[384] Sakavādin: The past exists; the future exists?
Paravādin: Yes.
Sakavādin: Was it not said by the Blessed One: "Bhikkhus, there are these three pathways of language (niruttipatha), pathways of designation (adhivacanapatha), pathways of description (paññattipatha), which are unmixed, which were never mixed before, which are not mixed, which will not be mixed, and which are not repudiated by wise ascetics and brahmins. Which three?
"Bhikkhus, whatever form (rūpa) is past, ceased, gone, changed — 'it was' is its reckoning, 'it was' is its appellation, 'it was' is its description; its reckoning is not 'it exists', nor is its reckoning 'it will be'. Whatever feeling (vedanā) … whatever perception (saññā) … whatever volitional formations (saṅkhārā) … whatever consciousness (viññāṇa) is past, ceased, gone, changed — 'it was' is its reckoning, 'it was' is its appellation, 'it was' is its description; its reckoning is not 'it exists', nor is its reckoning 'it will be'.
"Bhikkhus, whatever form is unborn, unmanifested — 'it will be' is its reckoning, 'it will be' is its appellation, 'it will be' is its description; its reckoning is not 'it exists', nor is its reckoning 'it was'. Whatever feeling … whatever perception … whatever volitional formations … whatever consciousness is unborn, unmanifested — 'it will be' is its reckoning, 'it will be' is its appellation, 'it will be' is its description; its reckoning is not 'it exists', nor is its reckoning 'it was'.
"Bhikkhus, whatever form is born, manifested — 'it exists' is its reckoning, 'it exists' is its appellation, 'it exists' is its description; its reckoning is not 'it was', nor is its reckoning 'it will be'. Whatever feeling … whatever perception … whatever volitional formations … whatever consciousness is born, manifested — 'it exists' is its reckoning, 'it exists' is its appellation, 'it exists' is its description; its reckoning is not 'it was', nor is its reckoning 'it will be'.
"These, bhikkhus, are the three pathways of language, pathways of designation, pathways of description, which are unmixed, which were never mixed before, which are not mixed, which will not be mixed, and which are not repudiated by wise ascetics and brahmins. Bhikkhus, even those who lived formerly — Vassa and Bhañña of Ukkalā, proponents of non-causality (ahetukavāda), proponents of non-action (akiriyavāda), proponents of nihilism (natthikavāda) — even they did not think that these three pathways of language, pathways of designation, pathways of description should be censured or repudiated. Why is that? From fear of blame, attack, and reproach" — is there indeed such a discourse (suttanta)?
Paravādin: Yes.
Sakavādin: Then indeed it should not be said, "The past exists; the future exists."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.