‘But sir, the Buddha never performs any superhuman demonstrations of psychic power for me.’ ‘But Sunakkhatta, did I ever say to you: “Come, live dedicated to me and I will perform a superhuman demonstration of psychic power for you”?’ ‘No, sir.’ ‘Or did you ever say to me: “Sir, I shall live dedicated to the Buddha, and the Buddha will perform a superhuman demonstration of psychic power for me”?’ ‘No, sir.’ ‘So it seems that I did not ask this of you, and you did not require it of me. In that case, you futile man, who are you and what do you disavow? What do you think, Sunakkhatta? Whether or not there is a demonstration of psychic power, and regardless of the goal for which I taught the Dhamma, does it deliver one who applies it to the complete ending of suffering?’ ‘It does, sir.’ ‘So it seems that whether or not there is a demonstration of psychic power, and regardless of the goal for which I taught the Dhamma, it delivers one who applies it to the complete ending of suffering. In that case, what is the point of superhuman demonstrations of psychic power? See how far you have strayed, you silly man!’

‘But sir, the Buddha never describes the origin of the world to me.’ ‘But Sunakkhatta, did I ever say to you: “Come, live dedicated to me and I will describe the origin of the world to you”?’ ‘No, sir.’ ‘Or did you ever say to me: “Sir, I shall live dedicated to the Buddha, and the Buddha will describe the origin of the world to me”?’ ‘No, sir.’