The king said: ‘Have you, Nāgasena, seen the Buddha?’

‘No, Sire.’

‘Then have your teachers seen the Buddha?’

‘No, Sire.’

‘Then, venerable Nāgasena, there is no Buddha!’

‘But, great king, have you seen the river ūhā in the Himālaya mountains?’

‘No, Sir.’

‘Or has your father seen it?’

‘No, Sir.’

‘Then, your Majesty, is there therefore no such river?’

‘It is there. Though neither I nor my father has seen it, it is nevertheless there.’

‘Just so, great king, though neither I nor my teachers have seen the Blessed One, nevertheless there was such a person.’

‘Very good, Nāgasena!’