“No, there weren’t any white-clothed lay people present.”

“That’s good, sir.”

Then that mendicant, after taking almsfood in Hatthaka of Āḷavī’s home, rose from his seat and left. Then after the meal, on his return from almsround, he went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him of what he had discussed with the householder Hatthaka. The Buddha said: