[379] [Sakavādin:] "Does the past exist?"
[Paravādin:] "Yes."
[Sakavādin:] "Is that which exists past?"
[Paravādin:] "That which exists may be past, or may be not past."
[Sakavādin:] "Acknowledge the refutation (niggaha): If the past exists, and that which exists may be past, or may be not past, thereby the past is not past, and what is not past is past. As to what you say there — that it should indeed be said, 'The past exists; that which exists may be past, or may be not past; thereby the past is not past, and what is not past is past' — this is wrong. But if it is not so that the past is not past and that what is not past is past, then truly, good sir, it should not be said, 'The past exists; that which exists may be past, or may be not past.' As to what you say there — that it should indeed be said, 'The past exists; that which exists may be past, or may be not past; thereby the past is not past, and what is not past is past' — this is wrong."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.