For a third time, several prominent Licchavis were sitting together at the town hall, praising the Buddha, his teaching, and the Saṅgha in many ways. And for a third time Sīha thought, “That Blessed One must without a doubt be a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha. For several very prominent Licchavis are praising the Buddha, his teaching, and the Saṅgha in many ways. What can these Jains do to me, whether I take leave of them or not? Why don’t I, without taking leave of them, go to see that Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha!”

Then Sīha, with around five hundred chariots, set out from Vesālī in the middle of the day to see the Buddha. He went by carriage as far as the terrain allowed, then descended and went by foot. Then General Sīha went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“Sir, I have heard this: ‘The ascetic Gotama believes in a doctrine of inaction, he teaches inaction, and he guides his disciples in that way.’ I trust those who say this repeat what the Buddha has said, and do not misrepresent him with an untruth? Is their explanation in line with the teaching? Are there any legitimate grounds for rebuttal and criticism? For we don’t want to misrepresent the Blessed One.”