[252] The Venerable Sāriputta heard: "It is said that those Kosambī bhikkhus (bhikkhu)—makers of strife, makers of quarrels, makers of disputes, makers of contentious talk, creators of legal issues (adhikaraṇa) in the Saṅgha—are coming to Sāvatthī." Then the Venerable Sāriputta approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the Venerable Sāriputta said this to the Blessed One: "It is said, venerable sir, that those Kosambī bhikkhus—makers of strife, makers of quarrels, makers of disputes, makers of contentious talk, creators of legal issues in the Saṅgha—are coming to Sāvatthī. How, venerable sir, should I conduct myself toward those bhikkhus?"
"Well then, Sāriputta, take your stand according to the Dhamma."
"But how, venerable sir, am I to know what is Dhamma and what is not Dhamma?"
"Sāriputta, a speaker of non-Dhamma (adhammavādī) may be known by eighteen grounds. Here, Sāriputta, a bhikkhu:
1. explains what is not Dhamma as Dhamma;
2. explains what is Dhamma as not Dhamma;
3. explains what is not the Discipline (vinaya) as the Discipline;
4. explains what is the Discipline as not the Discipline;
5. explains what was not spoken, not uttered, by the Tathāgata as spoken and uttered by the Tathāgata;
6. explains what was spoken and uttered by the Tathāgata as not spoken, not uttered, by the Tathāgata;
7. explains what was not practiced by the Tathāgata as practiced by the Tathāgata;
8. explains what was practiced by the Tathāgata as not practiced by the Tathāgata;
9. explains what was not laid down by the Tathāgata as laid down by the Tathāgata;
10. explains what was laid down by the Tathāgata as not laid down by the Tathāgata;
11. explains what is not an offense (āpatti) as an offense;
12. explains an offense as not an offense;
13. explains a light offense as a grave offense;
14. explains a grave offense as a light offense;
15. explains an offense with remainder as an offense without remainder;
16. explains an offense without remainder as an offense with remainder;
17. explains a gross offense as an offense that is not gross;
18. explains an offense that is not gross as a gross offense.
By these eighteen grounds, Sāriputta, a speaker of non-Dhamma may be known.
And by eighteen grounds, Sāriputta, a speaker of Dhamma (dhammavādī) may be known. Here, Sāriputta, a bhikkhu:
1. explains what is not Dhamma as not Dhamma;
2. explains what is Dhamma as Dhamma;
3. explains what is not the Discipline as not the Discipline;
4. explains what is the Discipline as the Discipline;
5. explains what was not spoken, not uttered, by the Tathāgata as not spoken, not uttered, by the Tathāgata;
6. explains what was spoken and uttered by the Tathāgata as spoken and uttered by the Tathāgata;
7. explains what was not practiced by the Tathāgata as not practiced by the Tathāgata;
8. explains what was practiced by the Tathāgata as practiced by the Tathāgata;
9. explains what was not laid down by the Tathāgata as not laid down by the Tathāgata;
10. explains what was laid down by the Tathāgata as laid down by the Tathāgata;
11. explains what is not an offense as not an offense;
12. explains an offense as an offense;
13. explains a light offense as a light offense;
14. explains a grave offense as a grave offense;
15. explains an offense with remainder as an offense with remainder;
16. explains an offense without remainder as an offense without remainder;
17. explains a gross offense as a gross offense;
18. explains an offense that is not gross as an offense that is not gross.
By these eighteen grounds, Sāriputta, a speaker of Dhamma may be known."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.