[614] Then those brahmins approached the brahmin student (māṇava) Assalāyana; and having approached, they said to the brahmin student Assalāyana: "Good Assalāyana, this ascetic Gotama declares purification for all four castes (vaṇṇa). Let the worthy Assalāyana go and debate with the ascetic Gotama on this statement."
When this was said, the brahmin student Assalāyana said to those brahmins: "Sirs, the ascetic Gotama is indeed a speaker of Dhamma (dhammavādī); and speakers of Dhamma are hard to debate with. I am not able to debate with the ascetic Gotama on this statement."
A second time those brahmins said to the brahmin student Assalāyana: "Good Assalāyana, this ascetic Gotama declares purification for all four castes. Let the worthy Assalāyana go and debate with the ascetic Gotama on this statement." A second time the brahmin student Assalāyana said to those brahmins: "Sirs, the ascetic Gotama is indeed a speaker of Dhamma; and speakers of Dhamma are hard to debate with. I am not able to debate with the ascetic Gotama on this statement."
A third time those brahmins said to the brahmin student Assalāyana: "Good Assalāyana, this ascetic Gotama declares purification for all four castes. Let the worthy Assalāyana go and debate with the ascetic Gotama on this statement. For the worthy Assalāyana has lived the life of a wanderer (paribbājaka). Let not the worthy Assalāyana be defeated in a defeat without a battle having been fought."
When this was said, the brahmin student Assalāyana said to those brahmins: "Clearly, sirs, I do not prevail with you when I say: 'The ascetic Gotama is indeed a speaker of Dhamma; and speakers of Dhamma are hard to debate with. I am not able to debate with the ascetic Gotama on this statement.' Nevertheless, I shall go at your word."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.