[58] Bhikkhus, if wanderers of other sects should ask thus: "Friends, in what are all dhammas rooted? Through what do all dhammas come into being? From what do all dhammas originate? Upon what do all dhammas converge? What is the head of all dhammas? What has dominance over all dhammas? What is the supreme of all dhammas? What is the core of all dhammas? Into what do all dhammas merge? In what do all dhammas culminate?" — being asked thus, bhikkhus, how would you answer those wanderers of other sects?
"Venerable sir, for us the dhammas are rooted in the Blessed One, guided by the Blessed One, have the Blessed One as their refuge. It would be good indeed, venerable sir, if the Blessed One himself would make clear the meaning of this statement. Having heard it from the Blessed One, the bhikkhus will retain it."
"Then listen, bhikkhus, and attend carefully; I shall speak."
"Yes, venerable sir," those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this:
Bhikkhus, if wanderers of other sects should ask thus: "Friends, in what are all dhammas rooted? Through what do all dhammas come into being? From what do all dhammas originate? Upon what do all dhammas converge? What is the head of all dhammas? What has dominance over all dhammas? What is the supreme of all dhammas? What is the core of all dhammas? Into what do all dhammas merge? In what do all dhammas culminate?" — being asked thus, bhikkhus, you should answer those wanderers of other sects thus: "Friends, all dhammas are rooted in desire (chanda); all dhammas come into being through attention (manasikāra); all dhammas originate from contact (phassa); all dhammas converge upon feeling (vedanā); all dhammas have concentration (samādhi) as their head; all dhammas have mindfulness as their dominance; all dhammas have wisdom (paññā) as their supreme; all dhammas have liberation (vimutti) as their core; all dhammas merge into the Deathless (amata); all dhammas culminate in Nibbāna." Being asked thus, bhikkhus, you should answer those wanderers of other sects in this way.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.