[323] When this was said, a certain bhikkhu said to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, what is the near shore? What is the far shore? What is sinking in the middle? What is being cast up on dry land? What is seizure by humans? What is seizure by non-humans? What is seizure by the whirlpool? What is inward rottenness?"
"'The near shore,' bhikkhu, is a designation for the six internal sense bases (āyatana). 'The far shore,' bhikkhu, is a designation for the six external sense bases. 'Sinking in the middle,' bhikkhu, is a designation for delight and lust (nandirāga). 'Being cast up on dry land,' bhikkhu, is a designation for the conceit 'I am' (asmimāna).
"And what, bhikkhu, is seizure by humans? Here a bhikkhu dwells associating closely with householders — rejoicing together with them, sorrowing together with them, happy when they are happy, pained when they are pained — and he involves himself in their arisen affairs and duties. This, bhikkhu, is called seizure by humans.
"And what, bhikkhu, is seizure by non-humans? Here a certain one lives the holy life (brahmacariya) aspiring to a certain host of devas, thinking: 'By this virtue, or observance, or austerity, or holy life, I shall become a deva or one among the devas.' This, bhikkhu, is called seizure by non-humans.
"'Seizure by the whirlpool,' bhikkhu, is a designation for the five cords of sensual pleasure (kāmaguṇa).
"And what, bhikkhu, is inward rottenness? Here a certain one is of bad morality, of evil character, impure, of suspect conduct, of concealed deeds — no ascetic though claiming to be an ascetic, not living the holy life though claiming to live the holy life — inwardly rotten, oozing with lust, of a filthy nature. This, bhikkhu, is called inward rottenness."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.