“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, kiṁogadhā sabbe dhammā, kiṁpariyosānā 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 all phenomena come into being? 3.) From what do all phenomena arise? 4.) Upon what do all phenomena converge? 5.) By what are all phenomena headed? 6.) What exercises authority over all phenomena? 7.) By what are all phenomena surpassed? 8.) What is the |essence::core, heartwood [sāra]| of all phenomena? 9.) What are all phenomena grounded upon? 10.) What is the culmination of all phenomena?’ Being asked thus, |bhikkhus,::::| how would you answer those wanderers of other sects?”
“Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā bhagavaṁnettikā bhagavaṁpaṭisaraṇā. Sādhu vata, 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, 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, kiṁ adhipateyyā sabbe dhammā, kiṁuttarā sabbe dhammā, kiṁsārā sabbe dhammā, kiṁogadhā sabbe dhammā, kiṁpariyosānā sabbe dhammā’ti,
“|Bhikkhus,::::| if wanderers of other sects were to ask you thus: ‘In what, friends, are all phenomena rooted? Through what do all phenomena come into being? From what do all phenomena arise? Upon what do all phenomena converge? By what are all phenomena headed? What exercises authority over all phenomena? By what are all phenomena surpassed? What is the |essence::core, heartwood [sāra]| of all phenomena? What are all phenomena grounded upon? What is the culmination 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, amatogadhā sabbe dhammā, nibbānapariyosānā 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.) All phenomena come into being through |steering of attention::focusing, bringing-to-mind; lit. making in mind [manasikāra]|. 3.) All phenomena arise from |contact::sense impingement, raw experience, touch [phassa]|. 4.) All phenomena 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.) All phenomena are headed by |collectedness::stability of mind, stillness of mind, mental composure [samādhi]|. 6.) Mindfulness exercises authority over all phenomena. 7.) All phenomena are surpassed by wisdom. 8.) Liberation is the |essence::core, heartwood [sāra]| of all phenomena. 9.) All phenomena are grounded upon the |deathless::deathless state, epithet of Nibbāna [amata]|. 10.) |Nibbāna::complete cooling, letting go of everything, deathless, freedom from calamity, the non-disintegrating; lit. blowing away [nibbāna]| is the culmination of all phenomena.’ Being asked thus, |bhikkhus,::::| you should answer those wanderers of other sects in this way.”