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with a visible object, or with a sound object, or with an odor object, or with a taste object, or with a tangible object, or with a mind-object, whatever it may be, having arisen, at that time, from wholesome roots arises volitional formation; from volitional formation arises consciousness; from consciousness arises mentality; from mentality arises the sixth sense base; from the sixth sense base arises contact; from contact arises feeling; from feeling arises clarity; from clarity arises decision; from decision arises existence; from existence arises birth; from birth arises aging and death. Thus arises this entire mass of suffering. 299. Therein, what are the wholesome roots? Non-greed, non-hatred – these are called "wholesome roots." Therein, what is the volitional formation conditioned by wholesome roots? That volition, that intending, that state of having intended – this is called "volitional formation conditioned by wholesome roots." ...and so on... Therefore it is said: "Thus arises this entire mass of suffering." 300. What are wholesome states? At the time when one develops the path to rebirth in the fine-material realm, quite secluded from sensual pleasures... ...and so on... one enters and dwells in the first jhāna, with the earth kasina, at that time, from wholesome roots arises volitional formation; from volitional formation arises consciousness; from consciousness arises mentality; from mentality arises the sixth sense base; from the sixth sense base arises contact; from contact arises feeling; from feeling arises clarity; from clarity arises decision; from decision arises existence; from existence arises birth; from birth arises aging and death. Thus arises this entire mass of suffering. 301. Therein, what are the wholesome roots? Non-greed, non-hatred, non-delusion – these are called "wholesome roots." Therein, what is the volitional formation conditioned by wholesome roots? That volition, that intending, that state of having intended – this is called "volitional formation conditioned by wholesome roots." ...and so on... Therefore It is said: "Thus is the origin of this entire mass of suffering." Which states are wholesome? At the time when one develops the path to the formless realms, having entirely transcended the sphere of nothingness, dwelling having entered the fourth jhāna, accompanied by the perception of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, and by the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and by the passing away of former joy and sorrow, which is neither painful nor pleasant, and is purified by equanimity and mindfulness: at that time, from wholesome roots, volitional formations; from volitional formations, consciousness; from consciousness, mentality; from mentality, the sixth sense-base; from the sixth sense-base, contact; from contact, feeling; from feeling, serene joy; from serene joy, decision; from decision, existence; from existence, birth; from birth, aging and death. Thus is the origin of this entire mass of suffering. Therein, which are the wholesome roots? Non-greed, non-hatred, non-delusion – these are called "wholesome roots." Therein, which is the volitional formation from wholesome roots? That volition, intention, the state of intending – this is called "volitional formation from wholesome roots." ... This is called "contact from the sixth sense-base." Therein, which is the feeling from contact? That mental pleasantness, mental happiness, pleasantness born of mental contact, happiness felt, pleasant and happy feeling born of mental contact – this is called "feeling from contact." ... Therefore it is said: "Thus is the origin of this entire mass of suffering." Which states are wholesome? At the time when one develops the supramundane jhāna, leading out, tending to diminish (defilements), for the abandoning of wrong views, for the attainment of the first stage, having quite secluded oneself from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, dwelling having entered the first jhāna, which is accompanied by applied thought and sustained thought, born of seclusion, and filled with rapture and pleasure, with painful practice and slow direct knowledge: at that time, from wholesome roots, volitional formations; from volitional formations, consciousness; from consciousness, mentality; from mentality, the sixth sense-base; from the sixth sense-base, contact; from contact, feeling; from feeling, serene joy; from serene joy, decision; from decision... Becoming is conditioned, Birth is conditioned by becoming, Aging and death are conditioned by birth. Thus is the origin of these phenomena. 305. Therein, what are the roots of skillfulness? Non-greed, non-hatred, non-delusion. Therein, what is non-greed... and so on... non-hatred... and so on... non-delusion? That wisdom, understanding... and so on... non-delusion, investigation of phenomena, right view, the enlightenment factor of investigation of phenomena, a factor of the path, included in the path – this is called "non-delusion". These are called "roots of skillfulness". Therein, what is the volitional formation conditioned by the roots of skillfulness? That volition, intending, having intended – this is called "volitional formation conditioned by the roots of skillfulness"... and so on... this is called "contact conditioned by the sixth sense-base". Therein, what is feeling conditioned by contact? That mental pleasantness, mental happiness, pleasantness and happiness born of mental contact, the felt pleasant and happy feeling born of mental contact – this is called "feeling conditioned by contact". Therein, what is confidence conditioned by feeling? That faith, believing, settling, profound confidence – this is called "confidence conditioned by feeling". Therein, what is determination conditioned by confidence? That determination of mind, resolution, being resolved on that – this is called "determination conditioned by confidence". Therein, what is becoming conditioned by determination? Apart from determination, the aggregate of feeling, the aggregate of perception, the aggregate of volitional formations, the aggregate of consciousness – this is called "becoming conditioned by determination"... and so on... this is called "aging and death conditioned by birth". Thus is the origin of these phenomena. Thus is the conjunction of these phenomena, the coming together, the combination, the manifestation. Therefore it is said: "Thus is the origin of these phenomena." Exposition of Skillfulness. 11. Exposition of Indeterminate Phenomena 306. What are indeterminate phenomena? At the time when, due to the doing and accumulating of skillful kamma in the sense-sphere, resultant eye-consciousness arises accompanied by equanimity, with a visible object as its support, at that time, consciousness conditioned by volitional formations conditioned by consciousness is mentality, conditioned by mentality is the sixth sense base, conditioned by the sixth sense base is contact, conditioned by contact is feeling, conditioned by feeling is becoming, conditioned by becoming is birth, conditioned by birth is old age and death. Thus is the origin of this entire mass of suffering. 307. Therein, what is 'formations'? That volition, intending, having intended – this is called 'formations'. Therein, what is 'consciousness conditioned by formations'? That mind, mentality, mental state…(etc.)… the corresponding eye-consciousness element – this is called 'consciousness conditioned by formations'. Therein, what is 'mentality conditioned by consciousness'? The feeling aggregate, the perception aggregate, the formations aggregate – this is called 'mentality conditioned by consciousness'. Therein, what is 'the sixth sense base conditioned by mentality'? That mind, mentality, mental state…(etc.)… the corresponding eye-consciousness element – this is called 'the sixth sense base conditioned by mentality'. Therein, what is 'contact conditioned by the sixth sense base'? That contact, touching, coming into contact, having come into contact – this is called 'contact conditioned by the sixth sense base'. Therein, what is 'feeling conditioned by contact'? That mental neither pleasant nor unpleasant feeling, born of mental contact, neither painful nor pleasurable feeling born of mental contact – this is called 'feeling conditioned by contact'. Therein, what is 'becoming conditioned by feeling'? Excluding feeling, the perception aggregate, the formations aggregate, the consciousness aggregate – this is called 'becoming conditioned by feeling'…(etc.)… Therefore it is said: 'Thus is the origin of this entire mass of suffering.' 308. At that time, consciousness conditioned by formations is caused by formations, mentality conditioned by consciousness is caused by consciousness, the sixth sense base conditioned by mentality is caused by mentality, contact conditioned by the sixth sense base is caused by the sixth sense base, feeling conditioned by contact is caused by contact, becoming conditioned by feeling, birth conditioned by becoming, old age and death conditioned by birth. Thus is this entire mass of suffering there is origination. 309. At that time, conditioned by formations, consciousness arises, conjoined with formations; conditioned by consciousness, mentality arises, conjoined with consciousness; conditioned by mentality, the sixth sense-base arises, conjoined with mentality; conditioned by the sixth sense-base, contact arises, conjoined with the sixth sense-base; conditioned by contact, feeling arises, conjoined with contact; conditioned by feeling, existence arises; conditioned by existence, birth arises; conditioned by birth, aging and death arise. Thus there is the origination of this entire mass of suffering. 310. At that time, conditioned by formations, consciousness arises; and conditioned by consciousness, formations arise; conditioned by consciousness, mentality arises;