{"collection":"Anguttara Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_an4.187/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_an4.187","id":"suttacentral_an4.187","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/an4.187/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Anguttara Nikaya","Early Buddhist Texts"],"text":"At one time the Buddha was staying near R\u0101jagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels\u2019 feeding ground. Then Vassak\u0101ra the brahmin, a chief minister of Magadha, went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha: \u201cWorthy Gotama, could an untrue person know of an untrue person: \u2018This worthy one is an untrue person\u2019?\u201d \u201cThat\u2019s impossible, brahmin, it can\u2019t happen.\u201d \u201cCould an untrue person know of a true person: \u2018This worthy one is a true person\u2019?\u201d \u201cThat too is impossible, it can\u2019t happen.\u201d \u201cWorthy Gotama, could a true person know of a true person: \u2018This worthy one is a true person\u2019?\u201d \u201cThat, brahmin, is possible.\u201d \u201cCould a true person know of an untrue person: \u2018This worthy one is an untrue person\u2019?\u201d \u201cThat too is possible.\u201d \u201cIt\u2019s incredible, worthy Gotama, it\u2019s amazing, how well said this was by the worthy Gotama: \u2018It\u2019s impossible, it can\u2019t happen, that an untrue person could know \u2026 But it is possible that a true person could know \u2026\u2019 Once, members of the brahmin Todeyya\u2019s assembly were going on complaining about others: \u2018This King E\u1e37eyya is a fool to be so devoted to the ascetic R\u0101maputta. He even shows him the utmost deference by bowing down to him, rising up for him, greeting him with cupped palms, and observing proper etiquette for him. And these king\u2019s men are fools too\u2014 Yamaka, Moggalla, Ugga, N\u0101vindak\u012b, Gandhabba, and Aggivessa\u2014for they show the same kind of deference to R\u0101maputta.\u2019 Then the brahmin Todeyya reasoned with them like this: \u2018What do the good fellows think? When it comes to the various duties and speeches, isn\u2019t King E\u1e37eyya astute, even better than the experts?\u2019 \u2018That\u2019s true, worthy sir.\u2019 \u2018It\u2019s because the ascetic R\u0101maputta is even more astute and expert than King E\u1e37eyya that the king is so devoted to him. That\u2019s why he even shows R\u0101maputta the utmost deference by bowing down to him, rising up for him, greeting him with cupped palms, and observing proper etiquette for him. \u2018What do the good fellows think? When it comes to the various duties and speeches, aren\u2019t the king\u2019s men\u2014Yamaka, Moggalla, Ugga, N\u0101vindak\u012b, Gandhabba, and Aggivessa\u2014astute, even better than the experts?\u2019 \u2018That\u2019s true, worthy sir.\u2019 \u2018It\u2019s because R\u0101maputta is even more astute and expert than the king\u2019s men that they have such devotion to him. \u2026 It\u2019s because R\u0101maputta is even more astute and expert than King E\u1e37eyya that the king is so devoted to him. That\u2019s why he even shows R\u0101maputta the utmost deference by bowing down to him, rising up for him, greeting him with cupped palms, and observing proper etiquette for him.\u2019 It\u2019s incredible, worthy Gotama, it\u2019s amazing, how well said this was by the worthy Gotama: \u2018It\u2019s impossible, it can\u2019t happen, that an untrue person could know \u2026 But it is possible that a true person could know \u2026\u2019 Well, now, worthy Gotama, I must go. I have many duties, and much to do.\u201d \u201cPlease, brahmin, go at your convenience.\u201d Then Vassak\u0101ra the brahmin, having approved and agreed with what the Buddha said, rose from his seat and left.","title":"With Vassak\u0101ra","tradition":"Anguttara Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":529}