Then the Buddha went up to the wanderer Nigrodha, who said to him, “Let the Blessed One come, sir! Welcome to the Blessed One, sir! It’s been a long time since you took the opportunity to come here. Please, sir, sit down, here, a seat is ready.” The Buddha sat down on the seat spread out, while Nigrodha took a low seat and sat to one side. The Buddha said to him, “Nigrodha, what were you sitting talking about just now? What conversation was left unfinished?” Nigrodha said, “Well, sir, I saw you walking mindfully and said: ‘If the ascetic Gotama comes, I’ll ask him this question: “Sir, what teaching do you use to guide your disciples, through which they claim solace in the fundamental goal of the spiritual life?”’ This is the conversation that was unfinished when the Buddha arrived.” “It’s hard for you to understand this, Nigrodha, since you have a different view, creed, and belief, and another discipline and denomination. Please ask me a question about the higher disgust of sin in your own denomination: ‘How are the conditions for the fervent mortification in disgust of sin completed, and how are they incomplete?’” When he said this, those wanderers made an uproar, “Oh lord, how incredible, how amazing! The ascetic Gotama has such power and might! For he sets aside his own doctrine and invites discussion on the doctrine of others!”

Then Nigrodha, having quieted those wanderers, said to the Buddha, “Sir, we teach fervent mortification in disgust of sin, regarding it as essential and sticking to it. How are the conditions for the fervent mortification in disgust of sin completed, and how are they incomplete?”