1“Mendicants, an unethical person, who lacks ethics, has destroyed a vital condition for right immersion. When there is no right immersion, one who lacks right immersion has destroyed a vital condition for true knowledge and vision. When there is no true knowledge and vision, one who lacks true knowledge and vision has destroyed a vital condition for disillusionment and dispassion. When there is no disillusionment and dispassion, one who lacks disillusionment and dispassion has destroyed a vital condition for knowledge and vision of freedom.

Suppose there was a tree that lacked branches and foliage. Its shoots, bark, softwood, and heartwood would not grow to fullness.

In the same way, an unethical person, who lacks ethics, has destroyed a vital condition for right immersion. When there is no right immersion, one who lacks right immersion has destroyed a vital condition for true knowledge and vision. When there is no true knowledge and vision, one who lacks true knowledge and vision has destroyed a vital condition for disillusionment and dispassion. When there is no disillusionment and dispassion, one who lacks disillusionment and dispassion has destroyed a vital condition for knowledge and vision of freedom.

2An ethical person, who has fulfilled ethics, has fulfilled a vital condition for right immersion. When there is right immersion, one who has fulfilled right immersion has fulfilled a vital condition for true knowledge and vision. When there is true knowledge and vision, one who has fulfilled true knowledge and vision has fulfilled a vital condition for disillusionment and dispassion. When there is disillusionment and dispassion, one who has fulfilled disillusionment and dispassion has fulfilled a vital condition for knowledge and vision of freedom.

Suppose there was a tree that was complete with branches and foliage. Its shoots, bark, softwood, and heartwood would all grow to fullness.

In the same way, an ethical person, who has fulfilled ethics, has fulfilled a vital condition for right immersion. When there is right immersion, one who has fulfilled right immersion has fulfilled a vital condition for true knowledge and vision. When there is true knowledge and vision, one who has fulfilled true knowledge and vision has fulfilled a vital condition for disillusionment and dispassion. When there is disillusionment and dispassion, one who has fulfilled disillusionment and dispassion has fulfilled a vital condition for knowledge and vision of freedom.”

1"Dussīlassa, bhikkhave, sīlavipannassa hatūpaniso hoti sammāsamādhi; sammāsamādhimhi asati sammāsamādhivipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti yathābhūta­ñāṇadassanaṁ; yathābhūta­ñāṇadassane asati yathābhūta­ñāṇadassanavipannassa hatūpaniso hoti nibbidāvirāgo; nibbidāvirāge asati nibbidā­virāgavipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti vimuttiñāṇadassanaṁ.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, rukkho sākhāpalāsavipanno. Tassa papaṭikāpi na pāripūriṁ gacchati, tacopi na pāripūriṁ gacchati, pheggupi na pāripūriṁ gacchati, sāropi na pāripūriṁ gacchati;

evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, dussīlassa sīlavipannassa hatūpaniso hoti sammāsamādhi; sammāsamādhimhi asati sammāsamādhivipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti yathābhūta­ñāṇadassanaṁ; yathābhūta­ñāṇadassane asati yathābhūta­ñāṇadassanavipannassa hatūpaniso hoti nibbidāvirāgo; nibbidāvirāge asati nibbidā­virāgavipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti vimuttiñāṇadassanaṁ.

2Sīlavato, bhikkhave, sīlasampannassa upanisasampanno hoti sammāsamādhi; sammāsamādhimhi sati sammāsamādhisampannassa upanisasampannaṁ hoti yathābhūta­ñāṇadassanaṁ; yathābhūta­ñāṇadassane sati yathābhūta­ñāṇadassanasampannassa upanisasampanno hoti nibbidāvirāgo; nibbidāvirāge sati nibbidā­virāgasampannassa upanisasampannaṁ hoti vimuttiñāṇadassanaṁ.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, rukkho sākhāpalāsasampanno. Tassa papaṭikāpi pāripūriṁ gacchati, tacopi pāripūriṁ gacchati, pheggupi pāripūriṁ gacchati, sāropi pāripūriṁ gacchati;

evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, sīlavato sīlasampannassa upanisasampanno hoti sammāsamādhi; sammāsamādhimhi sati sammāsamādhisampannassa upanisasampannaṁ hoti yathābhūta­ñāṇadassanaṁ; yathābhūta­ñāṇadassane sati yathābhūta­ñāṇadassanasampannassa upanisasampanno hoti nibbidāvirāgo; nibbidāvirāge sati nibbidā­virāgasampannassa upanisasampannaṁ hoti vimuttiñāṇadassanan"ti.

Catutthaṁ.