[190] When this was said, those brahmins said to the brahmin Soṇadaṇḍa: "Let the worthy Soṇadaṇḍa not speak thus! Let the worthy Soṇadaṇḍa not speak thus! The worthy Soṇadaṇḍa disparages appearance (vaṇṇa), disparages the hymns (manta), disparages birth (jāti). The worthy Soṇadaṇḍa is going over completely to the very doctrine of the ascetic Gotama!"
Then the Blessed One said to those brahmins: "If you brahmins think thus: 'The brahmin Soṇadaṇḍa is of little learning, the brahmin Soṇadaṇḍa is a poor speaker, the brahmin Soṇadaṇḍa is of weak wisdom, and the brahmin Soṇadaṇḍa is not capable of conversing with the ascetic Gotama on this matter' — then let the brahmin Soṇadaṇḍa stand aside, and you converse with me. But if you brahmins think thus: 'The brahmin Soṇadaṇḍa is of great learning, the brahmin Soṇadaṇḍa is a fine speaker, the brahmin Soṇadaṇḍa is wise, and the brahmin Soṇadaṇḍa is capable of conversing with the ascetic Gotama on this matter' — then you stand aside, and let the brahmin Soṇadaṇḍa converse with me."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.