[96] "On one occasion, venerable sir, I approached Ajita Kesakambala; having approached, I exchanged greetings with Ajita Kesakambala, and when the courteous and memorable talk was concluded, I sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, venerable sir, I said to Ajita Kesakambala: 'Just as, good Ajita, these many fields of craft … Is it possible, good Ajita, in the same way, to point out a fruit of the ascetic life that is visible here and now, in this very life?'
"When this was said, venerable sir, Ajita Kesakambala said this to me: 'Great king, there is nothing given, nothing offered, nothing sacrificed; there is no fruit or result of deeds well done or ill done; there is no this world, no other world; there is no mother, no father; there are no beings spontaneously reborn (opapātika); there are in the world no ascetics and brahmins who have fared rightly and practiced rightly, who, having realized this world and the other world for themselves by direct knowledge, make them known. This person is composed of the four great elements (dhātu). When he dies, the earth returns to and merges with the body of earth; the water returns to and merges with the body of water; the fire returns to and merges with the body of fire; the air returns to and merges with the body of air; the faculties pass over into space. Men with the bier as fifth carry him away; the footsteps are discerned only as far as the charnel ground; the bones become pigeon-gray; the oblations end in ashes. This giving is a doctrine laid down by fools; the words of any who assert that there is [such fruit] are empty, false prattle. Fools and wise alike, with the breaking up of the body, are annihilated and destroyed; they do not exist after death.'
"Thus, venerable sir, when asked about the fruit of the ascetic life visible here and now, Ajita Kesakambala declared annihilation (uccheda). Just as if, venerable sir, a person asked about a mango were to answer about a breadfruit, or asked about a breadfruit were to answer about a mango, even so, venerable sir, when asked about the fruit of the ascetic life visible here and now, Ajita Kesakambala declared annihilation. Then, venerable sir, this occurred to me: 'How indeed could one such as I think to disparage an ascetic or brahmin dwelling in my realm?' So I, venerable sir, neither delighted in nor rejected the statement of Ajita Kesakambala; neither delighting in it nor rejecting it, though displeased, without uttering any word of displeasure, neither taking up that statement nor casting it aside, I rose from my seat and departed."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.