrine of non-action (akiriyavāda)? For, Sīha, the ascetic Gotama holds the doctrine of non-action; he teaches the Dhamma for the sake of non-action, and thereby he trains his disciples."
Then whatever preparation for going to see the Blessed One had arisen in Sīha the general subsided.
A second time … A third time the well-known and distinguished Licchavis, seated and assembled together in the council hall, were speaking in many ways in praise of the Buddha, in praise of the Dhamma, in praise of the Saṅgha. A third time it occurred to Sīha the general: "Without doubt, that Blessed One must be an Arahant, a Perfectly Enlightened One; for these well-known and distinguished Licchavis, seated and assembled together in the council hall, are speaking in many ways in praise of the Buddha, in praise of the Dhamma, in praise of the Saṅgha. What can the Nigaṇṭhas do to me, whether I take leave of them or not? Suppose I go, without taking leave of the Nigaṇṭhas, to see that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One."
Then Sīha the general, with five hundred chariots, set out from Vesālī while it was still broad day to see the Blessed One. Having gone by carriage as far as the ground was passable for carriages, he dismounted from the carriage and approached the Blessed One on foot; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, Sīha the general said this to the Blessed One:
"Venerable sir, I have heard this: 'The ascetic Gotama holds the doctrine of non-action; he teaches the Dhamma for the sake of non-action, and thereby he trains his disciples.' Venerable sir, those who say thus: 'The ascetic Gotama holds the doctrine of non-action; he teaches the Dhamma for the sake of non-action, and thereby he trains his disciples' — do they speak in accordance with what the Blessed One has said, and not misrepresent the Blessed One with what is untrue? Do they explain in accordance with the Dhamma, so that no legitimate consequence of their assertion incurs a ground for censure? For, venerable sir, we do not wish to misrepresent the Blessed One."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.