"It is not, O sir, inconvenient to me. But this moment, a pilgrim has arrived, tired from a long journey, and he has already taken up his quarters for the night. If it be agreeable to him, thou art welcome to stay, O sir, at thine own pleasure."
And the Master reflected: "Solitude is, it is true, the best of all companions. But this good pilgrim has arrived here late, just as I myself, tired from long wandering. And he has gone by the houses where men follow impure and bloody pursuits, past the house of wrangling and of odious strife, the house of clamour and of unworthy pleasure, and has not rested till he entered the house of the potter. In the company of such a man it is possible to spend the night."
So the Lord Buddha entered the outer hall, where he perceived a young man of noble lineaments sitting in a corner on a mat.
"If it be not disagreeable to thee, O pilgrim," said the Master to him, "I shall spend the night in this outer hall."
"Spacious, O brother, is the hall of the potter; stay then, O venerable sir, at thy pleasure."
Upon which the Master spread his mat close to one of the walls and sat down, his legs crossed, his body perfectly upright, sunk in holy meditation. And the Blessed One remained sitting during the first part of the night.
The young man also remained sitting during the first part of the night.
Seeing which, the Lord Buddha thought to himself: "I wonder whether this noble youth is a happy seeker after truth. How would it be if I should ask him?"
So he turned him to the young pilgrim—
"Wherefore, O pilgrim, hast thou become homeless?"
The young pilgrim answered—
