Sunakkhatta, Son of the Licchavisperson

When a bhikkhu who has left the Dhamma and training is disparaging the Buddha’s states as merely human and his teaching as merely leading to the cessation of suffering, the Buddha counters that this is in fact praise and goes on to enumerate his various attainments.

After Sunakkhatta renounces the training over miracles and cosmic origins, the Buddha shows that the Dhamma leads to the end of suffering regardless, recounts the downfall of three boasted ascetics, and explains both cosmic beginnings and the peaceful liberation.