A number of monastics from other religions saw Meṇḍaka coming, and they said to him, “Where are you going, householder?” “I’m going to visit the Buddha, sir, the ascetic Gotama.” “But why visit the ascetic Gotama who believes that actions don’t have results when you believe that they do? For the ascetic Gotama believes in inaction, teaches that, and trains his disciples in that.” Meṇḍaka thought, “No doubt he must be a Buddha, a Perfected and fully Awakened One, since these monastics of other religions are jealous.” He then went by carriage as far as the ground would allow, dismounted, and then approached the Buddha on foot. After bowing down to the Buddha, he sat down, and the Buddha gave him a progressive talk— on generosity, morality, and heaven; on the downside, degradation, and defilement of worldly pleasures; and he revealed the benefits of renunciation. When the Buddha knew that his mind was ready, supple, without hindrances, joyful, and confident, he revealed the teaching unique to the Buddhas: suffering, its origin, its end, and the path. And just as a clean and stainless cloth absorbs dye properly, so too, while he was sitting right there, Meṇḍaka experienced the stainless vision of the Truth: “Anything that has a beginning has an end.” He had seen the Truth, had reached, understood, and penetrated it. He had gone beyond doubt and uncertainty, had attained to confidence, and had become independent of others in the Teacher’s instruction.