Kaḷāra the Aristocrat · SN 12.36–12.40

SN 12.36 · Ignorance is a Requirement (2nd)

SN 12.36 · Dutiyaavijjāpaccayasutta

At Sāvatthī.

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

“Ignorance is a requirement for choices.

“Avijjāpaccayā, bhikkhave, saṅkhārā;

Choices are a requirement for consciousness. … That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.

saṅkhārapaccayā viññāṇaṁ …pe… evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti.

Mendicants, you might say, ‘What are old age and death, and who do they belong to?’ Or you might say, ‘Old age and death are one thing, who they belong to is another.’ But both of these mean the same thing, only the phrasing differs. If you have the view that the soul and the body are one and the same, there is no living of the spiritual life. If you have the view that the soul is one thing, the body another, there is no living of the spiritual life. Avoiding these two extremes, the Realized One teaches by the middle way: ‘Rebirth is a requirement for old age and death.’

‘Katamaṁ jarāmaraṇaṁ, kassa ca panidaṁ jarāmaraṇan’ti iti vā, bhikkhave, yo vadeyya, ‘aññaṁ jarāmaraṇaṁ, aññassa ca panidaṁ jarāmaraṇan’ti iti vā, bhikkhave, yo vadeyya, ubhayametaṁ ekatthaṁ byañjanameva nānaṁ. ‘Taṁ jīvaṁ taṁ sarīraṁ’ iti vā, bhikkhave, diṭṭhiyā sati brahmacariyavāso na hoti. ‘Aññaṁ jīvaṁ aññaṁ sarīraṁ’ iti vā, bhikkhave, diṭṭhiyā sati brahmacariyavāso na hoti. Ete te, bhikkhave, ubho ante anupagamma majjhena tathāgato dhammaṁ deseti: ‘jātipaccayā jarāmaraṇan’ti.

‘What is rebirth …’ ‘What is continued existence …’ ‘What is grasping …’ ‘What is craving …’ ‘What is feeling …’ ‘What is contact …’ ‘What are the six sense fields …’ ‘What are name and form …’ ‘What is consciousness …’ You might say, ‘What are choices, and who do they belong to?’ Or you might say, ‘Choices are one thing, who they belong to is another.’ But both of these mean the same thing, only the phrasing differs. If you have the view that the soul and the body are one and the same, there is no living of the spiritual life. If you have the view that the soul is one thing, the body another, there is no living of the spiritual life. Avoiding these two extremes, the Realized One teaches by the middle way: ‘Ignorance is a requirement for choices.’

Katamā jāti …pe… katamo bhavo … katamaṁ upādānaṁ … katamā taṇhā … katamā vedanā … katamo phasso … katamaṁ saḷāyatanaṁ … katamaṁ nāmarūpaṁ … katamaṁ viññāṇaṁ … katame saṅkhārā, kassa ca panime saṅkhārāti iti vā, bhikkhave, yo vadeyya, ‘aññe saṅkhārā aññassa ca panime saṅkhārā’ti iti vā, bhikkhave, yo vadeyya, ubhayametaṁ ekatthaṁ byañjanameva nānaṁ. ‘Taṁ jīvaṁ taṁ sarīraṁ’ iti vā, bhikkhave, diṭṭhiyā sati brahmacariyavāso na hoti. ‘Aññaṁ jīvaṁ aññaṁ sarīraṁ’ iti vā, bhikkhave, diṭṭhiyā sati brahmacariyavāso na hoti. Ete te, bhikkhave, ubho ante anupagamma majjhena tathāgato dhammaṁ deseti: ‘avijjāpaccayā saṅkhārā’ti.

When ignorance fades away and ceases with no residue left behind, then any twists, ducks, and dodges are given up: ‘What are old age and death, and who do they belong to?’ or ‘old age and death are one thing, who they belong to is another’, or ‘the soul and the body are one and the same’, or ‘the soul is one thing, the body another’. These are all cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and unable to arise in the future.

Avijjāya tveva, bhikkhave, asesavirāganirodhā yānissa tāni visūkāyikāni visevitāni vipphanditāni kānici kānici. ‘Katamaṁ jarāmaraṇaṁ, kassa ca panidaṁ jarāmaraṇaṁ’ iti vā, ‘aññaṁ jarāmaraṇaṁ, aññassa ca panidaṁ jarāmaraṇaṁ’ iti vā, ‘taṁ jīvaṁ taṁ sarīraṁ’ iti vā, ‘aññaṁ jīvaṁ, aññaṁ sarīraṁ’ iti vā. Sabbānissa tāni pahīnāni bhavanti ucchinnamūlāni tālāvatthukatāni anabhāvaṅkatāni āyatiṁ anuppādadhammāni.

When ignorance fades away and ceases with no residue left behind, then any twists, ducks, and dodges are given up: ‘What is rebirth …’ ‘What is continued existence …’ ‘What is grasping …’ ‘What is craving …’ ‘What is feeling …’ ‘What is contact …’ ‘What are the six sense fields …’ ‘What are name and form …’ ‘What is consciousness …’ ‘What are choices, and who do they belong to?’ or ‘choices are one thing, who they belong to is another’, or ‘the soul and the body are one and the same’, or ‘the soul is one thing, the body another’. These are all cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and unable to arise in the future.”

Avijjāya tveva, bhikkhave, asesavirāganirodhā yānissa tāni visūkāyikāni visevitāni vipphanditāni kānici kānici. Katamā jāti …pe… katamo bhavo … katamaṁ upādānaṁ … katamā taṇhā … katamā vedanā … katamo phasso … katamaṁ saḷāyatanaṁ … katamaṁ nāmarūpaṁ … katamaṁ viññāṇaṁ … ‘katame saṅkhārā, kassa ca panime saṅkhārā’ iti vā, ‘aññe saṅkhārā, aññassa ca panime saṅkhārā’ iti vā; ‘taṁ jīvaṁ taṁ sarīraṁ’ iti vā, ‘aññaṁ jīvaṁ aññaṁ sarīraṁ’ iti vā. Sabbānissa tāni pahīnāni bhavanti ucchinnamūlāni tālāvatthukatāni anabhāvaṅkatāni āyatiṁ anuppādadhammānī”ti.

SN 12.37 · Not Yours

SN 12.37 · Natumhasutta

At Sāvatthī.

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

“Mendicants, this body doesn’t belong to you or to anyone else. It’s old deeds, and should be seen as produced by choices and intentions, as something to be felt.

“Nāyaṁ, bhikkhave, kāyo tumhākaṁ napi aññesaṁ. Purāṇamidaṁ, bhikkhave, kammaṁ abhisaṅkhataṁ abhisañcetayitaṁ vedaniyaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ.

A learned noble disciple carefully and rationally applies the mind to dependent origination itself: ‘So, when this exists, this comes to be; due to the arising of this, this arises. When this doesn’t exist, this doesn’t come to be; due to the cessation of this, this ceases. That is: Ignorance is a requirement for choices.

Tatra kho, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako paṭiccasamuppādaññeva sādhukaṁ yoniso manasi karoti: ‘iti imasmiṁ sati idaṁ hoti, imassuppādā idaṁ uppajjati; imasmiṁ asati idaṁ na hoti, imassa nirodhā idaṁ nirujjhati, yadidaṁ— avijjāpaccayā saṅkhārā;

Choices are a requirement for consciousness. … That is how this entire mass of suffering originates. When ignorance fades away and ceases with no residue left behind, choices cease. When choices cease, consciousness ceases. … That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.’”

saṅkhārapaccayā viññāṇaṁ …pe… evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti. Avijjāya tveva asesavirāganirodhā saṅkhāranirodho; saṅkhāranirodhā viññāṇanirodho …pe… evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hotī’”ti.

SN 12.38 · Intention

SN 12.38 · Cetanāsutta

At Sāvatthī.

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

“Mendicants, what you intend or plan, and what you have underlying tendencies for become a support for the continuation of consciousness. When this support exists, consciousness becomes established. When consciousness is established and grows, there is regeneration into a new state of existence in the future. When there is regeneration into a new state of existence in the future, future rebirth, old age, and death come to be, as do sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.

“Yañca, bhikkhave, ceteti yañca pakappeti yañca anuseti, ārammaṇametaṁ hoti viññāṇassa ṭhitiyā. Ārammaṇe sati patiṭṭhā viññāṇassa hoti. Tasmiṁ patiṭṭhite viññāṇe virūḷhe āyatiṁ punabbhavābhinibbatti hoti. Āyatiṁ punabbhavābhinibbattiyā sati āyatiṁ jāti jarāmaraṇaṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā sambhavanti. Evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti.

If you don’t intend or plan, but still have underlying tendencies, this becomes a support for the continuation of consciousness. When this support exists, consciousness becomes established. When consciousness is established and grows, there is regeneration into a new state of existence in the future. When there is regeneration into a new state of existence in the future, future rebirth, old age, and death come to be, as do sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.

No ce, bhikkhave, ceteti no ce pakappeti, atha ce anuseti, ārammaṇametaṁ hoti viññāṇassa ṭhitiyā. Ārammaṇe sati patiṭṭhā viññāṇassa hoti. Tasmiṁ patiṭṭhite viññāṇe virūḷhe āyatiṁ punabbhavābhinibbatti hoti. Āyatiṁ punabbhavābhinibbattiyā sati āyatiṁ jāti jarāmaraṇaṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā sambhavanti. Evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti.

If you don’t intend or plan or have underlying tendencies, this doesn’t become a support for the continuation of consciousness. With no support, consciousness is not established. When consciousness is not established and doesn’t grow, there’s no regeneration into a new state of existence in the future. When there is no regeneration into a new state of existence in the future, future rebirth, old age, and death cease, as do sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.”

Yato ca kho, bhikkhave, no ceva ceteti no ca pakappeti no ca anuseti, ārammaṇametaṁ na hoti viññāṇassa ṭhitiyā. Ārammaṇe asati patiṭṭhā viññāṇassa na hoti. Tadappatiṭṭhite viññāṇe avirūḷhe āyatiṁ punabbhavābhinibbatti na hoti. Āyatiṁ punabbhavābhinibbattiyā asati āyatiṁ jāti jarāmaraṇaṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā nirujjhanti. Evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hotī”ti.

SN 12.39 · Intention (2nd)

SN 12.39 · Dutiyacetanāsutta

At Sāvatthī.

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

“Mendicants, what you intend or plan, and what you have underlying tendencies for become a support for the continuation of consciousness. When this support exists, consciousness becomes established. When consciousness is established and grows, name and form are conceived. Name and form are requirements for the six sense fields. The six sense fields are requirements for contact. Contact is a requirement for feeling. … craving … grasping … continued existence … rebirth … old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress come to be. That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.

“Yañca, bhikkhave, ceteti yañca pakappeti yañca anuseti, ārammaṇametaṁ hoti viññāṇassa ṭhitiyā. Ārammaṇe sati patiṭṭhā viññāṇassa hoti. Tasmiṁ patiṭṭhite viññāṇe virūḷhe nāmarūpassa avakkanti hoti. Nāmarūpapaccayā saḷāyatanaṁ; saḷāyatanapaccayā phasso; phassapaccayā vedanā …pe… taṇhā … upādānaṁ … bhavo … jāti … jarāmaraṇaṁ … sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā sambhavanti. Evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti.

If you don’t intend or plan, but still have underlying tendencies, this becomes a support for the continuation of consciousness. When this support exists, consciousness becomes established. When consciousness is established and grows, name and form are conceived. Name and form are requirements for the six sense fields. … That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.

No ce, bhikkhave, ceteti no ce pakappeti, atha ce anuseti, ārammaṇametaṁ hoti viññāṇassa ṭhitiyā. Ārammaṇe sati patiṭṭhā viññāṇassa hoti. Tasmiṁ patiṭṭhite viññāṇe virūḷhe nāmarūpassa avakkanti hoti. Nāmarūpapaccayā saḷāyatanaṁ …pe… evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti.

If you don’t intend or plan or have underlying tendencies, this doesn’t become a support for the continuation of consciousness. With no support, consciousness is not established. When consciousness is not established and doesn’t grow, name and form are not conceived. When name and form cease, the six sense fields cease. … That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.”

Yato ca kho, bhikkhave, no ceva ceteti no ca pakappeti no ca anuseti, ārammaṇametaṁ na hoti viññāṇassa ṭhitiyā. Ārammaṇe asati patiṭṭhā viññāṇassa na hoti. Tadappatiṭṭhite viññāṇe avirūḷhe nāmarūpassa avakkanti na hoti. Nāmarūpanirodhā saḷāyatananirodho …pe… evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hotī”ti.

SN 12.40 · Intention (3rd)

SN 12.40 · Tatiyacetanāsutta

At Sāvatthī.

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

“Mendicants, what you intend or plan, and what you have underlying tendencies for become a support for the continuation of consciousness. When this support exists, consciousness becomes established. When consciousness is established and grows, there is an inclination. When there is an inclination, there is coming and going. When there is coming and going, there is passing away and reappearing. When there is passing away and reappearing, future rebirth, old age, and death come to be, as do sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.

“Yañca, bhikkhave, ceteti yañca pakappeti yañca anuseti ārammaṇametaṁ hoti viññāṇassa ṭhitiyā. Ārammaṇe sati patiṭṭhā viññāṇassa hoti. Tasmiṁ patiṭṭhite viññāṇe virūḷhe nati hoti. Natiyā sati āgatigati hoti. Āgatigatiyā sati cutūpapāto hoti. Cutūpapāte sati āyatiṁ jāti jarāmaraṇaṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā sambhavanti. Evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti.

If you don’t intend or plan, but still have underlying tendencies, this becomes a support for the continuation of consciousness. When this support exists, consciousness becomes established. When consciousness is established and grows, there is an inclination. When there is an inclination, there is coming and going. When there is coming and going, there is passing away and reappearing. When there is passing away and reappearing, future rebirth, old age, and death come to be, as do sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.

No ce, bhikkhave, ceteti no ce pakappeti atha ce anuseti, ārammaṇametaṁ hoti viññāṇassa ṭhitiyā. Ārammaṇe sati patiṭṭhā viññāṇassa hoti. Tasmiṁ patiṭṭhite viññāṇe virūḷhe nati hoti. Natiyā sati āgatigati hoti. Āgatigatiyā sati cutūpapāto hoti. Cutūpapāte sati āyatiṁ jāti jarāmaraṇaṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā sambhavanti. Evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti.

If you don’t intend or plan or have underlying tendencies, this doesn’t become a support for the continuation of consciousness. With no support, consciousness is not established. When consciousness is not established and doesn’t grow, there’s no inclination. When there’s no inclination, there’s no coming and going. When there’s no coming and going, there’s no passing away and reappearing. When there’s no passing away and reappearing, future rebirth, old age, and death cease, as do sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.”

Yato ca kho, bhikkhave, no ceva ceteti no ca pakappeti no ca anuseti, ārammaṇametaṁ na hoti viññāṇassa ṭhitiyā. Ārammaṇe asati patiṭṭhā viññāṇassa na hoti. Tadappatiṭṭhite viññāṇe avirūḷhe nati na hoti. Natiyā asati āgatigati na hoti. Āgatigatiyā asati cutūpapāto na hoti. Cutūpapāte asati āyatiṁ jāti jarāmaraṇaṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā nirujjhanti. Evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hotī”ti.