1.
The Discourse on Not Knowing Matter
607.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park.
Then the wandering ascetic Vacchagotta approached the Blessed One;
having approached, he exchanged friendly greetings with the Blessed One.
Having concluded the pleasant and memorable talk, he sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, the wandering ascetic Vacchagotta said this to the Blessed One -
"What, Master Gotama, is the cause, what is the condition, by which these various wrong views arise in the world -
'The world is eternal' or 'the world is non-eternal' or 'the world is finite' or 'the world is infinite' or 'the soul is the same as the body' or 'the soul is one thing and the body another' or 'the Truth-finder exists after death' or 'the Truth-finder does not exist after death' or 'the Truth-finder both exists and does not exist after death' or 'the Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death'?"
"Through not knowing matter, Vaccha, through not knowing the origin of matter, through not knowing the cessation of matter, through not knowing the practice leading to the cessation of matter;
thus these various wrong views arise in the world -
'The world is eternal' etc.
'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death.'
This, Vaccha, is the cause, this is the condition, by which these various wrong views arise in the world -
'The world is eternal' or 'the world is non-eternal' etc.
'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death.'"
The first.