[557] Sāvatthī. Sitting to one side, the wanderer Vacchagotta said this to the Blessed One: "Master Gotama, what is the cause, what is the condition, why these many various views arise in the world: 'The world is eternal,' or 'The world is not eternal,' … or 'The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death'?"
"Vaccha, it is through not knowing (aññāṇa) volitional formations (saṅkhārā), through not knowing the origin of volitional formations, through not knowing the cessation of volitional formations, through not knowing the way of practice leading to the cessation of volitional formations, that these many various views arise in the world thus: 'The world is eternal,' or 'The world is not eternal,' … or 'The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death.' This, Vaccha, is the cause, this is the condition, why these many various views arise in the world: 'The world is eternal,' or 'The world is not eternal,' … or 'The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death.'"
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.