[412] Suppose, Bhūmija, a person in need of butter, seeking butter, wandering in search of butter, were to pour water into a pot (kalasa) and churn it with a churning-stick. Even if, having made a wish, he poured water into a pot and churned it with a churning-stick, he would be incapable of obtaining butter; even if, having made no wish … even if, having both made a wish and made no wish … even if, having neither made a wish nor made no wish, he poured water into a pot and churned it with a churning-stick, he would be incapable of obtaining butter. Why is that? Because, good Bhūmija, that is an irrational way to obtain butter. In the same way, Bhūmija, whatever ascetics or brahmins have wrong view … wrong concentration (samādhi) — even if, having made a wish, they lead the spiritual life, they are incapable of attaining the fruit; even if, having made no wish … even if, having both made a wish and made no wish … even if, having neither made a wish nor made no wish, they lead the spiritual life, they are incapable of attaining the fruit. Why is that? Because, good Bhūmija, that is an irrational way to attain the fruit.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.