That brahmin then said to the Buddha, “Good Gotama is the eldest! Good Gotama is the best! Wonderful, good Gotama, wonderful! Just as one might set upright what’s overturned, or reveal what’s hidden, or show the way to one who’s lost, or bring a lamp into the dark so that one with eyes might see what’s there—just so has the Buddha made the Teaching clear in many ways. Good Gotama, I go for refuge to the Buddha, the Teaching, and the Sangha of monks. Please accept me as a lay follower who’s gone for refuge for life. And please consent to spend the rainy-season residence at Verañjā together with the Sangha of monks.” The Buddha consented by keeping silent, and the brahmin understood. He then got up from his seat, bowed down, circumambulated the Buddha with his right side toward him, and left.

At that time Verañjā was short of food and afflicted with hunger, with crops affected by whiteheads and turned to straw. It was not easy to get by on almsfood. Just then some horse dealers from Uttarāpatha had entered the rainy-season residence at Verañjā with five hundred horses. In the horse pen they prepared portion upon portion of steamed grain for the monks. Then, after robing up in the morning, the monks took their bowls and robes and entered Verañjā for alms. Not getting anything, they went to the horse pen. They then brought back many portions of steamed grain to the monastery, where they pounded and ate them. Venerable Ānanda crushed a portion on a stone, took it to the Buddha, and the Buddha ate it.