[278] "Bhikkhus, here some misguided men (moghapurisā) learn the Dhamma—the discourses (sutta), the mixed prose and verse (geyya), the expositions (veyyākaraṇa), the verses (gāthā), the inspired utterances (udāna), the quotations (itivuttaka), the birth stories (jātaka), the marvellous accounts (abbhūtadhamma), and the questions-and-answers (vedalla). Having learned that Dhamma, they do not examine the meaning of those teachings with wisdom; and for those who do not examine the meaning with wisdom, those teachings do not gain acceptance through reflection (nijjhānaṃ khamanti). They learn the Dhamma only for the advantage of criticizing others (upārambha) and for the advantage of winning release in debate (itivādappamokkha), and the purpose for the sake of which they learn the Dhamma—that purpose they do not experience. Those teachings, being wrongly grasped by them, lead to their harm and to suffering (dukkha) for a long time. For what reason? Because, bhikkhus, of the wrong grasp of the teachings.
"Bhikkhus, suppose a man in need of a snake (alagadda), seeking a snake, wandering in search of a snake, were to see a large snake and grasp it by its coils or by its tail. That snake, turning back upon him, would bite him on the hand, or on the arm, or on some other limb great or small, and on that account he would incur death or death-like suffering. For what reason? Because, bhikkhus, of his wrong grasp of the snake. Just so, bhikkhus, here some misguided men learn the Dhamma—the discourses, the mixed prose and verse, the expositions, the verses, the inspired utterances, the quotations, the birth stories, the marvellous accounts, and the questions-and-answers. Having learned that Dhamma, they do not examine the meaning of those teachings with wisdom; and for those who do not examine the meaning with wisdom, those teachings do not gain acceptance through reflection. They learn the Dhamma only for the advantage of criticizing others and for the advantage of winning release in debate, and the purpose for the sake of which they learn the Dhamma—that purpose they do not experience. Those teachings, being wrongly grasped by them, lead to their harm and to suffering for a long time. For what reason? Because, bhikkhus, of the wrong grasp of the teachings.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.