The Long Āgama Sūtra 25.5

25.5

佛言：「迦葉！彼若言：『沙門瞿曇呵責一切諸祭祀法，罵苦行人以為弊穢。』者，彼非法言，非法法成就，為誹謗我，非誠實言。所以者何？迦葉！我見彼等苦行人，有身壞命終，墮地獄中者；又見苦行人身壞命終，生天善處者；或見苦行人樂為苦行，身壞命終，生地獄中者；或見苦行人樂為苦行，身壞命終，生天善處者。迦葉！我於此二趣所受報處，盡知盡見，我寧可呵責諸苦行者以為弊穢耶？我正說是，彼則言非，我正說非，彼則言是。迦葉！有法沙門、婆羅門同，有法沙門、婆羅門不同。迦葉！彼不同者，我則捨置，以此法不與沙門、婆羅門同故。

The Buddha replied, “Kāśyapa, suppose someone said, ‘The ascetic Gautama criticizes all ritual practices and rebukes other ascetics, considering them corrupt.’ That wouldn’t be Dharma speech that accomplishes the teachings. They would be slandering me, for it’s not a true statement. Why is that?

“Kāśyapa, I’ve seen those ascetics fall into hell when their bodies broke up and their lives ended. I’ve also seen ascetics born in a heavenly good place when their bodies broke up and their lives ended. Sometimes, I’ve seen ascetics who enjoyed the ascetic practices born in hell when their bodies broke up and their lives ended. Sometimes, I’ve seen ascetics who enjoyed the ascetic practices born in a heavenly good place.

“Kāśyapa, I fully know and fully see these two destinies that are places gotten as rewards. Why would I want to rebuke all those ascetics and consider them corrupt? When I correctly say ‘Yes,’ they then say ‘No.’ When I correctly say ‘No,’ they say ‘Yes.’ Kāśyapa, there are ascetics and priests who equally possess the way, and there are ascetics and priest who don’t equally possess the way. Kāśyapa, those who aren’t equal are the ones that I set aside because their teaching isn’t shared with ascetics and priests equally.