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Mahāvīra and Buddha “Now the Blessed one overheard this conversation of the venerable Ananda with the mendicant Subhadda. And the Blessed One called the venerable Ananda, and said 'It is enough, Ananda : Do not keep out, Subhadda, Subhadda, Ānanda, may be allowed to see the Tathāgata. Whatever Subhadda may ask of me, he will ask from a desire for knowledge, and not to annoy me. And whatever I may say in answer to this question, that he will quickly understand."
“Then Subhadda, the mendicant, went into the place where the Blessed One was......And, when he was thus seated, Subhadda, the mendicant, said the Blessed One : ‘The Sramaņas and the Brahmaņs by saintliness of life, Gotama, who are heads of companies of disciples and students, teachers of students, well-known, renowned, founders of schools of doctrine, esteemed as good man by the multitude to wit, Puraņa Kassapa, Makkhali of the cattla-pen, Ajita of the garnient of hair, Kakkayana of the Pakhuda tree, Sanāya the son of the Belatth slave girl, Nigantha of the Nātha clan-have they all according to their own assertion, horoughly understood things ? Or have they not ? or are there some of them who have understood, and some have not ?"
"Enough Subhadda : Let this matter rest whether they, according to their own assertion have thoroughly understood things, or whether they have not, or whether some of them have understood and some have not! The truth, Ananda will I teach you. Listen well to that and give ear attentively, and I will speak.'
“ 'Even so, Lord !' said the mendicant Subhadda in assent, to the Blessed One.
“The above event raises a question in our mind
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