Sāriputta quickly grabbed his sitting cloth and followed behind Puṇṇa, keeping sight of his head. Puṇṇa plunged deep into the Dark Forest and sat at the root of a tree for the day’s meditation. And Sāriputta did likewise.

Then in the late afternoon, Sāriputta came out of retreat, went to Puṇṇa, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to Puṇṇa:

“Reverend, is our spiritual life lived under the Buddha?” “Yes, reverend.” “Is the spiritual life lived under the Buddha for the sake of purification of ethics?” “Certainly not.” “Well, is the spiritual life lived under the Buddha for the sake of purification of mind?” “Certainly not.” “Is the spiritual life lived under the Buddha for the sake of purification of view?” “Certainly not.” “Well, is the spiritual life lived under the Buddha for the sake of purification by traversing doubt?” “Certainly not.” “Is the spiritual life lived under the Buddha for the sake of purification of knowledge and vision of what is the path and what is not the path?” “Certainly not.” “Well, is the spiritual life lived under the Buddha for the sake of purification of knowledge and vision of the practice?” “Certainly not.”