English
The Blessed One spoke thus: “To what extent, bhikkhus, should a bhikkhu, investigating, investigate for the complete and right destruction of suffering?” “Venerable sir, for us the teachings have the Blessed One as their root, the Blessed One as their guide, the Blessed One as their refuge. It would be good, venerable sir, if the Blessed One himself would clarify the meaning of this statement. Having heard from the Blessed One, the bhikkhus will remember it.” “Then, bhikkhus, listen, attend carefully, I will speak.” “Yes, venerable sir,” those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One spoke thus: “Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, investigating, investigates thus: ‘This manifold, various suffering that arises in the world, old age and death; what is the source, what is the cause of this suffering? Its arising, of what kind, from what source? When what exists, does aging and death occur? When what does not exist, does aging and death not occur?’ He, investigating, thus understands: ‘Indeed, this suffering, aging and death, which arises in the world in various ways and forms, this suffering is conditioned by birth, originates from birth, is born of birth, arises from birth. When birth exists, aging and death occur; when birth does not exist, aging and death do not occur.’ He understands aging and death, he understands the origin of aging and death, he understands the cessation of aging and death, and he understands the path leading to the cessation of aging and death, and he practices accordingly, living in harmony with the Dhamma; this monk, bhikkhus, is said to be fully and rightly engaged in the destruction of suffering, for the cessation of aging and death. Then, investigating further, he investigates: ‘Now, this birth, from what is it conditioned, from what does it originate, of what kind is it, from what does it arise? When what exists, does birth occur? When what does not exist, does birth not occur?’ He, investigating, thus understands: ‘Birth is conditioned by existence, originates from existence, is born of existence, arises from existence; when existence exists, birth occurs; when existence does not exist, birth does not occur.’ He understands birth, he understands the origin of birth, he understands the cessation of birth, and he understands the path leading to the cessation of birth, and he practices accordingly, living in harmony with the Dhamma; this monk, bhikkhus, is said to be fully and rightly engaged in the destruction of suffering, for the cessation of birth. Then, investigating further, he investigates: ‘Now, this existence, from what is it conditioned? ... (and so on) ... This clinging, from what is it conditioned? This craving, from what is it conditioned? Feeling... Contact... This six sense-bases, from what is it conditioned? This name-and-form... This consciousness... These volitional formations, from what are they conditioned, from what do they originate, of what kind are they, from what do they arise? When what exists, do volitional formations occur? When what does not exist, do volitional formations not occur?’ He, investigating, thus understands: ‘Volitional formations are conditioned by ignorance, originate from ignorance... arises from ignorance, has ignorance as its source; when ignorance exists, fabrications exist; when ignorance does not exist, fabrications do not exist.’’ “He understands fabrications, he understands the origin of fabrications, he understands the cessation of fabrications, and he understands the path leading to the cessation of fabrications; he is one who practices accordingly, who lives in harmony with the Dhamma; this, bhikkhus, is called a bhikkhu who is fully committed to the destruction of suffering, to the cessation of fabrications. “When, bhikkhus, a person who is enveloped in ignorance fabricates a meritorious fabrication, his consciousness becomes associated with merit. If he fabricates an unmeritorious fabrication, his consciousness becomes associated with demerit. If he fabricates an imperturbable fabrication, his consciousness becomes associated with imperturbability. But when, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu’s ignorance is abandoned, and knowledge has arisen, then, with the fading away of ignorance and the arising of knowledge, he fabricates neither a meritorious fabrication, nor an unmeritorious fabrication, nor an imperturbable fabrication. By not fabricating, by not intending, he grasps nothing in the world; by not grasping, he is not agitated; by not being agitated, he attains Nibbāna within himself. He understands: ‘Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what was to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being.’ “If he experiences a pleasant feeling, he understands it as impermanent, he understands it as not clung to, he understands it as not delighted in. If he experiences a painful feeling, he understands it as impermanent, he understands it as not clung to, he understands it as not delighted in. If he experiences a neutral feeling, he understands it as impermanent, he understands it as not clung to, he understands it as not delighted in. If he experiences a pleasant feeling, he experiences it disjoined. If he experiences a painful feeling, he experiences it disjoined. If he experiences a neutral feeling, he experiences it disjoined. “He experiences feeling as far as the body lasts, He understands: "I experience a feeling that ends with the body." Experiencing a feeling that ends with life, he understands: "I experience a feeling that ends with life." With the breaking up of the body, after the exhaustion of life, herein all feelings, not delighted in, will become cool. "The physical remains will be left," he understands. Just as, monks, a man, having taken a hot pot from a potter's oven, might lay it down on a level patch of ground. There, whatever heat there is, it would subside right there; the pot's remains would be left. Even so, monks, a monk, experiencing a feeling that ends with the body, understands: "I experience a feeling that ends with the body." Experiencing a feeling that ends with life, he understands: "I experience a feeling that ends with life." With the breaking up of the body, after the exhaustion of life, herein all feelings, not delighted in, will become cool. "The physical remains will be left," he understands. "What do you think, monks? Would a monk whose taints are destroyed generate a meritorious volitional formation, or an unmeritorious volitional formation, or an imperturbable volitional formation?" "No, venerable sir." "But with the complete absence of volitional formations, with the cessation of volitional formations, would consciousness be discerned?" "No, venerable sir." "But with the complete absence of consciousness, with the cessation of consciousness, would name-and-form be discerned?" "No, venerable sir." "But with the complete absence of name-and-form, with the cessation of name-and-form, would the six sense bases be discerned?" "No, venerable sir." "But with the complete absence of the six sense bases, with the cessation of the six sense bases, would contact be discerned?" "No, venerable sir." "But with the complete absence of contact, with the cessation of contact, would feeling be discerned?" "No, venerable sir." "But with the complete absence of feeling..." then, with the cessation of feeling, would craving be discerned?” “No, venerable sir.” “Or, with the complete absence of craving, with the cessation of craving, would clinging be discerned?” “No, venerable sir.” “Or, with the complete absence of clinging, with the cessation of clinging, would becoming be discerned?” “No, venerable sir.” “Or, with the complete absence of becoming, with the cessation of becoming, would birth be discerned?” “No, venerable sir.” “Or, with the complete absence of birth, with the cessation of birth, would old age and death be discerned?” “No, venerable sir.” “Good, good, monks! So it is, monks, it is not otherwise. Believe me in this, monks, be convinced, be free from doubt, be free from perplexity. This is the end of suffering.” First. 2. Discourse on Clinging 52. Dwelling at Sāvatthī… “Monks, when one dwells perceiving delight in things that lead to clinging, craving increases. From craving comes clinging; from clinging comes becoming; from becoming comes birth; from birth come old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair. Thus arises this entire mass of suffering.” “Just as, monks, a great mass of fire might burn with ten cartloads of wood, or twenty cartloads of wood, or thirty cartloads of wood, or forty cartloads of wood. And a man, from time to time, would throw in dry grass, and throw in dry cow dung, and throw in dry wood. Thus, monks, that great mass of fire, nourished by that, sustained by that, would burn for a long, long time. Even so, monks, when one dwells perceiving delight in things that lead to clinging, craving increases. From craving comes clinging… Thus arises this entire mass of suffering. “Monks, when one dwells perceiving danger in things that lead to clinging, craving ceases. With the cessation of craving, there is the cessation of clinging; with the cessation of clinging, there is the cessation of becoming; with the cessation of becoming, there is the cessation of birth; with the cessation of birth, old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair cease. Thus, there is the cessation of this entire mass of suffering. "Just as, monks, a great mass of fire might burn, fed by ten, or twenty, or thirty, or forty cartloads of wood; if a man were not to throw dry grass, nor dry cow-dung, nor dry wood into it from time to time. Then, monks, that great mass of fire, with the exhaustion of its former fuel and with no new fuel being supplied, would die out, being without sustenance. In the same way, monks, when one dwells contemplating the danger in things that lead to clinging, craving ceases.