[426] "What do you think, bhikkhus — is form permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, venerable sir."
"But that which is impermanent, suffering (dukkha), and subject to change — could such a view as this arise without clinging to it: 'There is nothing given, there is nothing sacrificed … with the breakup of the body they are annihilated, they perish, they do not exist after death'?"
"No indeed, venerable sir."
"Is feeling (vedanā) … perception … volitional formations … consciousness permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, venerable sir." …
"Could such a view as this arise without clinging to it: 'There is nothing given, there is nothing sacrificed … with the breakup of the body they are annihilated, they perish, they do not exist after death'?"
"No indeed, venerable sir."
"That which is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought after, and ranged over by the mind — is that too permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, venerable sir." …
"Could such a view as this arise without clinging to it: 'There is nothing given, there is nothing sacrificed … [empty is the talk of] whoever assert the doctrine of the existent (atthikavāda); both fools and the wise, with the breakup of the body, are annihilated, they perish, they do not exist after death'?"
"No indeed, venerable sir."
"Bhikkhus, when a noble disciple has abandoned doubt in these six cases, and has abandoned doubt regarding suffering … and has abandoned doubt regarding the way of practice leading to the cessation of suffering — this noble disciple, bhikkhus, is called a stream-enterer (sotāpanna), no longer subject to the lower realms, fixed in destiny, with full awakening as his destination."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.