[803] On one occasion the venerable Sabhiya Kaccāna was dwelling at Ñātika, in the Brick Hall. Then Vacchagotta the wanderer approached the venerable Sabhiya Kaccāna; having approached, he exchanged greetings with the venerable Sabhiya Kaccāna, 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 Sabhiya Kaccāna: "How is it, good Kaccāna — does the Tathāgata exist after death?"
"That, Vaccha, has not been declared by the Blessed One: 'The Tathāgata exists after death.'"
"Then how is it, good Kaccāna — 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 Kaccāna — 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.'"
"Then how is it, good Kaccāna — 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.'"
"When asked, 'How is it, good Kaccāna — does the Tathāgata exist after death?' you say, 'That, Vaccha, has not been declared by the Blessed One: "The Tathāgata exists after death."' When asked, 'Then how is it, good Kaccāna — does the Tathāgata not exist after death?' you say, 'That, Vaccha, has not been declared by the Blessed One: "The Tathāgata does not exist after death."' When asked, 'How is it, good Kaccāna — does the Tathāgata both exist and not exist after death?' you say, 'That, Vaccha, has not been declared by the Blessed One: "The Tathāgata both exists and does not exist after death."' When asked, 'Then how is it, good Kaccāna — does the Tathāgata neither exist nor not exist after death?' you say, 'That too, Vaccha, has not been declared by the Blessed One: "The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death."' What, then, good Kaccāna, is the cause, what is the reason, why this has not been declared by the ascetic Gotama?"
"Vaccha, whatever cause and whatever condition there is for designating him as 'possessing form' or 'formless,' as 'percipient' or 'non-percipient' or 'neither percipient nor non-percipient' — if that cause and that condition were to cease completely and totally, entirely and without remainder, then by what means could one, in designating him, designate him as 'possessing form' or 'formless,' as 'percipient' or 'non-percipient' or 'neither percipient nor non-percipient'?"
"How long is it, good Kaccāna, since you went forth?"
"Not long, friend — three years."
"Friend, one who has gained even this much in such a time has gained much indeed — what need, then, to speak of one who has gone beyond this!"
The Eleventh.
The Abyākata-saṃyutta is concluded.
Its summary (uddāna):
Khemā the elder nun, Anurādha, Sāriputta with Koṭṭhita,
Moggallāna and Vaccha, the Debating Hall, Ānanda,
and Sabhiya as the eleventh.
The Saḷāyatanavagga-saṃyutta is concluded.
Its summary (uddāna):
The six sense bases (āyatana), feeling (vedanā),
womenfolk, Jambukhādaka,
Sāmaṇḍaka, Moggallāna,
Citta, the headmen, the unconditioned,
and the undeclared — thus ten.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.