“A sensible person reflects on this matter in this way: ‘Some ascetics and brahmins say that there are no totally formless meditations, but I have not seen that. Some ascetics and brahmins say that there are totally formless meditations, but I have not known that. Without knowing or seeing, it would not be appropriate for me to take one side and declare, ‘This is the only truth, anything else is futile.’ If those ascetics and brahmins who say that there are no totally formless meditations are correct, it is possible that it’s a sure bet I will be reborn among the gods who are formed and made of mind. If those ascetics and brahmins who say that there are totally formless meditations are correct, it is possible that it’s a sure bet I will be reborn among the gods who are formless and made of perception. Now, owing to form, bad things are seen: taking up the rod and the sword, quarrels, arguments, and disputes, accusations, backbiting, and lies. But those things don’t exist where it is totally formless.’ Reflecting like this, they simply practice for disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding forms.

There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view: ‘There is no such thing as the total cessation of continued existence.’

And there are some ascetics and brahmins whose doctrine directly contradicts this. They say: ‘There is such a thing as the total cessation of continued existence.’ What do you think, householders? Don’t these doctrines directly contradict each other?” “Yes, sir.”