[136] 4. Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in the Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park. Now on that occasion many ascetics, brahmins, and wanderers of various sects (titthiya) were residing at Sāvatthī — holding various views (diṭṭhi), of various convictions, of various preferences, relying for support upon their various views.
There were some ascetics and brahmins of such doctrine and such view: 1. "The world is eternal — only this is true; anything else is vain."
But there were some ascetics and brahmins of such doctrine and such view: 2. "The world is not eternal — only this is true; anything else is vain."
There were some ascetics and brahmins of such doctrine and such view: 3. "The world is finite — only this is true; anything else is vain."
But there were some ascetics and brahmins of such doctrine and such view: 4. "The world is infinite — only this is true; anything else is vain."
There were some ascetics and brahmins of such doctrine and such view: 5. "The soul (jīva) and the body are the same — only this is true; anything else is vain."
But there were some ascetics and brahmins of such doctrine and such view: 6. "The soul is one thing, the body another — only this is true; anything else is vain."
There were some ascetics and brahmins of such doctrine and such view: 7. "The Tathāgata exists after death — only this is true; anything else is vain."
But there were some ascetics and brahmins of such doctrine and such view: 8. "The Tathāgata does not exist after death — only this is true; anything else is vain."
There were some ascetics and brahmins of such doctrine and such view: 9. "The Tathāgata both exists and does not exist after death — only this is true; anything else is vain."
But there were some ascetics and brahmins of such doctrine and such view: 10. "The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death — only this is true; anything else is vain."
They dwelt given to quarrels, given to strife, fallen into disputes, stabbing one another with verbal daggers: "The Dhamma is like this; the Dhamma is not like this. The Dhamma is not like this; the Dhamma is like this."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.