And what things have I taught and pointed out that are definitive? ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering’.”

And why have I taught and pointed out such things that are definitive? Because they are beneficial and relevant to the fundamentals of the spiritual life. They lead to disillusionment, dispassion, cessation, peace, insight, awakening, and extinguishment. That’s why I have taught and pointed them out.

There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view: ‘The self is exclusively happy and is sound after death.’ I go up to them and say, ‘Is it really true that this is the venerables’ view?’ And they answer, ‘Yes’. I say to them, ‘But do you meditate knowing and seeing an exclusively happy world?’ Asked this, they say, ‘No.’

I say to them, ‘But have you perceived an exclusively happy self for a single day or night, or even half a day or night?’ Asked this, they say, ‘No.’

I say to them, ‘But do you know a path and a practice to realize an exclusively happy world?’ Asked this, they say, ‘No.’

I say to them, ‘But have you ever heard the voice of the deities reborn in an exclusively happy world saying, “Practice well, dear sirs, practice directly so as to realize an exclusively happy world. For this is how we practiced, and we were reborn in an exclusively happy world”?’ Asked this, they say, ‘No.’

What do you think, Poṭṭhapāda? This being so, doesn’t what they say turn out to have no demonstrable basis?”

“Clearly that’s the case, sir.”

“Suppose, Poṭṭhapāda, a man were to say: ‘Whoever the finest lady in the land is, it is her that I want, her that I desire!’ They’d say to him, ‘Mister, that finest lady in the land who you desire—do you know whether she’s an aristocrat, a brahmin, a merchant, or a worker?’ Asked this, he’d say, ‘No.’ They’d say to him, ‘Mister, that finest lady in the land who you desire—do you know her name or clan? Whether she’s tall or short or medium? Whether her skin is black, brown, or tawny? What village, town, or city she comes from?’ Asked this, he’d say, ‘No.’ They’d say to him, ‘Mister, do you desire someone who you’ve never even known or seen?’ Asked this, he’d say, ‘Yes.’

What do you think, Poṭṭhapāda? This being so, doesn’t that man’s statement turn out to have no demonstrable basis?”

“Clearly that’s the case, sir.”

“In the same way, the ascetics and brahmins who have those various doctrines and views …

Doesn’t what they say turn out to have no demonstrable basis?”

“Clearly that’s the case, sir.”

“Suppose a man was to build a ladder at the crossroads for climbing up to a stilt longhouse. They’d say to him, ‘Mister, that stilt longhouse that you’re building a ladder for—do you know whether it’s to the north, south, east, or west? Or whether it’s tall or short or medium?’ Asked this, he’d say, ‘No.’ They’d say to him, ‘Mister, are you building a ladder for a longhouse that you’ve never even known or seen?’ Asked this, he’d say, ‘Yes.’

What do you think, Poṭṭhapāda? This being so, doesn’t that man’s statement turn out to have no demonstrable basis?”

“Clearly that’s the case, sir.”

“In the same way, the ascetics and brahmins who have those various doctrines and views …

Doesn’t what they say turn out to have no demonstrable basis?”

“Clearly that’s the case, sir.”