[42] "And on the fourth ground, what do those honorable ascetics and brahmins depend upon, what do they take as their starting point, that, being endless equivocators (amarāvikkhepikā), when questioned on this or that point they resort to verbal equivocation, to endless equivocation (amarāvikkhepa)?
Bhikkhus, here some ascetic or brahmin is dull and stupid. Because of his dullness, because of his stupidity, when questioned on this or that point he resorts to verbal equivocation, to endless equivocation: 'If you ask me, "Is there another world?"—if it were my view that "there is another world," I would declare it to you thus: "there is another world." But I do not say it is thus; nor do I say it is so; nor do I say it is otherwise; nor do I say it is not; nor do I say it is not not.' 'There is no other world' … 'There both is and is not another world.' 'There neither is nor is not another world.' 'There are beings spontaneously reborn (opapātikā).' 'There are no beings spontaneously reborn.' 'There both are and are not beings spontaneously reborn.' 'There neither are nor are not beings spontaneously reborn.' 'There is fruit and result of deeds well done and ill done.' 'There is no fruit and result of deeds well done and ill done.' 'There both is and is not fruit and result of deeds well done and ill done.' 'There neither is nor is not fruit and result of deeds well done and ill done.' 'The Tathāgata exists after death.' 'The Tathāgata does not exist after death.' 'The Tathāgata both exists and does not exist after death.' 'If you ask me, "Does the Tathāgata neither exist nor not exist after death?"—if it were my view that "the Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death," I would declare it to you thus. But I do not say it is thus; nor do I say it is so; nor do I say it is otherwise; nor do I say it is not; nor do I say it is not not.'
This, bhikkhus, is the fourth ground, depending on which and taking which as their starting point, some ascetics and brahmins, endless equivocators, when questioned on this or that point, resort to verbal equivocation, to endless equivocation.
Bhikkhus, it is on these four grounds that those ascetics and brahmins who are endless equivocators, when questioned on this or that point, resort to verbal equivocation, to endless equivocation. Bhikkhus, whatever ascetics or brahmins are endless equivocators, resorting to verbal equivocation, to endless equivocation when questioned on this or that point—all of them do so on just these four grounds, or on one or another of them; there is none outside of this. … by reason of which those speaking rightly would speak the Tathāgata's praise in accordance with fact (yathābhucca).
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.