Then Venerable Ānanda went up to Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita, and exchanged greetings with him. Atha kho āyasmā ānando yenāyasmā mahākoṭṭhiko tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā mahākoṭṭhikena saddhiṁ sammodi. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, Ānanda sat down to one side, and said to Mahākoṭṭhita: Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando āyasmantaṁ mahākoṭṭhikaṁ etadavoca:

“Reverend, when these six fields of contact have faded away and ceased with nothing left over, does something else exist?” “Channaṁ, āvuso, phassāyatanānaṁ asesavirāganirodhā atthaññaṁ kiñcī”ti?

“Don’t put it like that, reverend.” “Mā hevaṁ, āvuso”.

“Does something else no longer exist?” “Channaṁ, āvuso, phassāyatanānaṁ asesavirāganirodhā natthaññaṁ kiñcī”ti?

“Don’t put it like that, reverend.” “Mā hevaṁ, āvuso”.

“Does something else both still exist and no longer exist?” “Channaṁ, āvuso, phassāyatanānaṁ asesavirāganirodhā atthi ca natthi ca aññaṁ kiñcī”ti?

“Don’t put it like that, reverend.” “Mā hevaṁ, āvuso”.

“Does something else neither still exist nor no longer exist?” “Channaṁ, āvuso, phassāyatanānaṁ asesavirāganirodhā nevatthi no natthaññaṁ kiñcī”ti?

“Don’t put it like that, reverend.” “Mā hevaṁ, āvuso”.

“Reverend, when asked these questions, “‘Channaṁ, āvuso, phassāyatanānaṁ asesavirāganirodhā atthaññaṁ kiñcī’ti, iti puṭṭho samāno: you say ‘don’t put it like that’. ‘mā hevaṁ, āvuso’ti vadesi. ‘Channaṁ, āvuso, phassāyatanānaṁ asesavirāganirodhā natthaññaṁ kiñcī’ti, iti puṭṭho samāno: ‘mā hevaṁ, āvuso’ti vadesi. ‘Channaṁ, āvuso, phassāyatanānaṁ asesavirāganirodhā atthi ca natthi ca aññaṁ kiñcī’ti, iti puṭṭho samāno: ‘mā hevaṁ, āvuso’ti vadesi. ‘Channaṁ, āvuso, phassāyatanānaṁ asesavirāganirodhā nevatthi no natthaññaṁ kiñcī’ti, iti puṭṭho samāno: ‘mā hevaṁ, āvuso’ti vadesi. … How then should we see the meaning of this statement?” Yathā kathaṁ panāvuso, imassa bhāsitassa attho daṭṭhabbo”ti?

“In saying that, ‘when the six fields of contact have faded away and ceased with nothing left over, something else exists’, you’re proliferating the unproliferated. “‘Channaṁ, āvuso, phassāyatanānaṁ asesavirāganirodhā atthaññaṁ kiñcī’ti, iti vadaṁ appapañcaṁ papañceti. In saying that, ‘something else no longer exists’, you’re proliferating the unproliferated. ‘Channaṁ, āvuso, phassāyatanānaṁ asesavirāganirodhā natthaññaṁ kiñcī’ti, iti vadaṁ appapañcaṁ papañceti. In saying that, ‘something else both still exists and no longer exists’, you’re proliferating the unproliferated. ‘Channaṁ, āvuso, phassāyatanānaṁ asesavirāganirodhā atthi ca natthi ca aññaṁ kiñcī’ti, iti vadaṁ appapañcaṁ papañceti. In saying that, ‘something else neither still exists nor no longer exists’, you’re proliferating the unproliferated. ‘Channaṁ, āvuso, phassāyatanānaṁ asesavirāganirodhā nevatthi no natthaññaṁ kiñcī’ti, iti vadaṁ appapañcaṁ papañceti. The scope of proliferation extends as far as the scope of the six fields of contact. Yāvatā, āvuso, channaṁ phassāyatanānaṁ gati tāvatā papañcassa gati. The scope of the six fields of contact extends as far as the scope of proliferation. Yāvatā papañcassa gati tāvatā channaṁ phassāyatanānaṁ gati. When the six fields of contact fade away and cease with nothing left over, proliferation stops and is stilled.” Channaṁ, āvuso, phassāyatanānaṁ asesavirāganirodhā papañcanirodho papañcavūpasamo”ti.

Catutthaṁ.