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whoever are of the Khattiya caste. "Brahmins" means: whoever are those who say "bho." "Deities" means: for the disciples of Ajivakas, Ajivakas are deities; for the disciples of Nigaṇṭhas, Nigaṇṭhas are deities; for the disciples of Jatilas, Jatilas are deities; for the disciples of Paribbājakas, Paribbājakas are deities; for the disciples of Aviruddhakas, Aviruddhakas... .)] The deities of elephant-vowed ones are elephants. The deities of horse-vowed ones are horses. The deities of cow-vowed ones are cows. The deities of dog-vowed ones are dogs. The deities of crow-vowed ones are crows. The deities of Vāsudeva-vowed ones are Vāsudeva. The deities of Baladeva-vowed ones are Baladeva. The deities of Puṇṇabhadda-vowed ones are Puṇṇabhadda. The deities of Maṇibhadda-vowed ones are Maṇibhadda. The deities of fire-vowed ones are fire. The deities of nāga-vowed ones are nāgas. The deities of supaṇṇa-vowed ones are supaṇṇas. The deities of yakkha-vowed ones are yakkhās. The deities of asura-vowed ones are asuras. The deities of gandhabba-vowed ones are gandhabbas. The deities of great-king-vowed ones are great kings. The deities of moon-vowed ones are the moon. The deities of sun-vowed ones are the sun. The deities of Indra-vowed ones are Indra. The deities of Brahmā-vowed ones are Brahmā. The deities of god-vowed ones are gods. The deities of direction-vowed ones are directions. Whomever they deem worthy of offerings, those are their deities – for Khattiyas and Brahmins, deities. "They performed a sacrifice here on earth" – sacrifice is said to be a gift of offerings: robes, almsfood, lodgings, medicines for the sick, food, drink, clothing, vehicles, garlands, perfumes, ointments, beds, dwellings, lamps. "They performed a sacrifice" – those who seek, search for, and investigate a sacrifice: robes, almsfood, lodgings, medicines for the sick, food, drink, clothing, vehicles, garlands, perfumes, ointments, beds, dwellings, lamps – they also perform a sacrifice. Those who prepare a sacrifice: robes, almsfood, lodgings, medicines for the sick, food, drink…and so on… beds, dwellings, lamps – they also perform a sacrifice. Those who give, offer, and bestow a sacrifice: robes, almsfood, lodgings, medicines for the sick, food, drink…and so on… beds, dwellings, lamps – they also perform a sacrifice. "Here on earth" means these sacrifices are many, or these sacrificers are many, or these worthy recipients are many. They are diverse. How are these offerings diverse? These offerings are many: robes, almsfood, lodgings, medicines for the sick, food, drink, clothes, vehicles, garlands, perfumes, ointments, beds, dwellings, lamps. Thus are these offerings diverse. How are these offerers diverse? These offerers are many: nobles, brahmins, merchants, laborers, householders, renunciants, devas, and humans. Thus are these offerers diverse. How are these recipients of offerings diverse? These recipients are many and diverse: ascetics, brahmins, the poor, travelers, beggars, supplicants. Thus are these recipients diverse. Here in the world, in the human world, they made offerings – diverse in this world. I ask you, Blessed One, tell me! Questions are of three kinds: questions that illuminate the unseen, questions that compare the seen, questions that cut off doubt. What is a question that illuminates the unseen? Naturally, a characteristic is unknown, unseen, unmeasured, unexamined, undeveloped, unmanifested. One asks a question for its knowledge, for its seeing, for its measuring, for its examining, for its development, for its manifestation – this is a question that illuminates the unseen. What is a question that compares the seen? Naturally, a characteristic is known, seen, measured, examined, developed, manifested. One asks a question for the purpose of comparing it with other wise people – this is a question that compares the seen. What is a question that cuts off doubt? Naturally, one is inclined to doubt, inclined to uncertainty, arisen with perplexity. ‘Is it so? Is it not so? What is it? How is it?’ One asks a question for the purpose of cutting off doubt – this is a question that cuts off doubt. These are the three questions. There are also three other questions: questions by humans, questions by non-humans, questions by emanated beings. What is a question by humans? Humans approach the Buddha, the Blessed One, and ask; monks ask... ...they ask, nuns ask, laymen ask, laywomen ask, kings ask, warriors ask, brahmins ask, merchants ask, workers ask, householders ask, renunciants ask – this is human questioning. What is non-human questioning? Non-humans approach the Buddha, the Blessed One, and ask a question. Nāgas ask, Supannas ask, Yakkhas ask, Asuras ask, Gandhabbas ask, Great Kings ask, Indras ask, Brahmās ask, Devas ask – this is non-human questioning. What is created questioning? When the Blessed One creates a form, mind-made, with all limbs and minor parts, with unimpaired faculties, that created being approaches the Buddha, the Blessed One, and asks a question; the Blessed One answers – this is created questioning. These are the three questions. Also, another three questions: self-benefit questioning, other-benefit questioning, both-benefit questioning. Also, another three questions: present-life-benefit questioning, future-life-benefit questioning, ultimate-benefit questioning. Also, another three questions: blameless-benefit questioning, defilement-free-benefit questioning, purification-benefit questioning. Also, another three questions: past-questioning, future-questioning, present-questioning. Also, another three questions: internal-questioning, external-questioning, internal-and-external-questioning. Also, another three questions: wholesome-questioning, unwholesome-questioning, indeterminate-questioning. Also, another three questions: aggregates-questioning, elements-questioning, sense-bases-questioning. Also, another three questions: foundations-of-mindfulness-questioning, right-exertions-questioning, bases-of-power-questioning. Also, another three questions: faculties-questioning, powers-questioning, factors-of-awakening-questioning. Also, another three questions: path-questioning, fruit-questioning, Nibbāna-questioning. "I ask" means I ask you, I entreat you, I request you, I please you, "Tell me," I ask you. "Blessed One" is a respectful address. This is a declaration… a true designation – that is, the Blessed One. Tell me, tell me! Tell, explain, teach, declare, establish, reveal, analyze, make clear, make manifest! – I ask you, Blessed One, tell me this. Therefore, that brahmin said: “To the Unshaken, the Root-Seer, [thus spoke the venerable Puṇṇaka] I have come with a question; Relying on what, do sages, humans, warriors, brahmins, and those of the deities, perform sacrifices widely here in the world? I ask you, Blessed One, tell me this.” 13. “Whatever sages, humans, [Puṇṇaka, said the Blessed One] warriors, brahmins, and those of the deities, performed sacrifices widely here in the world, desiring this existence, Puṇṇaka; relying on old age, they performed sacrifices.” “Whatever sages, humans.” “Whatever” means all, entirely, in every way, completely, without remainder, without exception, an all-encompassing word – “whatever.” “Sages” means those called sages, whoever have gone forth into the ascetic life: Ajivakas, Nigaṇṭhas, matted-hair ascetics, hermits. “Humans” means people. “Whatever sages, humans, Puṇṇaka,” said the Blessed One. “Warriors, brahmins, and those of the deities.” “Warriors” means whoever are of the warrior caste. “Brahmins” means whoever are those who say “bho.” “Those of the deities” means for the disciples of Ajivakas, Ajivakas are deities… and so on… for those who worship directions, directions are deities. Whoever are worthy of offerings for them, those are their deities – “warriors, brahmins, and those of the deities.” “Performed sacrifices widely here in the world.” “Sacrifice” is called an offering of robes, almsfood, lodging, medicines for the sick, food, drink… and so on… beds, dwellings, lamps. “Performed sacrifices” means those who seek, search for, investigate… and so on… beds, dwellings, lamps, they also perform sacrifices. “Widely” means these sacrifices are wide, or these sacrificers are wide, or these recipients of offerings are wide… and so on… thus these recipients of offerings are wide. “Here in the world” means in the human world, they performed sacrifices – “widely here in the world.” Desiring this existence, Puṇṇaka. Wishing: wishing for the attainment of forms, wishing for the attainment of sounds, wishing for the attainment of smells, wishing for the attainment of tastes, wishing for the attainment of touches, wishing for the attainment of sons, wishing for the attainment of wives, wishing for the attainment of wealth, wishing for the attainment of fame, wishing for the attainment of sovereignty, wishing for the attainment of existence in a great Khattiya family, wishing for the attainment of existence in a great Brahmana family, wishing for the attainment of existence in a great householder family, wishing for the attainment of existence among the Cātumahārājika gods, among the Tāvatiṃsa gods, among the Yāma gods, among the Tusita gods, among the Nimmānaratī gods, among the Paranimmitavasavattī gods, among the Brahmakāyika gods, desiring, approving, longing, yearning, aspiring, thus wishing. Punṇaka, this state of being: wishing for the manifestation of existence here, wishing for the manifestation of existence here in a great Khattiya family... wishing for the manifestation of existence here among the Brahmakāyika gods, desiring, approving, longing, yearning, aspiring, thus wishing – Punṇaka, this state of being. "Dependent on old age, they performed sacrifices," it is said: dependent on old age, dependent on sickness, dependent on death, dependent on sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair.