[700] **"I ask you, Kinsman of the Sun (ādiccabandhu)"** — as to "asking" (pucchā): there are three kinds of question: a question to illuminate what has not been seen, a question to compare notes on what has been seen, and a question to cut off uncertainty.
What is a question to illuminate what has not been seen? A characteristic is by nature unknown, unseen, unweighed, unjudged, not evident, not elucidated; one asks a question for the knowing, for the seeing, for the weighing, for the judging, for the elucidating of it. This is a question to illuminate what has not been seen.
What is a question to compare notes on what has been seen? A characteristic is by nature known, seen, weighed, judged, evident, elucidated; one asks a question for the purpose of comparing it together with other wise persons. This is a question to compare notes on what has been seen.
What is a question to cut off uncertainty? One has by nature fallen into doubt, fallen into uncertainty, become of two minds: "Is it so, or is it not so? What is it? How is it?" He asks a question for the purpose of cutting off uncertainty. This is a question to cut off uncertainty. These are the three kinds of question.
There are another three kinds of question: a question by humans, a question by non-humans, and a question by a created figure.
What is a question by humans? Humans approach the Buddha, the Blessed One, and ask a question: bhikkhus ask, bhikkhunīs ask, laymen ask, laywomen ask, kings ask, khattiyas ask, brahmins ask, vessas ask, suddas ask, householders ask, those gone forth ask. This is a question by humans.
What is a question by non-humans? Non-humans approach the Buddha, the Blessed One, and ask a question: nāgas ask, supaṇṇas ask, yakkhas ask, asuras ask, gandhabbas ask, the Great Kings ask, Indas ask, Brahmās ask, deities ask. This is a question by non-humans.
What is a question by a created figure? The form that the Blessed One creates — mind-made, complete in all its limbs and parts, not deficient in any faculty — that created one approaches the Buddha, the Blessed One, and asks a question, and the Blessed One answers. This is a question by a created figure. These are the three kinds of question.
There are another three kinds of question: a question about one's own good, a question about the good of others, a question about the good of both.
There are another three kinds of question: a question about the good pertaining to this present life, a question about the good pertaining to the life to come, a question about the highest good.
There are another three kinds of question: a question about the good that is blameless, a question about the good that is free from defilements, a question about the good that is purification.
There are another three kinds of question: a question about the past, a question about the future, a question about the present.
There are another three kinds of question: a question about the internal, a question about the external, a question about the internal-and-external.
There are another three kinds of question: a question about the wholesome, a question about the unwholesome, a question about the indeterminate.
There are another three kinds of question: a question about the aggregates (khandha), a question about the elements (dhātu), a question about the sense bases (āyatana).
There are another three kinds of question: a question about the establishments of mindfulness (satipaṭṭhāna), a question about the right exertions, a question about the bases of spiritual power.
There are another three kinds of question: a question about the faculties, a question about the powers, a question about the factors of awakening (bojjhaṅga).
There are another three kinds of question: a question about the path (magga), a question about the fruit, a question about Nibbāna.
**"I ask you"** means: I ask you, I beg you, I request you, I entreat your favor: "Declare it to me" — thus, "I ask you."
**"Kinsman of the Sun"** — "the sun" (ādicca) is a designation for the sun (suriya). The sun is a Gotama by clan; the Blessed One too is a Gotama by clan. The Blessed One is a kinsman of the sun by clan, a relative by clan; therefore the Buddha is the Kinsman of the Sun. Thus, "I ask you, Kinsman of the Sun."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.