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भगवती सूत्र शः २ उः१
एतावं ताव आइक्खाहि। वुच्चमाणे एवं तए णं से खंदए कच्चायणसगोत्ते पिंगलएणं णियंठेणं वेसालीसावएणं दोच्चं पि तच्चं पि इणमक्खेवं पुच्छिए समाणे संकिए कंखिए वितिगिच्छिए भेदसमावन्ने कलुससमावन्ने णो संचाएइ पिंगलस्स णियंठस्स वेसालियसावयस्स किंचि वि पमोक्खमक्खाइत तुसिणीए संचिट्ठइ।
Being thus asked with great inquisitiveness by the Vaiśālika-śrävaka Pingala, Skandaka of the Kātyāyana line was in difficulty (about the answer), was in anxiety (as to how to give a correct answer), was in a split (as to what to say), and was in distress (because of his ignorance about these). So he did not lighten his load by giving a suitable reply to the Vaiśālika-śrävaka Pingala, but remained silent. The said Pingala repeated his questions for a second time and then for a third time with the same eagerness :
--Oh Māgadha! Are the spheres with limit...till, by what death does a being enlongen or cut short his stay in (various) existences. It behoves thee to throw light on them.
But on each occasion, being asked by the said Vaiśālika-śrävaka Pingala, Skandaka of the Kātyāyana line was in the (same) difficulty, doubt, anxiety, fix, split and distress, and could not throw light on them by giving a convincing reply. So he maintained his silence.
तए णं सावत्थीए नयरीए सिंघाडग जाव...पहेसु महया जणसंमद्दे इ वा जणवृहे इ वा परिसा निग्गच्छइ। तए णं तस्स खंदयस्स कच्चायणस्सगोतस्स वहुजणस्स अंतिए एयमठे सोच्चा निसम्म इमे एयारूवे अज्झत्थिए चिंतिए पत्थिए मणोगए संकप्पे समुप्पज्जित्था एवं खलु समणे भगवं महावीरे कयंगलाए नयरीए बहिया छत्तपलासए चेइए संजमेणं तवसा अप्पाणं भावेमाणे विहरइ। तं गच्छामि णं समगं भगवं महावीरं वदामि नमसामि। सेयं खलु मे समणं भगवं महावीरं वंदित्ता नमंसित्ता सक्कारिता सम्माणित्ता कल्लाणं मंगलं देवयं चेइयं पज्जुवासित्ता इमाइं च णं एयारूवाइं अट्ठाई हेऊइं पसिणाइं कारणाई वागरणाइं पुच्छित्तए त्ति कटु एवं संपेहेइ। संपेहित्ता जेणेव परिव्वायगावसहे तेणेव उवागच्छइ। उवागच्छित्ता तिदंडं च कुडियं च कंचणियं च करोडियं च