Though I state and assert this, certain ascetics and brahmins misrepresent me with the incorrect, hollow, false, untruthful claim: ‘The ascetic Gotama has a distorted perspective, and so have his monks. He says, “When one enters and remains in the liberation of the beautiful, at that time one only perceives what is ugly.”’ But I don’t say that. I say this: ‘When one enters and remains in the liberation of the beautiful, at that time one only perceives what is beautiful.’” “They are the ones with a distorted perspective, sir, who regard the Buddha and the mendicants in this way. Sir, I am quite confident that the Buddha is capable of teaching me so that I can enter and remain in the liberation on the beautiful.” “It’s hard for you to enter and remain in the liberation on the beautiful, since you have a different view, creed, and belief, and another discipline and denomination. Come on, Bhaggava, carefully preserve the confidence that you have in me.” “If it’s hard for me to enter and remain in the liberation on the beautiful, since I have a different view, creed, and belief, and another discipline and denomination. I shall carefully preserve the confidence that I have in the Buddha.” That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the wanderer of the Bhaggava clan approved what the Buddha said.

Long Discourses 25 The Lion’s Roar at the Monastery of Lady Udumbarikā

1. The Story of the Wanderer Nigrodha