At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling in Rajagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrel Sanctuary.

The brahmin Akkosaka Bhāradvāja heard: "It is said that a brahmin of the Bhāradvāja clan has gone forth from the household life to the homeless life in the presence of the ascetic Gotama." Angry and irritated, he approached the Blessed One; having approached, he abused and insulted the Blessed One with impolite and harsh words. When this was said, the Blessed One addressed the brahmin Akkosaka Bhāradvāja:

"What do you think, brahmin, do friends, colleagues, relatives, and guests come to you?"

"On some occasions, sir Gotama, friends, colleagues, relatives, and guests come to me."

"What do you think, brahmin, do you offer them food, meals, or delicacies?"

"On some occasions, sir Gotama, I offer them food, meals, or delicacies."

"But if they do not accept it, Brahmin, to whom does it belong?"

"If they do not accept it, sir Gotama, it belongs to us only."

"Even so, Brahmin, what you have insulted us with, who do not insult, who are not angry, who do not quarrel, we do not accept it. It belongs to you, Brahmin, it is yours alone.

Whoever insults back an insulting person, gets angry at an angry person, quarrels with a quarreling person, is said, Brahmin, to partake and carry on the quarrel. But we neither partake nor carry it on with you. It belongs to you, Brahmin, it is yours alone."

"Indeed, the assembly including the king knows Gotama as the worthy ascetic. Yet however, the Blessed One Gotama is angry."

"How can there be anger in one without anger, in one who is disciplined and lives in harmony; In one with true knowledge, liberated, calm, and steadfast.

Worse off is the one, who retaliates against an angry person; Not retaliating against anger, one wins a battle hard to win.

They act for the benefit of both, their own and the other's— who, knowing the other is enraged, calm themselves with mindfulness.

Those who heal both, themselves and the other— are thought to be fools, by those unskilled in the Dhamma."

When this was said, the brahmin Akkosaka Bhāradvāja said to the Blessed One: "Excellent, venerable Gotama! Excellent, venerable Gotama! Just as if one might set upright what had been overturned, reveal what had been concealed, point out the way to one who was lost, or hold up a lamp in the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in the same way, venerable Gotama, the Dhamma has been explained by you in many ways. I go for refuge to the Blessed One Gotama, to the Dhamma, and to the Saṅgha of bhikkhus. May I receive the going forth in the presence of the Blessed One Gotama, may I receive the full ordination."

The brahmin Akkosaka Bhāradvāja received the going forth in the presence of the Blessed One, he received the full ordination. Having recently received full ordination, the venerable Akkosaka Bhāradvāja, dwelling alone, secluded, diligent, with continuous effort, and resolutely, soon realized with direct knowing in this very life, for the purpose of which sons of good families rightly go forth from the household life to the homeless life, the unsurpassed culmination of the spiritual life, and having personally attained it, he dwelled in it.

He understood: "Birth is ended, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of being." And the venerable Bhāradvāja became one among the arahants.