[796] Then Vacchagotta the wanderer (paribbājaka) rose from his seat and approached the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna; having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, and when the courteous and amiable 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, Master Moggallāna — is the world eternal?"
"That, Vaccha, has not been declared (abyākata) by the Blessed One: 'The world is eternal.'" …
"But how is it, Master 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.'"
"What now, Master Moggallāna, is the cause, what is the condition, why, when wanderers of other sects (aññatitthiyā) are asked thus, they answer thus: 'The world is eternal,' or … or 'The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death'? And what, Master Moggallāna, is the cause, what is the condition, why, when the ascetic Gotama is asked thus, he does not answer thus: 'The world is 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English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.