[98] "On one occasion, venerable sir, here [in Rājagaha] I approached the Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta; having approached, I exchanged greetings with the Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta, and when the courteous and memorable talk was concluded, I sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, venerable sir, I said this to the Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta: 'Just as, good Aggivessana, these many fields of craft … is it possible, good Aggivessana, in the same way, to point out a fruit of the ascetic life (sāmaññaphala) visible here and now, in this very life?'
When this was said, venerable sir, the Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta said this to me: 'Here, great king, a Nigaṇṭha is restrained with the fourfold restraint (cātuyāmasaṃvara). And how, great king, is a Nigaṇṭha restrained with the fourfold restraint? Here, great king, a Nigaṇṭha is curbed by all curbs (sabbavārivārito), is yoked to all curbs (sabbavāriyutto), has shaken off [evil] by all curbs (sabbavāridhuto), and is suffused with all curbs (sabbavāriphuṭo). Thus indeed, great king, a Nigaṇṭha is restrained with the fourfold restraint. Since, great king, a Nigaṇṭha is thus restrained with the fourfold restraint, he is called, great king, a Nigaṇṭha [Nāṭaputta] whose self has reached the goal, whose self is controlled, and whose self is established.'
Thus, venerable sir, when asked about a fruit of the ascetic life visible here and now, the Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta answered with the fourfold restraint. Just as, venerable sir, a person asked about a mango might answer about a breadfruit, or asked about a breadfruit might answer about a mango, even so, venerable sir, when asked about a fruit of the ascetic life visible here and now, the Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta answered with the fourfold restraint. Then, venerable sir, this occurred to me: 'How indeed could one such as I think that an ascetic or brahmin dwelling in my realm should be disparaged?' So I, venerable sir, neither delighted in nor rejected the words of the Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta; neither delighting in them nor rejecting them, though displeased, without uttering a word of displeasure, neither taking up that statement nor overturning it, I rose from my seat and departed."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.