[788] Then Vacchagotta the wanderer approached the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna; having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, and when the courteous and memorable talk was concluded, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, Vacchagotta the wanderer said this to the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna:
"How is it, good Moggallāna — is the world eternal?"
"That, Vaccha, has not been declared (abyākata) by the Blessed One: 'The world is eternal.'"
"But how is it, friend, good Moggallāna — is the world not eternal?"
"That too, Vaccha, has not been declared by the Blessed One: 'The world is not eternal.'"
"How is it, good Moggallāna — is the world finite?"
"That, Vaccha, has not been declared by the Blessed One: 'The world is finite.'"
"But, good Moggallāna, is the world infinite?"
"That too, Vaccha, has not been declared by the Blessed One: 'The world is infinite.'"
"How is it, good Moggallāna — is the soul (jīva) the same as the body?"
"That, Vaccha, has not been declared by the Blessed One: 'The soul is the same as the body.'"
"But, good Moggallāna, is the soul one thing and the body another?"
"That too, Vaccha, has not been declared by the Blessed One: 'The soul is one thing and the body another.'"
"But, good Moggallāna, does the Tathāgata exist after death?"
"That, Vaccha, has not been declared by the Blessed One: 'The Tathāgata exists after death.'"
"But, good Moggallāna, does the Tathāgata not exist after death?"
"That too, Vaccha, has not been declared by the Blessed One: 'The Tathāgata does not exist after death.'"
"How is it, good Moggallāna — does the Tathāgata both exist and not exist after death?"
"That, Vaccha, has not been declared by the Blessed One: 'The Tathāgata both exists and does not exist after death.'"
"But, good Moggallāna, does the Tathāgata neither exist nor not exist after death?"
"That too, Vaccha, has not been declared by the Blessed One: 'The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death.'"
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.