[15] "There are, Bhaggava, some ascetics and brahmins who, according to the tradition of their teachers, declare the beginning of things (aggañña) as due to those corrupted by mind (manopadosika). I approach them and say: 'Is it true, as it seems, that you venerable ones declare, according to the tradition of your teachers, the beginning of things as due to those corrupted by mind?' Questioned by me thus, they affirm: 'Yes.' I say to them: 'But in what manner do you venerable ones declare, according to the tradition of your teachers, the beginning of things as due to those corrupted by mind?' Questioned by me, they cannot explain; unable to explain, they question me in return. Questioned by them, I answer:
'There are, friends, devas named Manopadosika (corrupted by mind). They gaze at one another for too long; gazing at one another for too long, they corrupt their minds (citta) against one another. With minds corrupted against one another, weary in body and weary in mind, those devas pass away from that company. Now this is a situation that is possible, friends: that a certain being, having passed away from that company, comes to this state of existence. Having come to this state, he goes forth from the household life into homelessness. Having gone forth from the household life into homelessness, by means of ardour (ātappa) … he attains such a concentration of mind (cetosamādhi) that, with the mind thus concentrated (samādhi), he recollects that former abode, but recollects nothing beyond it. He says thus: "Those honourable devas who are not corrupted by mind do not gaze at one another for too long; not gazing at one another for too long, they do not corrupt their minds against one another; with minds uncorrupted against one another, unwearied in body and unwearied in mind, those devas do not pass away from that company. They are permanent, stable, eternal, long-lived, not subject to change; they will remain just so for all eternity. But we who were corrupted by mind gazed at one another for too long; gazing at one another for too long, we corrupted our minds against one another; with minds corrupted against one another, weary in body and weary in mind, we thus passed away from that company. We are impermanent, unstable, non-eternal, short-lived, subject to passing away, and have come to this state."
Is it in this manner that you venerable ones declare, according to the tradition of your teachers, the beginning of things as due to those corrupted by mind?' They say: 'That is what we have heard, friend Gotama, just as the venerable Gotama says.'
And I, Bhaggava, understand the beginning of things … directly knowing which, the Tathāgata does not come to ruin."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.