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the meaning of what is not divided, to divide it in detail. What if we were to approach the venerable Mahākaccāna? Having approached, we might question the venerable Mahākaccāna about this matter." Then those bhikkhus approached the venerable Mahākaccāna. Having approached, they exchanged greetings with the venerable Mahākaccāna. Having concluded the courteous and memorable talk, they sat down to one side. Seated to one side, those bhikkhus said to the venerable Mahākaccāna: "This, friend Kaccāna, is what the Blessed One briefly stated, without elaborating the meaning in detail, and then rose from his seat and entered his dwelling: 'From whatever source, bhikkhu, the notions of mental proliferation arise in a person. If there is nothing to be delighted in, nothing to be spoken of, nothing to be clung to there, this is the end of the underlying tendencies of lust... ...these evil unwholesome states cease without remainder there.' To us, friend Kaccāna, after the Blessed One had departed not long ago, this thought occurred: 'This, friend, is what the Blessed One briefly stated, without elaborating the meaning in detail, and then rose from his seat and entered his dwelling: "From whatever source, bhikkhu, the notions of mental proliferation arise in a person. If there is nothing to be delighted in, nothing to be spoken of, nothing to be clung to there, this is the end of the underlying tendencies of lust... ...these evil unwholesome states cease without remainder there." Who indeed could elaborate in detail the meaning of this brief statement given by the Blessed One, the meaning of what is not divided, to divide it in detail?' To us, friend Kaccāna, this thought occurred: 'Indeed, this venerable Mahākaccāna is praised by the Teacher, and esteemed by the wise fellow monastics." among the celibate practitioners. And Venerable Mahākaccāna is able to elaborate in detail the meaning of this brief statement given by the Blessed One, the meaning of this undivided statement. What if we were to go to where Venerable Mahākaccāna is? Having gone there, we could ask Venerable Mahākaccāna about this matter. Let Venerable Mahākaccāna explain it.” 203. “Just as, friends, a person in search of heartwood, seeking heartwood, looking for heartwood, wandering about a great tree standing full of heartwood, might pass over the root, pass over the trunk, and think that the heartwood is to be sought in the branches and leaves; in the same way, while the Teacher is present before you, you pass over the Blessed One and think that this matter is to be asked of us. For, friends, the Blessed One knows what is to be known, sees what is to be seen, he is the eye, he is knowledge, he is the Dhamma, he is Brahmā, he is the speaker, he is the proclaimer, he is the guide to the meaning, the giver of the deathless, the master of the Dhamma, the Tathāgata. And this was indeed the time for you to ask the Blessed One himself about this matter. As the Blessed One would explain it to you, so you should remember it.” “Indeed, friend Kaccāna, the Blessed One knows what is to be known, sees what is to be seen, he is the eye, he is knowledge, he is the Dhamma, he is Brahmā, he is the speaker, he is the proclaimer, he is the guide to the meaning, the giver of the deathless, the master of the Dhamma, the Tathāgata. And this was indeed the time for us to ask the Blessed One himself about this matter. As the Blessed One would explain it to us, so we would remember it. But Venerable Mahākaccāna is praised by the Teacher and esteemed by the wise among fellow celibate practitioners. And Venerable Mahākaccāna is able to elaborate in detail the meaning of this brief statement given by the Blessed One, the meaning of this undivided statement. Let Venerable Mahākaccāna explain it, without considering it a burden.” “In that case, friends, listen, pay close attention. , I will speak." "Yes, friend," those bhikkhus replied to Venerable Mahākaccāna. Venerable Mahākaccāna then said this: 204. "That which, friends, the Blessed One briefly stated as a summary, and without elaborating on its meaning, rose from his seat and entered his dwelling – 'From whatever source, bhikkhu, the notions and concepts of mental proliferation beset a person. If there is nothing to be delighted in, nothing to be spoken of, nothing to be clung to, this is the end of the underlying tendencies of lust... here these evil unwholesome states cease without remainder' – of this brief statement, friends, stated by the Blessed One, the meaning of which was not elaborated, I thus understand the meaning in detail: "Dependent on the eye, friends, and on forms, eye-consciousness arises. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as condition, there is feeling. What one feels, one perceives. What one perceives, one thinks about. What one thinks about, one mentally proliferates. What one mentally proliferates, from that source, the notions and concepts of mental proliferation beset a person regarding past, future, and present forms cognizable by the eye. Dependent on the ear, friends, and on sounds, ear-consciousness arises... Dependent on the nose, friends, and on odors, nose-consciousness arises... Dependent on the tongue, friends, and on tastes, tongue-consciousness arises... Dependent on the body, friends, and on tactile objects, body-consciousness arises... Dependent on the mind, friends, and on mental phenomena, mind-consciousness arises. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as condition, there is feeling. What one feels, one perceives. What one perceives, one thinks about. What one thinks about, one mentally proliferates. What one mentally proliferates, from that source, the notions and concepts of mental proliferation beset a person regarding past, future, and present mental phenomena cognizable by the mind. "So, friends, when there is the eye, when there are forms, when there is eye-consciousness, the designation of contact will be made – this is possible. When there is the designation of contact, the designation of feeling will be made – This is possible. When there is a designation of feeling, it is possible to designate a designation of perception. This is possible. When there is a designation of perception, it is possible to designate a designation of thought. This is possible. When there is a designation of thought, it is possible to designate a designation of the proliferation of perceptions and mental fabrications. This is possible. Now, friend, when there is an ear, when there is a sound... ...when there is a nose, when there is an odor... ...when there is a tongue, when there is a taste... ...when there is a body, when there is a tactile sensation... ...when there is a mind, when there are mental phenomena, when there is mind-consciousness, it is possible to designate a designation of contact. This is possible. When there is a designation of contact, it is possible to designate a designation of feeling. This is possible. When there is a designation of feeling, it is possible to designate a designation of perception. This is possible. When there is a designation of perception, it is possible to designate a designation of thought. This is possible. When there is a designation of thought, it is possible to designate a designation of the proliferation of perceptions and mental fabrications. This is possible. Now, friend, when there is no eye, when there are no forms, when there is no eye-consciousness, it is not possible to designate a designation of contact. This is not possible. When there is no designation of contact, it is not possible to designate a designation of feeling. This is not possible. When there is no designation of feeling, it is not possible to designate a designation of perception. This is not possible. When there is no designation of perception, it is not possible to designate a designation of thought. This is not possible. When there is no designation of thought, it is not possible to designate a designation of the proliferation of perceptions and mental fabrications. This is not possible. Now, friend, when there is no ear, when there is no sound... ...when there is no nose, when there is no odor... ...when there is no tongue, when there is no taste... ...when there is no body, when there is no tactile sensation... ...when there is no mind, when there are no mental phenomena, when there is no mind-consciousness, it is not possible to designate a designation of contact. This is not possible. When there is no designation of contact, it is not possible to designate a designation of feeling. This is not possible. When there is no designation of feeling, one would designate the designation of perception – that is not possible. When there is no designation of perception, one would designate the designation of thought – that is not possible. When there is no designation of thought, one would designate the designation of the arising of proliferation of perceptions and notions – that is not possible. “Friends, the Blessed One gave a brief statement, then without elaborating on its meaning, rose from his seat and entered his dwelling – ‘Monks, from whatever source the proliferation of perceptions and notions assail a person, if there is nothing to delight in, to speak of, or to cling to, that is the end of the underlying tendencies of lust… and there these evil unwholesome states cease without remainder.’ Friends, I understand the meaning of this brief statement given by the Blessed One, which was not elaborated upon, in this detailed way. If you wish, venerable sirs, you may approach the Blessed One himself and ask him about this matter. As the Blessed One explains it to you, so you should remember it.” 205. Then those monks, having delighted in and approved of the venerable Mahākaccāna's words, rose from their seats and approached the Blessed One. Having approached, they bowed to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side,