Thus I heard:

On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Vesāli in the Hall with the peaked roof in the Great Wood.

Now on that occasion the Wanderer Vacchagotta was staying in the Wanderer’s Park with the single White-lotus Mango tree.

When it was morning, the Blessed One dressed, and taking his bowl and outer robe, he went into Vesāli for alms. Then he thought: “It is still too early to wander for alms in Vesāli. Suppose I went to the Wanderer Vacchagotta in the Wanderer’s Park with the single White-lotus Mango tree?”

Then the Blessed One went to the Wanderer Vacchagotta in the Wanderer’s Park with the single White-lotus Mango tree. The Wanderer Vacchagotta saw the Blessed One coming. Seeing him, he said to him: “Let the Blessed One come, venerable sir; welcome to the Blessed One, venerable sir; it is long, venerable sir, since the Blessed One made an occasion to come here. Let the Blessed One be seated, venerable sir; this seat is ready.”

The Blessed One sat down on the seat made ready, and Vacchagotta the Wanderer took another, lower, seat and sat down at one side. When he had done so, he said:

“Venerable sir, I have heard thus: The monk Gotama is an Omniscient all-seer who claims to have complete knowledge and vision thus: ‘Whether I am walking or standing or sleeping or waking, my knowledge and vision are continuously, unceasingly, maintained.’ Venerable sir, when they say that, do they say what the Blessed One says without misrepresenting the Blessed One with what is not so, do they express dhammas in accordance with the Dhamma, with no legitimate deduction from their assertions that provides in the Dhamma grounds for condemning them?”

“Vaccha, those who say thus: ‘The monk Gotama is an Omniscient all-seer who claims to have complete knowledge and vision thus: “Whether I am walking or standing or sleeping or waking, my knowledge and vision are continuously, unceasingly maintained”’, do not say what I say, and they misrepresent me with what is not so.”

“Venerable sir, how should I answer that I may say what the Blessed One says without misrepresenting the Blessed One with what is not so, and that I may express dhammas in accordance with the Dhamma, with no legitimate deduction from my assertions that might provide grounds for condemning me?”

“Vaccha, if you answer thus: ‘The monk Gotama has the Three True Knowledges’, you will be saying what I say without misrepresenting me with what is not so, and you will express a dhamma in accordance with the Dhamma with no legitimate deduction from your assertion that might provide grounds for condemning you.

“For in so far as I wish, I recollect my manifold past life… with its details and particulars I recollect my manifold past life.

“And in so far as I wish, with the heavenly eyesight, which is purified and surpasses the human, I see beings passing away and reappearing… I understand how beings pass on according to their kammas.

“And by realization myself with direct knowledge I here and now enter upon and abide in the deliverance of the heart and the deliverance by understanding that are taint-free with the exhaustion of the taints.

“If you answer thus: ‘The monk Gotama has the Three True Knowledges’, you will be saying what I say without misrepresenting me with what is not so, and you will express a dhamma in accordance with the Dhamma with no legitimate deduction from your assertion that might provide grounds for condemning you.”

When this was said, the Wanderer Vacchagotta asked: “Master Gotama, is there any householder who, without abandoning the fetters of householdership, makes an end of suffering on the dissolution of the body, after death?”

“There is no householder who, without abandoning the fetters of householdership, makes an end of suffering on the dissolution of the body, after death.”

“Master Gotama, has any householder, without abandoning the fetter of householdership, passed on to heaven on the dissolution of the body, after death?”

“There are not only one hundred or two or three or four or five hundred but far more householders who, without abandoning the fetter of householdership, pass on to heaven on the dissolution of the body, after death.”

“Master Gotama, is there any Ājivaka ascetic who on the dissolution of the body, after death, has made an end of suffering?”

“There is no Ājivaka ascetic who on the dissolution of the body, after death, has made an end of suffering.”

“Master Gotama, is there any Ājivaka ascetic who on the dissolution of the body, after death, has passed on to heaven?”

“In ninety-one aeons back, as I recollect, I have no knowledge of any Ājivaka ascetic who, on the dissolution of the body, after death, passed on to heaven, except one, and he supported the theory that there is action and that there is doing.”

“That being so, Master Gotama, this other sectarians’ basis is empty, even of a chance of a passing on to heaven!”

“That being so, Vaccha, this other sectarians’ basis is empty even of a chance of a passing on to heaven.”

That is what the Blessed One said. The Wanderer Vacchagotta was satisfied, and he delighted in the Blessed One’s words.