“Sace, bhikkhave, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā evaṁ puccheyyuṁ: ‘kiṁmūlakā, āvuso, sabbe dhammā, kiṁsambhavā sabbe dhammā, kiṁsamudayā sabbe dhammā, kiṁsamosaraṇā sabbe dhammā, kiṁpamukhā sabbe dhammā, kiṁadhipateyyā sabbe dhammā, kiṁuttarā sabbe dhammā, kiṁsārā sabbe dhammā’ti, evaṁ puṭṭhā tumhe, bhikkhave, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ kinti byākareyyāthā”ti?
“|Bhikkhus,::::| if wanderers of other sects were to ask you thus: ‘1.) In what, friends, are all phenomena rooted? 2.) Through what do these come into being? 3.) From what do they arise? 4.) Upon what do they converge? 5.) By what are they headed? 6.) What exercises authority over them? 7.) What is supreme among them? 8.) What is the |essence::core, heartwood [sāra]| of all phenomena?’ Being asked thus, |bhikkhus,::::| how would you answer those wanderers of other sects?”
“Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā, bhagavaṁnettikā bhagavaṁpaṭisaraṇā. Sādhu, bhante, bhagavantaṁyeva paṭibhātu etassa bhāsitassa attho. Bhagavato sutvā bhikkhū dhāressantī”ti.
“Venerable sir, our teachings are rooted in the Blessed One, guided by the Blessed One, and have the Blessed One as their refuge. It would be good, venerable sir, if the Blessed One himself would clarify the meaning of this statement. Having heard it from the Blessed One, the bhikkhus will remember it.”
“Tena hi, bhikkhave, desessāmi. Taṁ suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti.
“Then listen to this, |bhikkhus,::::| and pay close attention; I will speak.”
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:
“Yes, venerable sir,” the bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this:
“sace, bhikkhave, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā evaṁ puccheyyuṁ: ‘kiṁmūlakā, āvuso, sabbe dhammā, kiṁsambhavā sabbe dhammā, kiṁsamudayā sabbe dhammā, kiṁsamosaraṇā sabbe dhammā, kiṁpamukhā sabbe dhammā, kiṁadhipateyyā sabbe dhammā, kiṁuttarā sabbe dhammā, kiṁsārā sabbe dhammā’ti,
“|Bhikkhus,::::| if wanderers of other sects were to ask you thus: ‘In what, friends, are all phenomena rooted? Through what do they come into being? From what do they arise? Upon what do they converge? By what are they headed? What exercises authority over them? What is supreme among them? What is the essence of all phenomena?’
evaṁ puṭṭhā tumhe, bhikkhave, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ byākareyyātha: ‘chandamūlakā, āvuso, sabbe dhammā, manasikārasambhavā sabbe dhammā, phassasamudayā sabbe dhammā, vedanāsamosaraṇā sabbe dhammā, samādhippamukhā sabbe dhammā, satādhipateyyā sabbe dhammā, paññuttarā sabbe dhammā, vimuttisārā sabbe dhammā’ti, evaṁ puṭṭhā tumhe, bhikkhave, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ byākareyyāthā”ti.
Being asked thus, |bhikkhus,::::| you should answer those wanderers of other sects in this way: ‘1.) Friends, all phenomena are rooted in |desire::intention, wish, impulse, interest [chanda]|. 2.) They come into being through |attention::observation, noticing, focusing, bringing-to-mind [manasikāra]|. 3.) They arise from |contact::sense impingement, raw experience, touch [phassa]|. 4.) They converge upon |feeling::pleasant, neutral, or painful sensation, the experience felt on contact through eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind; second of the five aggregates [vedanā]|. 5.) They are headed by |collectedness::stability of mind, stillness of mind, mental composure [samādhi]|. 6.) Mindfulness exercises authority over them. 7.) Wisdom is supreme among them. 8.) Liberation is the essence of all phenomena.’ Being asked thus, |bhikkhus,::::| you should answer those wanderers of other sects in this way.”