[834] Householders, if wanderers of other sects should question you thus: "Householders, what kind of ascetics and brahmins should be honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated?" — being questioned thus, householders, you should answer those wanderers of other sects in this way: "Those ascetics and brahmins who, with regard to forms cognizable by the eye, are free of lust (rāga), free of hatred, free of delusion, whose minds are inwardly stilled, and who conduct themselves with even conduct (samacariyā) by body, speech, and mind — ascetics and brahmins such as these should be honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated. Why is that? Because we ourselves, with regard to forms cognizable by the eye, are not free of lust, not free of hatred, not free of delusion; our minds are not inwardly stilled; and we conduct ourselves now evenly, now unevenly, by body, speech, and mind. For to us, as we observe it, this very even conduct of theirs is indeed higher [than our own]. Therefore those honorable ascetics and brahmins should be honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated.
Those ascetics and brahmins who, with regard to sounds cognizable by the ear … with regard to odors cognizable by the nose … with regard to tastes cognizable by the tongue … with regard to tangibles cognizable by the body … with regard to dhammas cognizable by the mind (mano), are free of lust, free of hatred, free of delusion, whose minds are inwardly stilled, and who conduct themselves with even conduct by body, speech, and mind — ascetics and brahmins such as these should be honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated. Why is that? Because we ourselves, with regard to dhammas cognizable by the mind, are not free of lust, not free of hatred, not free of delusion; our minds are not inwardly stilled; and we conduct ourselves now evenly, now unevenly, by body, speech, and mind. For to us, as we observe it, this very even conduct of theirs is indeed higher [than our own]. Therefore those honorable ascetics and brahmins should be honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated." Being questioned thus, householders, you should answer those wanderers of other sects in this way.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.