[40] (2) And on the second ground, in dependence on what, with reference to what, are those honorable ascetics and brahmins endless equivocators (amarāvikkhepikā), who, when asked a question on this or that point, resort to verbal equivocation (vācāvikkhepa), to endless equivocation?
Bhikkhus, here some ascetic or brahmin does not understand as it really is (yathābhūta): 'This is skillful (kusala)'; he does not understand as it really is: 'This is unskillful (akusala).' It occurs to him thus: 'I do not understand as it really is: "This is skillful"; I do not understand as it really is: "This is unskillful." Now if I, not understanding as it really is "This is skillful," not understanding as it really is "This is unskillful," were to declare "This is skillful," or were to declare "This is unskillful," desire (chanda) or lust (rāga) or hatred (dosa) or aversion (paṭigha) might arise in me with regard to that. Where desire or lust or hatred or aversion might arise in me, that would be clinging (upādāna) on my part; what would be clinging on my part would be vexation for me; what would be vexation for me would be an obstacle for me.' Thus, from fear of clinging, from loathing of clinging, he neither declares 'This is skillful' nor declares 'This is unskillful'; and when asked a question on this or that point, he resorts to verbal equivocation, to endless equivocation: 'I do not hold that it is thus; I do not hold that it is so; I do not hold that it is otherwise; I do not hold that it is not; nor do I hold that it is not not.'
Bhikkhus, this is the second ground, in dependence on which, with reference to which, some ascetics and brahmins, being endless equivocators, when asked a question on this or that point, resort to verbal equivocation, to endless equivocation.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.