[764] Then the Venerable Anurādha approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. 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; having approached, they exchanged greetings with me, and when they had concluded their courteous and amiable talk, they sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, venerable sir, those wanderers of other sects said this to me: 'Friend Anurādha, when a Tathāgata is describing that Tathāgata—the highest person, the supreme person, the attainer of the supreme attainment—he describes him in terms of these four positions: "The Tathāgata exists after death," or … 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, when a Tathāgata is describing that Tathāgata—the highest person, the supreme person, the attainer of the supreme attainment—he describes him apart from these four positions: "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, this occurred to me: 'If those wanderers of other sects were to question me further, how should I answer so that I would state what has been said by the Blessed One and would not misrepresent the Blessed One with what is untrue; so that I would explain in accordance with the Dhamma, and no legitimate consequence of my assertion would arrive at a position deserving censure?'"
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.