He went to the river bank and sat at the root of a certain tree on a seat spread out. Then King Pasenadi rode on the elephant as far as the terrain allowed, then descended and approached Ānanda on foot. He bowed, stood to one side, and said to Ānanda, “Here, Venerable Ānanda, sit on this elephant rug.” “Enough, Great King, you sit on it. I’m sitting on my own seat.”

So the king sat down on the seat spread out, and said, “Honorable Ānanda, would the Buddha engage in the sort of behavior—by way of body, speech, or mind—that is faulted by ascetics and brahmins?” “No, Great King, the Buddha would not engage in the sort of behavior that is faulted by sensible ascetics and brahmins.”