At one time Venerable Sāriputta and Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita were staying near Varanasi, in the deer park at Isipatana. … Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ca sāriputto, āyasmā ca mahākoṭṭhiko bārāṇasiyaṁ viharanti isipatane migadāye …pe…

(The same down as far as:) (sāyeva pucchā.)

“What’s the cause, reverend, what’s the reason why this has not been declared by the Buddha?” “Ko nu kho, āvuso, hetu ko paccayo, yenetaṁ abyākataṁ bhagavatā”ti?

“Reverend, if you’re not rid of greed, desire, fondness, thirst, passion, and craving for form … “Rūpe kho, āvuso, avigatarāgassa avigatacchandassa avigatapemassa avigatapipāsassa avigatapariḷāhassa avigatataṇhassa ‘hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipissa hoti …pe… ‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipissa hoti. feeling … Vedanāya …pe… perception … saññāya …pe… choices … saṅkhāresu …pe… consciousness, you think ‘a realized one still exists after death’ … viññāṇe avigatarāgassa avigatacchandassa avigatapemassa avigatapipāsassa avigatapariḷāhassa avigatataṇhassa ‘hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipissa hoti …pe… ‘a realized one neither still exists nor no longer exists after death.’ ‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipissa hoti.

If you are rid of greed for form … Rūpe ca kho, āvuso, vigatarāgassa …pe… feeling … vedanāya …pe… perception … saññāya …pe… choices … saṅkhāresu …pe… consciousness, you don’t think ‘a realized one still exists after death’ … viññāṇe vigatarāgassa vigatacchandassa vigatapemassa vigatapipāsassa vigatapariḷāhassa vigatataṇhassa ‘hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipissa na hoti …pe… ‘a realized one neither still exists nor no longer exists after death.’ ‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipissa na hoti.

This is the cause, this is the reason why this has not been declared by the Buddha.” Ayaṁ kho, āvuso, hetu, ayaṁ paccayo, yenetaṁ abyākataṁ bhagavatā”ti.

Pañcamaṁ.