Ascetics and Brahmins (2)

At Savatthī. “Bhikkhus, as to those ascetics or brahmins who do not understand aging-and-death, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation: it is impossible that they will abide having transcended aging-and-death. As to those ascetics and brahmins who do not understand birth … existence … clinging … craving … feeling … contact … the six sense bases … name-and-form … consciousness … volitional formations, their origin, their cessation, and the way leading to their cessation: it is impossible that they will abide having transcended volitional formations.

“But, bhikkhus, as to those ascetics or brahmins who understand aging-and-death, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation: it is possible that they will abide having transcended aging-and-death. As to those ascetics and brahmins who understand birth … volitional formations, their origin, their cessation, and the way leading to their cessation: it is possible that they will abide having transcended volitional formations.”