[115] "Householders, there are some ascetics and brahmins who speak thus and hold this view: 'There is no cause, no condition, for the defilement of beings; without cause, without condition, beings are defiled. There is no cause, no condition, for the purification of beings; without cause, without condition, beings are purified. There is no strength, there is no energy, there is no human vigor, there is no human exertion. All beings, all living creatures, all existent things, all souls are without mastery, without strength, without energy; molded by destiny (niyati), circumstance, and nature, they experience pleasure and pain in the six classes of rebirth (abhijāti) alone.'
"Householders, there are some ascetics and brahmins whose doctrine is directly opposed to that of those very ascetics and brahmins. They say thus: 'There is a cause, there is a condition, for the defilement of beings; with cause, with condition, beings are defiled. There is a cause, there is a condition, for the purification of beings; with cause, with condition, beings are purified. There is strength, there is energy, there is human vigor, there is human exertion. All beings, all living creatures, all existent things, all souls possess mastery, possess strength, possess energy; molded by destiny, circumstance, and nature, they experience pleasure and pain in the six classes of rebirth.'
"What do you think, householders? Do not these ascetics and brahmins hold doctrines directly opposed to one another?"
"So it is, venerable sir."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.