3.
The First Discourse on Sāriputta and Koṭṭhika
412.
On one occasion the Venerable Sāriputta and the Venerable Mahākoṭṭhika were dwelling at Bārāṇasī in the Deer Park at Isipatana.
Then the Venerable Mahākoṭṭhika, in the evening, having emerged from seclusion, approached the Venerable Sāriputta;
having approached, he exchanged friendly greetings with the Venerable Sāriputta.
Having concluded the pleasant and memorable talk, he sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, the Venerable Mahākoṭṭhika said this to the Venerable Sāriputta -
"Now what, friend Sāriputta, does the Truth-finder exist after death?" "This, friend, has been left undeclared by the Blessed One - 'The Truth-finder exists after death.'" "But what, friend, does the Truth-finder not exist after death?" "This too, friend, has been left undeclared by the Blessed One - 'The Truth-finder does not exist after death.'" "Now what, friend, does the Truth-finder both exist and not exist after death?" "This, friend, has been left undeclared by the Blessed One - 'The Truth-finder both exists and does not exist after death.'" "But what, friend, does the Truth-finder neither exist nor not exist after death?" "This too, friend, has been left undeclared by the Blessed One - 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death.'"
"When asked 'Now what, friend, does the Truth-finder exist after death?' you say 'This, friend, has been left undeclared by the Blessed One - the Truth-finder exists after death' you say, etc. When asked 'But what, friend, does the Truth-finder neither exist nor not exist after death?' - 'This too, friend, has been left undeclared by the Blessed One - the Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death' - you say. What now, friend, is the cause, what is the condition, why this has been left undeclared by the Blessed One?"
"'The Truth-finder exists after death,' friend, this pertains to matter. 'The Truth-finder does not exist after death,' this pertains to matter. 'The Truth-finder both exists and does not exist after death,' this pertains to matter. 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death,' this pertains to matter. 'The Truth-finder exists after death,' friend, this pertains to feeling. 'The Truth-finder does not exist after death,' this pertains to feeling. 'The Truth-finder both exists and does not exist after death,' this pertains to feeling. 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death,' this pertains to feeling. 'The Truth-finder exists after death,' friend, this pertains to perception. 'The Truth-finder does not exist after death,' this pertains to perception. 'The Truth-finder both exists and does not exist after death,' this pertains to perception. 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death,' this pertains to perception. 'The Truth-finder exists after death,' friend, this pertains to activities. 'The Truth-finder does not exist after death,' this pertains to activities. 'The Truth-finder both exists and does not exist after death,' this pertains to activities. 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death,' this pertains to activities. 'The Truth-finder exists after death,' friend, this pertains to consciousness. 'The Truth-finder does not exist after death,' this pertains to consciousness. 'The Truth-finder both exists and does not exist after death,' this pertains to consciousness. 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death,' this pertains to consciousness. This, friend, is the cause, this is the condition, why this has been left undeclared by the Blessed One." The third.