[183] On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove (Veḷuvana), at the Squirrels' Feeding Ground (Kalandakanivāpa). Then the brahmin Vassakāra, the chief minister of Magadha, approached the Blessed One; having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Blessed One, and when the courteous and memorable talk was concluded, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the brahmin Vassakāra, the chief minister of Magadha, said this to the Blessed One: "We, Master Gotama, are of such a doctrine, of such a view: when anyone speaks of what he has seen (diṭṭha), saying 'Thus have I seen,' there is no fault in that; when anyone speaks of what he has heard (suta), saying 'Thus have I heard,' there is no fault in that; when anyone speaks of what he has sensed (muta), saying 'Thus have I sensed,' there is no fault in that; when anyone speaks of what he has cognized (viññāta), saying 'Thus have I cognized,' there is no fault in that."
"I do not say, brahmin, that all that is seen should be spoken of; nor do I say, brahmin, that all that is seen should not be spoken of. I do not say, brahmin, that all that is heard should be spoken of; nor do I say, brahmin, that all that is heard should not be spoken of. I do not say, brahmin, that all that is sensed should be spoken of; nor do I say, brahmin, that all that is sensed should not be spoken of. I do not say, brahmin, that all that is cognized should be spoken of; nor do I say, brahmin, that all that is cognized should not be spoken of.
"For when, brahmin, in one speaking of something seen, unwholesome states (akusalā dhammā) increase and wholesome states (kusalā dhammā) diminish, I say that such a seen thing should not be spoken of. But when, brahmin, in one speaking of something seen, unwholesome states diminish and wholesome states increase, I say that such a seen thing should be spoken of. When, brahmin, in one speaking of something heard, unwholesome states increase and wholesome states diminish, I say that such a heard thing should not be spoken of. But when, brahmin, in one speaking of something heard, unwholesome states diminish and wholesome states increase, I say that such a heard thing should be spoken of. When, brahmin, in one speaking of something sensed, unwholesome states increase and wholesome states diminish, I say that such a sensed thing should not be spoken of. But when, brahmin, in one speaking of something sensed, unwholesome states diminish and wholesome states increase, I say that such a sensed thing should be spoken of. When, brahmin, in one speaking of something cognized, unwholesome states increase and wholesome states diminish, I say that such a cognized thing should not be spoken of. But when, brahmin, in one speaking of something cognized, unwholesome states diminish and wholesome states increase, I say that such a cognized thing should be spoken of."
Then the brahmin Vassakāra, the chief minister of Magadha, having delighted in and rejoiced at the Blessed One's utterance, rose from his seat and departed.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.