Once upon a time twenty nine upper middle-class friendsand their wives entered a thicket where the Buddhahappened to be and began to play. Another friend hadno wife, so a prostitute was brought for him. Whilethey were “disporting themselves” she took histhings and ran away. The remainder joined in asearch for her. Roaming in that thicket they foundthe Buddha seated at the root of a tree. They asked,“Lord, has the Blessed One seen a certain woman(ekam itthim)?” “What have you,young men, to do with the woman?”, he exclaimed.They explained. “Now what do you, young men,think?”, he asked, “Which is better for you, tosearch for a woman or to search for yourselves?”“That, Lord, would be preferable – to search forourselves.” So he preached and gave them ordination.The story is contrived as a setting for therhetorical question (like Mark 12:13–17).