[538] "Therein, bhikkhus, the Tathāgata should be questioned further: 'Do defiled states cognizable by the eye and ear exist in the Tathāgata, or not?' Answering, bhikkhus, the Tathāgata would answer thus: 'Defiled states cognizable by the eye and ear do not exist in the Tathāgata.'
'Do mixed states cognizable by the eye and ear exist in the Tathāgata, or not?' Answering, bhikkhus, the Tathāgata would answer thus: 'Mixed states cognizable by the eye and ear do not exist in the Tathāgata.'
'Do cleansed states cognizable by the eye and ear exist in the Tathāgata, or not?' Answering, bhikkhus, the Tathāgata would answer thus: 'Cleansed states cognizable by the eye and ear do exist in the Tathāgata. I am one whose path is that, whose domain is that; and yet I am not identified with that (tammaya).'
Bhikkhus, a disciple should approach a teacher who speaks thus in order to hear the Dhamma. The teacher teaches him the Dhamma with its ever higher, ever more excellent stages, with its dark and bright counterparts. Bhikkhus, in whatever way the teacher teaches the bhikkhu the Dhamma with its ever higher, ever more excellent stages, with its dark and bright counterparts, in that very way, having directly known a certain teaching here among those teachings, he comes to a conclusion regarding the teachings; he gains confidence in the Teacher thus: 'The Blessed One is a Fully Awakened One; the Dhamma is well proclaimed by the Blessed One; the Saṅgha is practising well.'
Bhikkhus, if others should question that bhikkhu again thus: 'What are the venerable one's grounds, what is his evidence, whereby the venerable one speaks thus: "The Blessed One is a Fully Awakened One; the Dhamma is well proclaimed by the Blessed One; the Saṅgha is practising well"?' — answering rightly, bhikkhus, that bhikkhu would answer thus: 'Here, friends, I approached the Blessed One in order to hear the Dhamma. The Blessed One taught me the Dhamma with its ever higher, ever more excellent stages, with its dark and bright counterparts. In whatever way, friends, the Blessed One taught me the Dhamma with its ever higher, ever more excellent stages, with its dark and bright counterparts, in that very way, having directly known a certain teaching here among those teachings, I came to a conclusion regarding the teachings; I gained confidence in the Teacher thus: "The Blessed One is a Fully Awakened One; the Dhamma is well proclaimed by the Blessed One; the Saṅgha is practising well."'"
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.