(Mv.I.48.1) [110] Now at that time a certain fledgling metal smith, having quarreled with his father and mother, having gone to the monastery, had gone forth among the monks. Then his parents, looking for him, having gone to the monastery, asked the monks, “Venerable sirs, have you seen this sort of boy?”

The monks, not knowing him, said simply, “We don’t know him.” Not having seen him, they said simply, “We haven’t seen him.”

Then his parents, looking for him, saw him, having gone forth among the monks.

On seeing him, they criticized and complained and spread it about:

“These Sakyan-son contemplatives are shameless, unvirtuous liars. Even though they know him, they say, ‘We don’t know.’ Even though they’ve seen him, they say, ‘We haven’t seen him.’ This boy has gone forth among the monks!”

The monks heard the fledgling metal smith’s parents criticizing and complaining and spreading it about.

Then the monks reported the matter to the Blessed One.

“Monks, I allow that the Saṅgha be informed for the sake of shaving the head (of a person to be ordained).”