So I have heard. Evaṁ me sutaṁ—At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Now at that time several ascetics, brahmins, and wanderers who followed various other religions were residing in Sāvatthī, holding different views, beliefs, and opinions, relying on different views. Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā nānātitthiyasamaṇabrāhmaṇaparibbājakā sāvatthiyaṁ paṭivasanti nānādiṭṭhikā nānākhantikā nānārucikā nānādiṭṭhinissayanissitā.

There were some ascetics and brahmins who had this doctrine and view: Santeke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino: “The self and the cosmos are eternal. This is the only truth, anything else is futile.” “sassato attā ca loko ca, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan”ti.

Others held views such as the following, each regarding their own view as true and others as silly. Santi paneke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino: “The self and the cosmos are not eternal.” “asassato attā ca loko ca, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan”ti.

Santeke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino: “The self and the cosmos are both eternal and not eternal.” “sassato ca asassato ca attā ca loko ca, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan”ti.

Santi paneke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino: “The self and the cosmos are neither eternal nor not eternal.” “neva sassato nāsassato attā ca loko ca, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan”ti.

Santeke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino: “The self and the cosmos are made by oneself.” “sayaṅkato attā ca loko ca, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan”ti.

Santi paneke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino: “The self and the cosmos are made by another.” “paraṅkato attā ca loko ca, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan”ti.

Santeke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino: “The self and the cosmos are made by both oneself and another.” “sayaṅkato ca paraṅkato ca attā ca loko ca, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan”ti.

Santi paneke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino: “The self and the cosmos have arisen anomalously, not made by oneself or another.” “asayaṅkāro aparaṅkāro adhiccasamuppanno attā ca loko ca, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan”ti.

Santeke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino: “Pleasure and pain are eternal, and the self and the cosmos.” “sassataṁ sukhadukkhaṁ attā ca loko ca, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan”ti.

Santi paneke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino: “Pleasure and pain are not eternal, and the self and the cosmos.” “asassataṁ sukhadukkhaṁ attā ca loko ca, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan”ti.

Santeke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino: “Pleasure and pain are both eternal and not eternal, and the self and the cosmos.” “sassatañca asassatañca sukhadukkhaṁ attā ca loko ca, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan”ti.

Santi paneke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino: “Pleasure and pain are neither eternal nor not eternal, and the self and the cosmos.” “neva sassataṁ nāsassataṁ sukhadukkhaṁ attā ca loko ca, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan”ti.

Santeke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino: “Pleasure and pain are made by oneself, and the self and the cosmos.” “sayaṅkataṁ sukhadukkhaṁ attā ca loko ca, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan”ti.

Santi paneke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino: “Pleasure and pain are made by another, and the self and the cosmos.” “paraṅkataṁ sukhadukkhaṁ attā ca loko ca, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan”ti.

Santeke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino: “Pleasure and pain are made by both oneself and another, and the self and the cosmos.” “sayaṅkatañca paraṅkatañca sukhadukkhaṁ attā ca loko ca, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan”ti.

Santi paneke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino: “Pleasure and pain have arisen anomalously, not made by oneself or another, and the self and the cosmos.” “asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ attā ca loko ca, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan”ti.

They were fighting, quarreling, and disputing, continually wounding each other with barbed words: Te bhaṇḍanajātā kalahajātā vivādāpannā aññamaññaṁ mukhasattīhi vitudantā viharanti: “Such is Truth, such is not Truth! “ediso dhammo, nediso dhammo; Such is not Truth, such is Truth!” nediso dhammo, ediso dhammo”ti.

Then several mendicants robed up in the morning and, taking their bowls and robes, entered Sāvatthī for alms. Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiṁ piṇḍāya pāvisiṁsu. Then, after the meal, when they returned from almsround, they went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what was happening. Sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:

“Idha, bhante, sambahulā nānātitthiyasamaṇabrāhmaṇaparibbājakā sāvatthiyaṁ paṭivasanti nānādiṭṭhikā nānākhantikā nānārucikā nānādiṭṭhinissayanissitā.

Santeke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino: ‘sassato attā ca loko ca, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan’ti …pe… te bhaṇḍanajātā kalahajātā vivādāpannā aññamaññaṁ mukhasattīhi vitudantā viharanti: ‘ediso dhammo, nediso dhammo; nediso dhammo, ediso dhammo’”ti.

“Aññatitthiyā, bhikkhave, paribbājakā andhā acakkhukā; atthaṁ na jānanti anatthaṁ na jānanti, dhammaṁ na jānanti adhammaṁ na jānanti. Te atthaṁ ajānantā anatthaṁ ajānantā, dhammaṁ ajānantā adhammaṁ ajānantā bhaṇḍanajātā kalahajātā vivādāpannā aññamaññaṁ mukhasattīhi vitudantā viharanti: ‘ediso dhammo, nediso dhammo; nediso dhammo, ediso dhammo’”ti.

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment: Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:

“Some ascetics and brahmins, it seems, “Imesu kira sajjanti, cling to these things. eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā; They founder in mid-stream, Antarāva visīdanti, without reaching that firm footing.” appatvāva tamogadhan”ti.

Pañcamaṁ.