2:12 VaṅgīsaPj II comments on this sutta under its alternative title, Nigrodhakappasutta, but mentions its primary title. The verses are also at Th 1263–78.

Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Āḷavī, at the Aggāḷava Cetiya. Now on that occasion the Venerable Vaṅgīsa’s preceptor, the Elder Nigrodhakappa, had recently attained final nibbāna at the Aggāḷava Cetiya. Then, while the Venerable Vaṅgīsa was alone in seclusion, the following reflection arose in his mind: “Did my preceptor attain final nibbāna or not?”

In the evening, when he emerged from seclusion, the Venerable Vaṅgīsa approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. [60] Seated to one side, the Venerable Vaṅgīsa said to the Blessed One: “Here, Bhante, while I was alone in seclusion, the following reflection arose in my mind: ‘Did my preceptor attain final nibbāna or not?’”I read with Be vīra, as against Ce and Ee dhīra. The gloss in Pj II, padhānaviriyasamannāgata, indicates that vīra was the reading available to the commentator.

Then, having risen from his seat, he arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, reverentially saluted the Blessed One, and addressed the Blessed One in verse:

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343“We askAll three editions use the plural pucchāma, but Th 1272 has the singular pucchāmi. the teacher of perfect wisdom,
the cutter-off of doubts in this very life:
a bhikkhu passed away at Aggāḷava,
one well known, famous, inwardly quenched. (1)

344“Nigrodhakappa was his name,
which you, Blessed One, gave to the brahmin.
Energetic, he lived intent on release,
paying homage to you, the one who shows the durable. (2)

345“O Sakya, we too all wish to know
about that disciple, O universal eye.
Fully attentive, our ears are ready to hear;
you are our teacher; you are unsurpassed. (3)

346“Cut off our doubt! Tell me this:
announce he attained nibbāna, you of broad wisdom.
Speak up in our midst, O universal eye,
like thousand-eyed Sakka among the devas. (4)

347“Whatever knots are here, paths of delusion,
factions of ignorance, bases of doubt, [61]
on reaching the Tathāgata, they no longer exist;
for he is the supreme eye for humans. (5)

348“If no man would ever dispel the defilements
as a wind might dispel a mass of clouds,
the entire world would be enshrouded, utter darkness,
and even brilliant men would not shine. (6)

349“But wise men are makers of light.
I consider you, O hero,I read with Be vīra, as against Ce and Ee dhīra. The gloss in Pj II, padhānaviriyasamannāgata, indicates that vīra was the reading available to the commentator. to be such a one.
Knowing, we come to one endowed with insight:
in the assemblies, disclose to us [the fate of] Kappa. (7)

350“Quickly send forth your lovely voice, O lovely one!With Be, I would insert a space, reading vaggu vagguṃ, taking vaggu as a vocative and vagguṃ in apposition to giraṃ.
Like a goose that has stretched out, gently honk
with your rounded voice, well-modulated.
We are all upright: let us hear you! (8)

351“He has abandoned birth and death entirely;
having pressed the pure one, I will make him speak the Dhamma.
For worldlings cannot act on their wishes,
but for the tathāgatas, action is based on comprehension. (9)

352“This excellent declaration of yours
has been accepted [as coming] from one of upright wisdom.
This last reverential salutation is offered.
Knowing, do not delude us, you of perfect wisdom. (10)

353“Having understood the noble Dhamma from top to bottom,
knowing, do not delude us, O one of perfect energy. [62]
As one afflicted by heat in summer longs for water,
I long for your word: so pour down the sound!I read with Be and Ce sutaṃ pavassa, as against Ee sutassavassa. (11)

354“Was the beneficial spiritual life
that Kappāyana led not lived in vain by him?
Did he attain nibbāna or did a residue remain?
Let us hear just how he was liberated.” (12)

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(Said the Blessed One)

355“He cut off craving here for name-and-form,”
“the stream of the Dark One that had long lay dormant.
He crossed over birth and death entirely.”
Thus spoke the Blessed One, chief of the five. (13)

356“Having heard your word,
I am pleased, O best of rishis.
Indeed, my question was not in vain;
the brahmin did not deceive me. (14)

357“The Buddha’s disciple was one
who acted in accordance with what he said.
He cut through the net of Death,
extended tightly by the Deceiver. (15)

358“Kappiya, O Blessed One,
saw the origin of clinging.
Kappāyana, indeed, overcame
the domain of Death so hard to cross.” (16) [63]

Nigrodhakappa (vaṅgīsa) sutta

Evaṁ me sutaṁ. Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā āḷaviyaṁ viharati aggāḷave cetiye. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmato vaṅgīsassa upajjhāyo nigrodhakappo nāma thero aggāḷave cetiye aciraparinibbuto hoti. Atha kho āyasmato vaṅgīsassa rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi – parinibbuto nu kho me upajjhāyo udāhu no parinibbutoti?

Atha kho āyasmā vaṅgīso sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā vaṅgīso bhagavantaṁ etadavoca – idha mayhaṁ, bhante, rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi – parinibbuto nu kho me upajjhāyo, udāhu no parinibbutoti.

Atha kho āyasmā vaṅgīso uṭṭhāyāsanā ekaṁsaṁ cīvaraṁ katvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

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343"Pucchāmi satthāramanomapaññaṁ,
Diṭṭheva dhamme yo vicikicchānaṁ chettā;
Aggāḷave kālamakāsi bhikkhu,
Ñāto yasassī abhinibbutatto.

344 Nigrodhakappo iti tassa nāmaṁ,
Tayā kataṁ bhagavā brāhmaṇassa;
So taṁ namassaṁ acari mutyapekkho,
Āraddhaviriyo daḷhadhammadassī.

345 Taṁ sāvakaṁ sakya mayampi sabbe,
Aññātumicchāma samantacakkhu;
Samavaṭṭhitā no savanāya sotā,
Tuvaṁ no satthā tvamanuttarosi.

346 Chindeva no vicikicchaṁ brūhi metaṁ,
Parinibbutaṁ vedaya bhūripañña;
Majjheva no bhāsa samantacakkhu,
Sakkova devāna sahassanetto.

347 Ye keci ganthā idha mohamaggā,
Aññāṇapakkhā vicikicchaṭhānā;
Tathāgataṁ patvā na te bhavanti,
Cakkhuñhi etaṁ paramaṁ narānaṁ.

348 No ce hi jātu puriso kilese,
Vāto yathā abbhaghanaṁ vihāne;
Tamovassa nivuto sabbaloko,
Na jotimantopi narā tapeyyuṁ.

349 Dhīrā ca pajjotakarā bhavanti,
Taṁ taṁ ahaṁ vīra tatheva maññe;
Vipassinaṁ jānamupāgamumhā,
Parisāsu no āvikarohi kappaṁ.

350 Khippaṁ giraṁ eraya vaggu vagguṁ,
Haṁsova paggayha saṇikaṁ nikūja;
Bindussarena suvikappitena,
Sabbeva te ujjugatā suṇoma.

351 Pahīnajātimaraṇaṁ asesaṁ,
Niggayha dhonaṁ vadessāmi dhammaṁ;
Na kāmakāro hi puthujjanānaṁ,
Saṅkheyyakāro ca tathāgatānaṁ.

352 Sampannaveyyākaraṇaṁ tavedaṁ,
Samujjupaññassa samuggahītaṁ;
Ayamañjalī pacchimo suppaṇāmito,
Mā mohayī jānamanomapañña.

353 Parovaraṁ ariyadhammaṁ viditvā,
Mā mohayī jānamanomavīra;
Vāriṁ yathā ghammani ghammatatto,
Vācābhikaṅkhāmi sutaṁ pavassa.

354 Yadatthikaṁ brahmacariyaṁ acarī,
Kappāyano kaccissa taṁ amoghaṁ;
Nibbāyi so ādu saupādiseso,
Yathā vimutto ahu taṁ suṇoma".

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(iti bhagavā):

355 "Acchecchi taṇhaṁ idha nāmarūpe,
Kaṇhassa sotaṁ dīgharattānusayitaṁ;
Atāri jātiṁ maraṇaṁ asesaṁ",
Iccabravī bhagavā pañcaseṭṭho.

356 "Esa sutvā pasīdāmi,
Vaco te isisattama;
Amoghaṁ kira me puṭṭhaṁ,
Na maṁ vañcesi brāhmaṇo.

357 Yathāvādī tathākārī,
Ahu buddhassa sāvako;
Acchidā maccuno jālaṁ,
Tataṁ māyāvino daḷhaṁ.

358 Addasā bhagavā ādiṁ,
Upādānassa kappiyo;
Accagā vata kappāyano,
Maccudheyyaṁ suduttaran"ti.

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Nigrodhakappasuttaṁ dvādasamaṁ.