Disclaimer: This translation does not guarantee complete accuracy, please confirm with the original page text.
[867 Q] Lord! Are living beings speakers or non-speakers? [867 A] Gautama! Living beings are both speakers and non-speakers. [Q] Lord! Why do you say that living beings are both speakers and non-speakers? [A] Gautama! Living beings are said to be of two types. They are as follows: those who have attained the end of the world and those who have not attained the end of the world. Among them, those who have attained the end of the world are Siddhas, and Siddhas are non-speakers. And among those who have not attained the end of the world (worldly beings), they are also of two types: those who have attained the state of being a Shaleshi and those who have not attained the state of being a Shaleshi. Among those who have attained the state of being a Shaleshi, they are non-speakers. Among those who have not attained the state of being a Shaleshi, they are said to be of two types. They are as follows: those with one sense (stationary) and those with many senses (mobile). Among those who have one sense, they are non-speakers. Among those who have many senses, they are of two types. They are as follows: those who are sufficient and those who are insufficient. Those who are insufficient are non-speakers. Those who are sufficient are speakers. Gautama! For this reason, it is said that living beings are both speakers and non-speakers. 868. [868 Q] Lord! Are beings in hell speakers or non-speakers? [868 A] Gautama! Beings in hell are both speakers and non-speakers. [Q] Lord! Why do you say that beings in hell are both speakers and non-speakers? [A] Gautama! Beings in hell are said to be of two types. They are as follows: those who are sufficient and those who are insufficient. Among them, those who are insufficient are non-speakers, and those who are sufficient are speakers. Gautama! For this reason, it is said that beings in hell are both speakers and non-speakers. 866. In the same way, one should understand continuously (consistently) about all (from those with two senses to the gods in the Vaimānika heaven) except those with one sense. The discussion about all living beings being speakers and non-speakers, presented in three sutras (sutras 867 to 869), analyzes the speaking and non-speaking nature of all living beings, and describes the speaking and non-speaking nature of the twenty-four types of worldly beings from those in hell to those in the Vaimānika heaven. Why are beings with one sense non-speakers? - Because they are devoid of the sense of tongue, beings with one sense are only non-speakers. 1. (a) Pāvaṇāsuṭṭaṁ Bhā. 1 (original text) Q. 214-215, (b) Prajñāpanā. Prameyabodhinī Ṭīkā Bhā. 3, p. 327