With Sāriputta and Koṭṭhita (1st)Paṭhamasāriputtakoṭṭhikasutta

At one time Venerable Sāriputta and Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita were staying near Varanasi in the deer park at Isipatana.Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ca sāriputto, āyasmā ca mahākoṭṭhiko bārāṇasiyaṁ viharanti isipatane migadāye.

Then in the late afternoon, Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita came out of retreat, went to Venerable Sāriputta, and exchanged greetings with him.Atha kho āyasmā mahākoṭṭhiko sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenāyasmā sāriputto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā sāriputtena saddhiṁ sammodi. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side, and said to Sāriputta:Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā mahākoṭṭhiko āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca:

“Reverend Sāriputta, does a realized one still exist after death?”“Kiṁ nu kho, āvuso sāriputta, hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā”ti?

“Reverend, this has not been declared by the Buddha.”“Abyākataṁ kho etaṁ, āvuso, bhagavatā:

“Well then, does a realized one no longer exist after death? …“Kiṁ panāvuso, na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā”ti?

Does a realized one both still exist and no longer exist after death? …“Kiṁ nu kho, āvuso, hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā”ti?

Does a realized one neither still exist nor no longer exist after death?”“Kiṁ panāvuso, neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā”ti?

“This too has not been declared by the Buddha.”“Etampi kho, āvuso, abyākataṁ bhagavatā:

“Reverend, when asked these questions, you say that they have not been declared by the Buddha.“‘Kiṁ nu kho, āvuso, hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti iti puṭṭho samāno, ‘abyākataṁ kho etaṁ, āvuso, bhagavatā— What’s the cause, what’s the reason why they have not been declared by the Buddha?”Ko nu kho, āvuso, hetu, ko paccayo yenetaṁ abyākataṁ bhagavatā”ti?

“Reverend, ‘Does a realized one still exist after death?’ is included in form.“Hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti kho, āvuso, rūpagatametaṁ. ‘Does a realized one no longer exist after death?’ is included in form.Na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti, rūpagatametaṁ. ‘Does a realized one both still exist and no longer exist after death?’ is included in form.Hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti, rūpagatametaṁ. ‘Does a realized one neither still exist nor no longer exist after death?’ is included in form.Neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti, rūpagatametaṁ.

‘Does a realized one still exist after death?’ is included in feeling …Hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti kho, āvuso, vedanāgatametaṁ. perception …Hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti kho, āvuso, saññāgatametaṁ. choices …Hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti kho, āvuso, saṅkhāragatametaṁ. consciousness.Hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti kho, āvuso, viññāṇagatametaṁ. ‘Does a realized one no longer exist after death?’ is included in consciousness.Na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti, viññāṇagatametaṁ. ‘Does a realized one both still exist and no longer exist after death?’ is included in consciousness.Hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti, viññāṇagatametaṁ. ‘Does a realized one neither still exist nor no longer exist after death?’ is included in consciousness.Neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti, viññāṇagatametaṁ.

This is the cause, this is the reason why this has not been declared by the Buddha.”Ayaṁ kho, āvuso, hetu ayaṁ paccayo, yenetaṁ abyākataṁ bhagavatā”ti.