At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling in Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park. Then, the wanderer Vacchagotta approached the Blessed One, exchanged greetings with him, and after a courteous and friendly exchange, sat to one side. While seated to one side, Vacchagotta addressed the Blessed One:

"Venerable Gotama, what is the cause and condition for the various kinds of views that arise in the world, such as: 'The world is eternal,' or 'The world is not eternal,' or 'The world is finite,' or 'The world is infinite,' or 'The soul and the body are the same,' or 'The soul and the body are different,' or 'After death a Tathāgata exists,' or 'After death a Tathāgata does not exist,' or 'After death a Tathāgata both exists and does not exist,' or 'After death a Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist'?"

[The Blessed One replied]: "Vaccha, it is from not knowing form, not knowing the arising of form, not knowing the cessation of form, not knowing the practice leading to the cessation of form that these various kinds of views arise in the world, such as: 'The world is eternal,' ... or 'After death a Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist.' This, Vaccha, is the cause and condition for the various kinds of views that arise in the world: 'The world is eternal,' or 'The world is not eternal,' ... or 'After death a Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist.'"