Viyahapannatti 7.3.350

7.3.350

neraiyā ṇaṃ bhaṃte! kiṃ sāsayā? asāsayā?
goyamā! siya sāsayā, siya asāsayā|
se keṇaṭṭheṇaṃ bhaṃte! evaṃ vuccai–neraiyā siya sāsayā? siya asāsayā?
goyamā! avvocchittinayaṭṭhayāe sāsayā, vocchittinayaṭṭhayāe asāsayā| se teṇaṭṭheṇaṃ jāva siya sāsayā, siya asāsayā|
evaṃ jāva vemāṇiyā jāva siya asāsayā|
sevaṃ bhaṃte! sevaṃ bhaṃte! tti|

“Venerable Sir, are the inhabitants of hell eternal or non-eternal?”
“Gautama! In one sense they are eternal, in another sense they are non-eternal.”
“For what reason, Venerable Sir, is it said: ‘The inhabitants of hell are in one sense eternal, in another sense non-eternal’?”
“Gautama! From the viewpoint of non-interruption (avocchitti-naya) they are eternal; from the viewpoint of interruption (vocchitti-naya) they are non-eternal. For that reason, up to: in one sense eternal, in another sense non-eternal.
In this way, up to the celestial beings, up to: in another sense non-eternal.”
“That is so, Venerable Sir! That is so, Venerable Sir!”