So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Campā on the banks of the Gaggarā Lotus Pond together with a large Saṅgha of mendicants. Then Pessa the elephant marshal’s son and Kandaraka the wanderer went to the Buddha. When they had approached, Pessa bowed and sat down to one side. But the wanderer Kandaraka exchanged greetings with the Buddha and stood to one side. He looked around the mendicant Saṅgha, who were so very silent, and said to the Buddha:

“It’s incredible, worthy Gotama, it’s amazing! How the mendicant Saṅgha has been led to practice properly by the worthy Gotama! The perfected ones, the fully awakened Buddhas in the past or the future who lead the mendicant Saṅgha to practice properly at best do so like the worthy Gotama does in the present.”

“That’s so true, Kandaraka! That’s so true! The perfected ones, the fully awakened Buddhas in the past or the future who lead the mendicant Saṅgha to practice properly at best do so like I do in the present.