[567] "Furthermore, venerable sir, I see here certain learned brahmins … learned householders … learned ascetics who are astute, practiced in the doctrines of others, hair-splitters, as it were. They go about, one would think, demolishing views with their wisdom. They hear: 'The ascetic Gotama, sirs, will arrive at such and such a village or town.' They formulate a question, thinking: 'We will approach the ascetic Gotama and ask him this question. If, asked by us thus, he answers thus, we will refute his doctrine thus; and if, asked by us thus, he answers thus, we will refute his doctrine thus.' They hear: 'The ascetic Gotama, sirs, has arrived at such and such a village or town.' They approach the Blessed One. The Blessed One instructs, urges, rouses, and gladdens them with a talk on the Dhamma. Having been instructed, urged, roused, and gladdened by the Blessed One with a talk on the Dhamma, they do not so much as ask the Blessed One their question—how then could they refute his doctrine? Invariably, they ask the Blessed One for the opportunity to go forth from the household life into homelessness. The Blessed One gives them the going forth. Having thus gone forth, dwelling withdrawn, diligent, ardent (ātāpī), and resolute, before long they realize for themselves with direct knowledge (abhiññā), in this very life, that unsurpassed culmination of the holy life for the sake of which clansmen rightly go forth from the household life into homelessness, and having entered upon it, they dwell therein. They say thus: 'Indeed, sirs, we were lost! For formerly, though not being ascetics at all, we claimed, "We are ascetics"; though not being brahmins at all, we claimed, "We are brahmins"; though not being arahants at all, we claimed, "We are arahants." But now indeed we are ascetics, now indeed we are brahmins, now indeed we are arahants.' This too, venerable sir, is my inference in accordance with the Dhamma (dhammanvaya) regarding the Blessed One: 'The Blessed One is a Fully Awakened One, the Dhamma is well proclaimed by the Blessed One, the Saṅgha of the Blessed One's disciples is practicing well.'"
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.