12. Nidānasaṁyutta: On Causation
I. The Buddhas — SN12.2: Analysis
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhante Sujato. (More copyright information)
1At Sāvatthī.
“Mendicants, I will teach and analyze for you dependent origination. Listen and pay close attention, I will speak.”
“Yes, sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:
2“And what is dependent origination? Ignorance is a condition for choices. Choices are a condition for consciousness. Consciousness is a condition for name and form. Name and form are conditions for the six sense fields. The six sense fields are conditions for contact. Contact is a condition for feeling. Feeling is a condition for craving. Craving is a condition for grasping. Grasping is a condition for continued existence. Continued existence is a condition for rebirth. Rebirth is a condition for old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress to come to be. That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.
3And what is old age and death? The old age, decrepitude, broken teeth, grey hair, wrinkly skin, diminished vitality, and failing faculties of the various sentient beings in the various orders of sentient beings. This is called old age. The passing away, perishing, disintegration, demise, mortality, death, decease, breaking up of the aggregates, and laying to rest of the corpse of the various sentient beings in the various orders of sentient beings. This is called death. Such is old age, and such is death. This is called old age and death.
4And what is rebirth? The rebirth, inception, conception, reincarnation, manifestation of the aggregates, and acquisition of the sense fields of the various sentient beings in the various orders of sentient beings. This is called rebirth.
5And what is continued existence? There are these three states of existence. Existence in the sensual realm, the realm of luminous form, and the formless realm. This is called continued existence.
6And what is grasping? There are these four kinds of grasping. Grasping at sensual pleasures, views, precepts and observances, and theories of a self. This is called grasping.
7And what is craving? There are these six classes of craving. Craving for sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and thoughts. This is called craving.
8And what is feeling? There are these six classes of feeling. Feeling born of contact through the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. This is called feeling.
9And what is contact? There are these six classes of contact. Contact through the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. This is called contact.
10And what are the six sense fields? The sense fields of the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. These are called the six sense fields.
11And what are name and form? Feeling, perception, intention, contact, and attention. This is called name. The four primary elements, and form derived from the four primary elements. This is called form. Such is name and such is form. These are called name and form.
12And what is consciousness? There are these six classes of consciousness. Eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind consciousness. This is called consciousness.
13And what are choices? There are three kinds of choices. Choices by way of body, speech, and mind. These are called choices.
14And what is ignorance? Not knowing about suffering, the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering. This is called ignorance.
15And so, ignorance is a condition for choices.
Choices are a condition for consciousness. … That is how this entire mass of suffering originates. When ignorance fades away and ceases with nothing left over, choices cease. When choices cease, consciousness ceases. … That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.”
1Sāvatthiyaṁ vihārati.
"Paṭiccasamup pāda ṁ vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi vibhajissāmi. Taṁ suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī"ti.
"Evaṁ, bhante"ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:
2"Katamo ca, bhikkhave, paṭiccasamuppādo? Avijjāpaccayā, bhikkhave, saṅkhārā; saṅkhārapaccayā viññāṇaṁ; viññāṇapaccayā nāmarūpaṁ; nāmarūpapaccayā saḷāyatanaṁ; saḷāyatanapaccayā phasso; phassapaccayā vedanā; vedanāpaccayā taṇhā; taṇhāpaccayā upādānaṁ; upādānapaccayā bhavo; bhavapaccayā jāti; jātipaccayā jarāmaraṇaṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā sambhavanti. Evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti.
3Katamañca, bhikkhave, jarāmaraṇaṁ? Yā tesaṁ tesaṁ sattānaṁ tamhi tamhi sattanikāye jarā jīraṇatā khaṇḍiccaṁ pāliccaṁ valittacatā āyuno saṁhāni indriyānaṁ paripāko; ayaṁ vuccati jarā. Yā tesaṁ tesaṁ sattānaṁ tamhā tamhā sattanikāyā cuti cavanatā bhedo antaradhānaṁ maccu maraṇaṁ kālakiriyā khandhānaṁ bhedo kaḷevarassa nikkhepo, idaṁ vuccati maraṇaṁ. Iti ayañca jarā, idañca maraṇaṁ. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, jarāmaraṇaṁ.
4Katamā ca, bhikkhave, jāti? Yā tesaṁ tesaṁ sattānaṁ tamhi tamhi sattanikāye jāti sañjāti okkanti abhinibbatti khandhānaṁ pātubhāvo āyatanānaṁ paṭilābho. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, jāti.
5Katamo ca, bhikkhave, bhavo? Tayome, bhikkhave, bhavā – kāmabhavo, rūpabhavo, arūpabhavo. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhavo.
6Katamañca, bhikkhave, upādānaṁ? Cattārimāni, bhikkhave, upādānāni – kāmupādānaṁ, diṭṭhupādānaṁ, sīlabbatupādānaṁ, attavādupādānaṁ. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, upādānaṁ.
7Katamā ca, bhikkhave, taṇhā? Chayime, bhikkhave, taṇhākāyā – rūpataṇhā, saddataṇhā, gandhataṇhā, rasataṇhā, phoṭṭhabbataṇhā, dhammataṇhā. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, taṇhā.
8Katamā ca, bhikkhave, vedanā? Chayime, bhikkhave, vedanākāyā – cakkhusamphassajā vedanā, sotasamphassajā vedanā, ghānasamphassajā vedanā, jivhāsamphassajā vedanā, kāyasamphassajā vedanā, manosamphassajā vedanā. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, vedanā.
9Katamo ca, bhikkhave, phasso? Chayime, bhikkhave, phassakāyā – cakkhusamphasso, sotasamphasso, ghānasamphasso, jivhāsamphasso, kāyasamphasso, manosamphasso. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, phasso.
10Katamañca, bhikkhave, saḷāyatanaṁ? Cakkhāyatanaṁ, sotāyatanaṁ, ghānāyatanaṁ, jivhāyatanaṁ, kāyāyatanaṁ, manāyatanaṁ – idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, saḷāyatanaṁ.
11Katamañca, bhikkhave, nāmarūpaṁ? Vedanā, saññā, cetanā, phasso, manasikāro – idaṁ vuccati nāmaṁ. Cattāro ca mahābhūtā, catunnañca mahābhūtānaṁ upādāyarūpaṁ. Idaṁ vuccati rūpaṁ. Iti idañca nāmaṁ, idañca rūpaṁ. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, nāmarūpaṁ.
12Katamañca, bhikkhave, viññāṇaṁ? Chayime, bhikkhave, viññāṇakāyā – cakkhuviññāṇaṁ, sotaviññāṇaṁ, ghānaviññāṇaṁ, jivhāviññāṇaṁ, kāyaviññāṇaṁ, manoviññāṇaṁ. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, viññāṇaṁ.
13Katame ca, bhikkhave, saṅkhārā? Tayome, bhikkhave, saṅkhārā – kāyasaṅkhāro, vacīsaṅkhāro, cittasaṅkhāro. Ime vuccanti, bhikkhave, saṅkhārā.
14Katamā ca, bhikkhave, avijjā? Yaṁ kho, bhikkhave, dukkhe aññāṇaṁ, dukkhasamudaye aññāṇaṁ, dukkhanirodhe aññāṇaṁ, dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya aññāṇaṁ. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, avijjā.
15Iti kho, bhikkhave, avijjāpaccayā saṅkhārā;
saṅkhārapaccayā viññāṇaṁ … pe … evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti. Avijjāya tveva asesavirāganirodhā saṅkhāranirodho; saṅkhāranirodhā viññāṇanirodho … pe … evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hotī"ti.
Dutiyaṁ.