[27] On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park. Then, in the morning, a number of bhikkhus dressed, took their bowls and robes, and entered Sāvatthī for alms. Then it occurred to those bhikkhus: "It is still too early to walk for alms in Sāvatthī. Suppose we were to approach the park of the wanderers of other sects." So those bhikkhus approached the park of the wanderers of other sects; having approached, they exchanged greetings with those wanderers of other sects, and when they had concluded their courteous and amiable talk, they sat down to one side. When they were seated to one side, those wanderers of other sects said to those bhikkhus: "Friends, the ascetic Gotama teaches the Dhamma to his disciples thus: 'Come, bhikkhus, directly know all dhammas; having directly known, having directly known all dhammas, so dwell.' We too, friends, teach the Dhamma to our disciples thus: 'Come, friends, directly know all dhammas; having directly known, having directly known all dhammas, so dwell.' What here, friends, is the distinction, what is the disparity, what is the difference between the ascetic Gotama and ourselves — that is, between Dhamma teaching and Dhamma teaching, between instruction and instruction?"
Then those bhikkhus neither delighted in nor rejected the statement of those wanderers of other sects. Without delighting in it and without rejecting it, they rose from their seats and departed, thinking: "We shall learn the meaning of this statement in the presence of the Blessed One." Then those bhikkhus, having walked for alms in Sāvatthī, after the meal, when they had returned from the alms round, approached the Blessed One; having approached, they paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, those bhikkhus said to the Blessed One: "Here, venerable sir, in the morning we dressed, took our bowls and robes, and entered Sāvatthī for alms. Then, venerable sir, it occurred to us: 'It is still too early to walk for alms in Sāvatthī. Suppose we were to approach the park of the wanderers of other sects.' Then, venerable sir, we approached the park of the wanderers of other sects; having approached, we exchanged greetings with those wanderers of other sects, and when we had concluded our courteous and amiable talk, we sat down to one side. When we were seated to one side, venerable sir, the wanderers of other sects said to us: 'Friends, the ascetic Gotama teaches the Dhamma to his disciples thus: "Come, bhikkhus, directly know all dhammas; having directly known, having directly known all dhammas, so dwell." We too, friends, teach the Dhamma to our disciples thus: "Come, friends, directly know all dhammas; having directly known, having directly known all dhammas, so dwell." What here, friends, is the distinction, what is the disparity, what is the difference between the ascetic Gotama and ourselves — that is, between Dhamma teaching and Dhamma teaching, between instruction and instruction?' Then, venerable sir, we neither delighted in nor rejected the statement of those wanderers of other sects. Without delighting in it and without rejecting it, we rose from our seats and departed, thinking: 'We shall learn the meaning of this statement in the presence of the Blessed One.'"
"Bhikkhus, when wanderers of other sects speak thus, they should be told: 'One question, one synopsis, one exposition; two questions, two synopses, two expositions; three questions, three synopses, three expositions; four questions, four synopses, four expositions; five questions, five synopses, five expositions; six questions, six synopses, six expositions; seven questions, seven synopses, seven expositions; eight questions, eight synopses, eight expositions; nine questions, nine synopses, nine expositions; ten questions, ten synopses, ten expositions.' Being asked thus, bhikkhus, the wanderers of other sects will not be able to make good their answer, and further, they will fall into vexation. For what reason? Because, bhikkhus, that lies outside their domain. Bhikkhus, in this world with its devas, with Māra, with Brahmā, in this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, its devas and human beings, I do not see anyone who could satisfy the mind with an exposition of these questions, except the Tathāgata, or a disciple of the Tathāgata, or one who has heard it from here.
"'One question, one synopsis, one exposition' — so it was said. And with reference to what was this said? Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is completely disenchanted with one thing, completely dispassionate toward it, completely liberated from it, one who completely sees its delimitation, having completely penetrated its meaning, he is one who makes an end of suffering (dukkha) in this very life. With which one thing? 'All beings subsist by nutriment.' Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is completely disenchanted with this one thing, completely dispassionate toward it, completely liberated from it, one who completely sees its delimitation, having completely penetrated its meaning, he is one who makes an end of suffering in this very life. 'One question, one synopsis, one exposition' — when this was said, it was with reference to this that it was said.
"'Two questions, two synopses, two expositions' — so it was said. And with reference to what was this said? Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is completely disenchanted with two things, completely dispassionate toward them, completely liberated from them, one who completely sees their delimitation, having completely penetrated their meaning, he is one who makes an end of suffering in this very life. With which two? With name and with form. Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is completely disenchanted with these two things, completely dispassionate toward them, completely liberated from them, one who completely sees their delimitation, having completely penetrated their meaning, he is one who makes an end of suffering in this very life. 'Two questions, two synopses, two expositions' — when this was said, it was with reference to this that it was said.
"'Three questions, three synopses, three expositions' — so it was said. And with reference to what was this said? Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is completely disenchanted with three things, completely dispassionate toward them, completely liberated from them, one who completely sees their delimitation, having completely penetrated their meaning, he is one who makes an end of suffering in this very life. With which three? With the three feelings (vedanā). Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is completely disenchanted with these three things, completely dispassionate toward them, completely liberated from them, one who completely sees their delimitation, having completely penetrated their meaning, he is one who makes an end of suffering in this very life. 'Three questions, three synopses, three expositions' — when this was said, it was with reference to this that it was said.
"'Four questions, four synopses, four expositions' — so it was said. And with reference to what was this said? Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is completely disenchanted with four things, completely dispassionate toward them, completely liberated from them, one who completely sees their delimitation, having completely penetrated their meaning, he is one who makes an end of suffering in this very life. With which four? With the four nutriments. Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is completely disenchanted with these four things, completely dispassionate toward them, completely liberated from them, one who completely sees their delimitation, having completely penetrated their meaning, he is one who makes an end of suffering in this very life. 'Four questions, four synopses, four expositions' — when this was said, it was with reference to this that it was said.
"'Five questions, five synopses, five expositions' — so it was said. And with reference to what was this said? Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is completely disenchanted with five things, completely dispassionate toward them, completely liberated from them, one who completely sees their delimitation, having completely penetrated their meaning, he is one who makes an end of suffering in this very life. With which five? With the five aggregates subject to clinging. Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is completely disenchanted with these five things, completely dispassionate toward them, completely liberated from them, one who completely sees their delimitation, having completely penetrated their meaning, he is one who makes an end of suffering in this very life. 'Five questions, five synopses, five expositions' — when this was said, it was with reference to this that it was said.
"'Six questions, six synopses, six expositions' — so it was said. And with reference to what was this said? Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is completely disenchanted with six things, completely dispassionate toward them, completely liberated from them, one who completely sees their delimitation, having completely penetrated their meaning, he is one who makes an end of suffering in this very life. With which six? With the six internal sense bases (āyatana). Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is completely disenchanted with these six things, completely dispassionate toward them, completely liberated from them, one who completely sees their delimitation, having completely penetrated their meaning, he is one who makes an end of suffering in this very life. 'Six questions, six synopses, six expositions' — when this was said, it was with reference to this that it was said.
"'Seven questions, seven synopses, seven expositions' — so it was said. And with reference to what was this said? Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is completely disenchanted with seven things, completely dispassionate toward them, completely liberated from them, one who completely sees their delimitation, having completely penetrated their meaning, he is one who makes an end of suffering in this very life. With which seven? With the seven stations of consciousness. Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is completely disenchanted with these seven things, completely dispassionate toward them, completely liberated from them, one who completely sees their delimitation, having completely penetrated their meaning, he is one who makes an end of suffering in this very life. 'Seven questions, seven synopses, seven expositions' — when this was said, it was with reference to this that it was said.
"'Eight questions, eight synopses, eight expositions' — so it was said. And with reference to what was this said? Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is completely disenchanted with eight things, completely dispassionate toward them, completely liberated from them, one who completely sees their delimitation, having completely penetrated their meaning, he is one who makes an end of suffering in this very life. With which eight? With the eight worldly conditions. Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is completely disenchanted with these eight things, completely dispassionate toward them, completely liberated from them, one who completely sees their delimitation, having completely penetrated their meaning, he is one who makes an end of suffering in this very life. 'Eight questions, eight synopses, eight expositions' — when this was said, it was with reference to this that it was said.
"'Nine questions, nine synopses, nine expositions' — so it was said. And with reference to what was this said? Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is completely disenchanted with nine things, completely dispassionate toward them, completely liberated from them, one who completely sees their delimitation, having completely penetrated their meaning, he is one who makes an end of suffering in this very life. With which nine? With the nine abodes of beings. Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is completely disenchanted with these nine things, completely dispassionate toward them, completely liberated from them, one who completely sees their delimitation, having completely penetrated their meaning, he is one who makes an end of suffering in this very life. 'Nine questions, nine synopses, nine expositions' — when this was said, it was with reference to this that it was said.
"'Ten questions, ten synopses, ten expositions' — so it was said. And with reference to what was this said? Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is completely disenchanted with ten things, completely dispassionate toward them, completely liberated from them, one who completely sees their delimitation, having completely penetrated their meaning, he is one who makes an end of suffering in this very life. With which ten? With the ten unwholesome courses of action. Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is completely disenchanted with these ten things, completely dispassionate toward them, completely liberated from them, one who completely sees their delimitation, having completely penetrated their meaning, he is one who makes an end of suffering in this very life. 'Ten questions, ten synopses, ten expositions' — when this was said, it was with reference to this that it was said."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.