At that time many distinguished citizens were sitting together
assembled in the town-hall and spoke in many ways in praise of
the Buddha, of the Dharma, and of the Sangha. Simha, the
general-in-chief, a disciple of the Niggantha sect, was sitting
among them. And Simha thought: "Truly, the Blessed One must be
the Buddha, the Holy One. I will go and visit him." 1
Then Simha, the general, went to the place where the Niggantha
chief, Nātaputta, was; and having approached him, he said: "I
wish, Lord, to visit the samana Gotama." 2
Nātaputta said: "Why should you, Simha, who believe in the result
of actions according to their moral merit, go to visit the samana
Gotama, who denies the result of actions? The samana Gotama, O
Simha, denies the result of actions; he teaches the doctrine of
non-action; and in this doctrine he trains his disciples." 3
Then the desire to go and visit the Blessed One, which had arisen
in Simha, the general, abated. 4
Hearing again the praise of the Buddha, of the Dharma, and of the
Sangha, Simha asked the Niggantha chief a second time; and again
Nātaputta persuaded him not to go. 5
When a third time the general heard some men of distinction extol
the merits of the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha, the general
thought: "Truly the samana Gotama must be the Holy Buddha. What
are the Nigganthas to me, whether they give their consent or not?
I shall go without asking their permission to visit him, the
Blessed One, the Holy Buddha." 6
And Simha, the general, said to the Blessed One: "I have heard,
Lord, that the samana Gotama denies the result of actions; he
teaches the doctrine of non-action, saying that the actions of
sentient beings do not receive their reward, for he teaches
annihilation and the contemptibleness of all things; and in this
doctrine he trains his disciples. Teachest thou the doing away of
the soul and the burning away of man's being? Pray tell me, Lord,
do those who speak thus say the truth, or do they bear false
witness against the Blessed One, passing off a spurious Dharma as
thy Dharma?" 7