English
And disenchantment, monks, I declare to have a proximate cause, not to be without a proximate cause. And what, monks, is the proximate cause of disenchantment? ‘Knowledge and vision of things as they are’ is to be said. And knowledge and vision of things as they are, monks, I declare to have a proximate cause, not to be without a proximate cause. And what, monks, is the proximate cause of knowledge and vision of things as they are? ‘Concentration’ is to be said. And concentration, monks, I declare to have a proximate cause, not to be without a proximate cause. “And what, monks, is the proximate cause of concentration? ‘Happiness’ is to be said. And happiness, monks, I declare to have a proximate cause, not to be without a proximate cause. And what, monks, is the proximate cause of happiness? ‘Tranquility’ is to be said. And tranquility, monks, I declare to have a proximate cause, not to be without a proximate cause. And what, monks, is the proximate cause of tranquility? ‘Joy’ is to be said. And joy, monks, I declare to have a proximate cause, not to be without a proximate cause. And what And what, monks, is the prerequisite for joy? It is to be said: 'Gladness'. Gladness, monks, I say has a prerequisite, not without one. And what, monks, is the prerequisite for gladness? It is to be said: 'Faith'. Faith, monks, I say has a prerequisite, not without one. And what, monks, is the prerequisite for faith? It is to be said: 'Suffering'. Suffering, monks, I say has a prerequisite, not without one. And what, monks, is the prerequisite for suffering? It is to be said: 'Birth'. Birth, monks, I say has a prerequisite, not without one. And what, monks, is the prerequisite for birth? It is to be said: 'Becoming'. Becoming, monks, I say has a prerequisite, not without one. And what, monks, is the prerequisite for becoming? It is to be said: 'Clinging'. Clinging, monks, I say has a prerequisite, not without one. And what, monks, is the prerequisite for clinging? It is to be said: 'Craving'. Craving, monks, I say has a prerequisite, not without one. And what, monks, is the prerequisite for craving? It is to be said: 'Feeling'... It is to be said: 'Contact'... It is to be said: 'Six sense bases'... It is to be said: 'Name-and-form'... It is to be said: 'Consciousness'... It is to be said: 'Formations'. Formations, monks, I say have a prerequisite, not without one. And what, monks, is the prerequisite for formations? It is to be said: 'Ignorance'. Thus, monks, formations have ignorance as their prerequisite, consciousness has formations as its prerequisite, name-and-form has consciousness as its prerequisite, the six sense bases have name-and-form as their prerequisite, contact has the six sense bases as its prerequisite, feeling has contact as its prerequisite, craving has feeling as its prerequisite, clinging has craving as its prerequisite, becoming has clinging as its prerequisite, birth has becoming as its prerequisite, suffering has birth as its prerequisite, faith has suffering as its prerequisite, gladness has faith as its prerequisite, joy has gladness as its prerequisite, tranquility has joy as its prerequisite, happiness has tranquility as its prerequisite, concentration has happiness as its prerequisite, true knowledge has concentration as its prerequisite. Ignorance. The vision of things as they are is a prerequisite for disillusionment. Disillusionment is a prerequisite for dispassion. Dispassion is a prerequisite for liberation. Liberation is a prerequisite for the knowledge of destruction. Just as, monks, when a heavy rain falls on a mountain, that water flowing down according to the slope fills the mountain clefts, crevices, and ravines. When the mountain clefts, crevices, and ravines are full, they fill the small pools. When the small pools are full, they fill the large pools. When the large pools are full, they fill the small rivers. When the small rivers are full, they fill the great rivers. When the great rivers are full, they fill the great ocean. Even so, monks, ignorance is a prerequisite for formations. Formations are a prerequisite for consciousness. Consciousness is a prerequisite for name-and-form. Name-and-form is a prerequisite for the six sense bases. The six sense bases are a prerequisite for contact. Contact is a prerequisite for feeling. Feeling is a prerequisite for craving. Craving is a prerequisite for clinging. Clinging is a prerequisite for becoming. Becoming is a prerequisite for birth. Birth is a prerequisite for suffering. Suffering is a prerequisite for faith. Faith is a prerequisite for joy. Joy is a prerequisite for rapture. Rapture is a prerequisite for tranquility. Tranquility is a prerequisite for happiness. Happiness is a prerequisite for concentration. Concentration is a prerequisite for the vision of things as they are. The vision of things as they are is a prerequisite for disillusionment. Disillusionment is a prerequisite for dispassion. Dispassion is a prerequisite for liberation. Liberation is a prerequisite for the knowledge of destruction. Thus, the third. 4. The Discourse on Other Sectarians 24. He was dwelling in Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove. Then, in the morning, Venerable Sāriputta dressed, took his bowl and robe, and entered Rājagaha for alms. Then it occurred to Venerable Sāriputta: "It is too early to wander for alms in Rājagaha. What if I were to go to the park of the wandering ascetics of other sects?" Then Venerable Sāriputta went to the park of the wandering ascetics of other sects; having approached, he exchanged greetings with those wandering ascetics of other sects... rejoiced. Having exchanged courteous and memorable greetings, he sat down to one side. To venerable Sāriputta, who was sitting to one side, those wandering ascetics of other sects said this: “There are, friend Sāriputta, some recluses and brahmins who are exponents of kamma, who declare suffering to be self-made. But there are, friend Sāriputta, some recluses and brahmins who are exponents of kamma, who declare suffering to be other-made. There are, friend Sāriputta, some recluses and brahmins who are exponents of kamma, who declare suffering to be both self-made and other-made. But there are, friend Sāriputta, some recluses and brahmins who are exponents of kamma, who declare suffering to be neither self-made nor other-made, but arisen by chance. Now, friend Sāriputta, what does the recluse Gotama declare? What does he explain? How, by explaining, would we be speaking in accordance with the recluse Gotama, and not misrepresent the recluse Gotama with what is not true, and explain the Dhamma in accordance with the Dhamma, and no co-dharmic dispute would lead to a blameworthy position?” “Suffering, friends, is declared by the Blessed One to be dependently arisen. Dependent on what? Dependent on contact. By saying this, one would be speaking in accordance with the Blessed One, and not misrepresent the Blessed One with what is not true, and explain the Dhamma in accordance with the Dhamma, and no co-dharmic dispute would lead to a blameworthy position. “Therein, friends, those recluses and brahmins who are exponents of kamma, who declare suffering to be self-made— that too is dependent on contact. And those recluses and brahmins who are exponents of kamma, who declare suffering to be other-made— that too is dependent on contact. And those recluses and brahmins who are exponents of kamma, who declare suffering to be both self-made and other-made— that too is dependent on contact. And those recluses and brahmins who are exponents of kamma, who declare suffering to be neither self-made nor other-made, but arisen by chance— that too is dependent on contact. “Therein, friends, those recluses and brahmins who are exponents of kamma, who declare suffering to be self-made— Indeed, it is not possible that they will experience it apart from contact. And those ascetics and brahmins, proponents of kamma, who declare suffering to be made by another, indeed, it is not possible that they will experience it apart from contact. And those ascetics and brahmins, proponents of kamma, who declare suffering to be made by oneself and by another, indeed, it is not possible that they will experience it apart from contact. And those ascetics and brahmins, proponents of kamma, who declare suffering to be not made by oneself, not made by another, but arisen by chance, indeed, it is not possible that they will experience it apart from contact. Then indeed, Venerable Ānanda heard this conversation of Venerable Sāriputta with those wanderers of other sects. Then indeed, Venerable Ānanda, having wandered for alms in Rājagaha, after his meal, having returned from his alms round, approached the Blessed One; having approached, he saluted the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, Venerable Ānanda reported to the Blessed One the entire conversation that Venerable Sāriputta had had with those wanderers of other sects. ‘Excellent, excellent, Ānanda! Just as Sāriputta, when explaining correctly, would explain. Dependent origination, Ānanda, is what I have declared suffering to be. Dependent on what? Dependent on contact. Saying this, one would be saying what I have said, and would not misrepresent me with what is not true, and would explain the Dhamma in accordance with the Dhamma, and no fellow Dhamma-farer would find any ground for reproach. ‘In this regard, Ānanda, those ascetics and brahmins, proponents of kamma, who declare suffering to be made by oneself— that too is conditioned by contact. And those ascetics and brahmins, proponents of kamma, who declare suffering to be made by another— that too is conditioned by contact. And those ascetics and brahmins, proponents of kamma, who declare suffering to be made by oneself and by another— that too is conditioned by contact. And those ascetics and brahmins, proponents of kamma, who declare suffering to be not made by oneself,