[209] Then, not long after those wanderers of other sects had departed, it occurred to the Venerable Anurādha: "If those wanderers of other sects should question me further, answering in what way would I not be one who repeats what those wanderers of other sects have said, but be one who speaks in accordance with what the Blessed One has said; would not misrepresent the Blessed One with what is untrue; would explain in accordance with the Dhamma; and would no legitimate consequence of my assertion come to a position deserving censure?"
Then the Venerable Anurādha approached the Blessed One; having approached … Sitting to one side, the Venerable Anurādha said this to the Blessed One: "Here, venerable sir, I am dwelling in a forest hut not far from the Blessed One. Then, venerable sir, a number of wanderers of other sects approached me … and said this to me: 'Friend Anurādha, as to the Tathāgata — the highest person, the supreme person, the one who has attained the supreme attainment — when the Tathāgata is describing him, he describes him in these four cases: "The Tathāgata exists after death," or "The Tathāgata does not exist after death," or "The Tathāgata both exists and does not exist after death," or "The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death."'
"When this was said, venerable sir, I said this to those wanderers of other sects: 'Friends, as to the Tathāgata — the highest person, the supreme person, the one who has attained the supreme attainment — when the Tathāgata is describing him, he describes him apart from these four cases: "The Tathāgata exists after death," or … or "The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death."'
"When this was said, venerable sir, those wanderers of other sects said this to me: 'This bhikkhu must be newly ordained, one not long gone forth; or if he is an elder, then he is a fool, incompetent.' Then, venerable sir, those wanderers of other sects, having disparaged me with the designation 'newly ordained' and the designation 'fool', rose from their seats and departed.
"Then, venerable sir, not long after those wanderers of other sects had departed, it occurred to me: 'If those wanderers of other sects should question me further, answering in what way would I not be one who repeats what those wanderers of other sects have said, but be one who speaks in accordance with what the Blessed One has said; would not misrepresent the Blessed One with what is untrue; would explain in accordance with the Dhamma; and would no legitimate consequence of my assertion come to a position deserving censure?'"
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.