[304] "Well then, chieftain, I shall ask you about this in return; answer it just as seems fit to you. What do you think, chieftain? Suppose men here were to seize a bandit, a criminal, and present him to you, saying: 'Sire, here for you is a bandit, a criminal; decree for him whatever punishment you wish.' You would say to them: 'Well then, sirs, bind this man's arms tightly behind his back with a strong rope, shave his head, and lead him from street to street and from crossroads to crossroads to the harsh sound of a drum; then take him out through the southern gate and cut off his head at the place of execution to the south of the city.' They, replying 'Very well,' would bind that man's arms tightly behind his back with a strong rope, shave his head, lead him from street to street and from crossroads to crossroads to the harsh sound of a drum, take him out through the southern gate, and make him sit down at the place of execution to the south of the city. Now, would that bandit obtain this concession from the executioners: 'Let the good executioners wait until I have gone and informed my friends and companions, kinsmen and blood-relations in such-and-such a village or town, and then I shall return'? Or would the executioners cut off his head even as he prattled on?"
"Worthy Kassapa, that bandit would not obtain from the executioners the concession: 'Let the good executioners wait until I have gone and informed my friends and companions, kinsmen and blood-relations in such-and-such a village or town, and then I shall return.' Rather, the executioners would cut off his head even as he prattled on."
"So then, chieftain, that bandit, a human being, will not obtain from executioners who are themselves human beings the concession: 'Let the good executioners wait until I have gone and informed my friends and companions, kinsmen and blood-relations in such-and-such a village or town, and then I shall return.' How then will your friends and companions, kinsmen and blood-relations — those who kill living creatures, take what is not given, engage in sexual misconduct, speak falsehood, speak divisively, speak harshly, engage in idle chatter, who are covetous, of malevolent mind (citta), and of wrong view, and who, with the breaking up of the body, after death, have been reborn in a state of loss, a bad destination, a place of ruin, hell — obtain this concession from the wardens of hell: 'Let the good wardens of hell wait until we have gone to the chieftain Pāyāsi and informed him: "Thus indeed there is another world, there are beings spontaneously reborn (opapātika), there is fruit and result of deeds well done and ill done"'? By this method too, chieftain, let it be established for you thus: there is another world, there are beings spontaneously reborn, there is fruit and result of deeds well done and ill done."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.