[31] Bhikkhus, therein, as to those ascetics and brahmins who describe the self as non-percipient and free of disease (aroga) after death: some of those honourable ascetics and brahmins describe the self, non-percipient and free of disease after death, as having form; some of those honourable ascetics and brahmins describe the self, non-percipient and free of disease after death, as formless; some of those honourable ascetics and brahmins describe the self, non-percipient and free of disease after death, as both having form and formless; some of those honourable ascetics and brahmins describe the self, non-percipient and free of disease after death, as neither having form nor formless.
Bhikkhus, therein, these reject those ascetics and brahmins who describe the self as percipient and free of disease after death. Why is that? [Because they hold:] "Perception (saññā) is a disease, perception is a boil, perception is a dart; this is peaceful, this is sublime, namely, non-perception."
Bhikkhus, the Tathāgata understands this thus: Those honourable ascetics and brahmins who describe the self as non-percipient and free of disease after death — some of those honourable ascetics and brahmins describe the self, non-percipient and free of disease after death, as having form; some of those honourable ascetics and brahmins describe the self, non-percipient and free of disease after death, as formless; some of those honourable ascetics and brahmins describe the self, non-percipient and free of disease after death, as both having form and formless; some of those honourable ascetics and brahmins describe the self, non-percipient and free of disease after death, as neither having form nor formless. But, bhikkhus, if any ascetic or brahmin should say: "Apart from form, apart from feeling (vedanā), apart from perception, apart from volitional formations, apart from consciousness, I will describe a coming or a going, a passing away or a reappearing, a growth, an increase, or a maturation [of consciousness]" — that is not possible. This is conditioned (saṅkhata) and gross; but there is the cessation of formations. Knowing "there is this," seeing the escape (nissaraṇa) from it, the Tathāgata has gone beyond it.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.