1At Sāvatthī.

Sitting to one side, the Buddha said to Ānanda:

“Ānanda, suppose they were to ask you: ‘Reverend Ānanda, what are the things for which arising, vanishing, and change while persisting were evident? What are the things for which arising, vanishing, and change while persisting will be evident? What are the things for which arising, vanishing, and change while persisting are evident?’ How would you answer?”

“Sir, suppose they were to ask me: ‘Reverend Ānanda, what are the things for which arising, vanishing, and change while persisting were evident? What are the things for which arising, vanishing, and change while persisting will be evident? What are the things for which arising, vanishing, and change while persisting are evident?’ I’d answer like this:

‘Whatever form has passed, ceased, and perished, its arising, vanishing, and change while persisting were evident. Whatever feeling … perception … choices … consciousness has passed, ceased, and perished, its arising, vanishing, and change while persisting were evident. These the things for which arising, vanishing, and change while persisting were evident.

Whatever form is not yet born, and has not yet appeared, its arising, vanishing, and change while persisting will be evident. Whatever feeling … perception … choices … consciousness is not yet born, and has not yet appeared, its arising, vanishing, and change while persisting will be evident. These are the things for which arising, vanishing, and change while persisting will be evident.

Whatever form has been born, and has appeared, its arising, vanishing, and change while persisting is evident. Whatever feeling … perception … choices … consciousness has been born, and has appeared, its arising, vanishing, and change while persisting are evident. These are the things for which arising is evident, vanishing is evident, and change while persisting is evident.’ That’s how I’d answer such a question.”

“Good, good, Ānanda. ‘Whatever form has passed, ceased, and perished, its arising, vanishing, and change while persisting were evident. Whatever feeling … perception … choices … consciousness has passed, ceased, and perished, its arising, vanishing, and change while persisting were evident. These the things for which arising, vanishing, and change while persisting were evident.

Whatever form is not yet born, and has not yet appeared, its arising, vanishing, and change while persisting will be evident. Whatever feeling … perception … choices … consciousness is not yet born, and has not yet appeared, its arising, vanishing, and change while persisting will be evident. These are the things for which arising, vanishing, and change while persisting will be evident.

Whatever form has been born, and has appeared, its arising, vanishing, and change while persisting are evident. Whatever feeling … perception … choices … consciousness has been born, and has appeared, its arising, vanishing, and change while persisting are evident. These are the things for which arising is evident, vanishing is evident, and change while persisting is evident.

That’s how you should answer such a question.”

1Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ Ānandaṁ bhagavā etadavoca: 

2"Sace taṁ, Ānanda, evaṁ puccheyyuṁ: ‘katamesaṁ, āvuso Ānanda, dhammānaṁ uppādo paññāyittha, vayo paññāyittha, ṭhitassa aññathattaṁ paññāyittha? Katamesaṁ dhammānaṁ uppādo paññāyissati, vayo paññāyissati, ṭhitassa aññathattaṁ paññāyissati? Katamesaṁ dhammānaṁ uppādo paññāyati, vayo paññāyati, ṭhitassa aññathattaṁ paññāyatī’ti? Evaṁ puṭṭho tvaṁ, Ānanda, kinti byākareyyāsī"ti?

"Sace maṁ, bhante, evaṁ puccheyyuṁ: ‘katamesaṁ, āvuso Ānanda, dhammānaṁ uppādo paññāyittha, vayo paññāyittha, ṭhitassa aññathattaṁ paññāyittha? Katamesaṁ dhammānaṁ uppādo paññāyissati, vayo paññāyissati, ṭhitassa aññathattaṁ paññāyissati? Katamesaṁ dhammānaṁ uppādo paññāyati, vayo paññāyati, ṭhitassa aññathattaṁ paññāyatī’ti? Evaṁ puṭṭhohaṁ, bhante, evaṁ byākareyyaṁ: ‘Yaṁ kho, āvuso, rūpaṁ atītaṁ niruddhaṁ vipariṇataṁ; tassa uppādo paññāyittha, vayo paññāyittha, ṭhitassa aññathattaṁ paññāyittha. Yā vedanā atītā niruddhā vipariṇatā; tassā uppādo paññāyittha, vayo paññāyittha, ṭhitāya aññathattaṁ paññāyittha. Yā saññā … ye saṅkhārā atītā niruddhā vipariṇatā; tesaṁ uppādo paññāyittha, vayo paññāyittha, ṭhitassa aññathattaṁ paññāyittha. Yaṁ viññāṇaṁ atītaṁ niruddhaṁ vipariṇataṁ; tassa uppādo paññāyittha, vayo paññāyittha, ṭhitassa aññathattaṁ paññāyittha. Imesaṁ kho, āvuso, dhammānaṁ uppādo paññāyittha, vayo paññāyittha, ṭhitassa aññathattaṁ paññāyittha.

3Yaṁ kho, āvuso, rūpaṁ ajātaṁ apātubhūtaṁ; tassa uppādo paññāyissati, vayo paññāyissati, ṭhitassa aññathattaṁ paññāyissati. Yā vedanā ajātā apātubhūtā; tassā uppādo paññāyissati, vayo paññāyissati, ṭhitāya aññathattaṁ paññāyissati. Yā saññā … pe … ye saṅkhārā ajātā apātubhūtā; tesaṁ uppādo paññāyissati, vayo paññāyissati, ṭhitassa aññathattaṁ paññāyissati. Yaṁ viññāṇaṁ ajātaṁ apātubhūtaṁ; tassa uppādo paññāyissati, vayo paññāyissati, ṭhitassa aññathattaṁ paññāyissati. Imesaṁ kho, āvuso, dhammānaṁ uppādo paññāyissati, vayo paññāyissati, ṭhitassa aññathattaṁ paññāyissati.

4Yaṁ kho, āvuso, rūpaṁ jātaṁ pātubhūtaṁ; tassa uppādo paññāyati, vayo paññāyati, ṭhitassa aññathattaṁ paññāyati. Yā vedanā jātā pātubhūtā … pe … yā saññā … ye saṅkhārā jātā pātubhūtā; tesaṁ uppādo paññāyati, vayo paññāyati, ṭhitassa aññathattaṁ paññāyati. Yaṁ viññāṇaṁ jātaṁ pātubhūtaṁ tassa uppādo paññāyati, vayo paññāyati, ṭhitassa aññathattaṁ paññāyati. Imesaṁ kho, āvuso, dhammānaṁ uppādo paññāyati, vayo paññāyati, ṭhitassa aññathattaṁ paññāyatī’ti.

Evaṁ puṭṭhohaṁ, bhante, evaṁ byākareyyan"ti.

5"Sādhu sādhu, Ānanda. Yaṁ kho, Ānanda, rūpaṁ atītaṁ niruddhaṁ vipariṇataṁ; tassa uppādo paññāyittha, vayo paññāyittha, ṭhitassa aññathattaṁ paññāyittha. Yā vedanā … yā saññā … ye saṅkhārā … yaṁ viññāṇaṁ atītaṁ niruddhaṁ vipariṇataṁ; tassa uppādo paññāyittha, vayo paññāyittha, ṭhitassa aññathattaṁ paññāyittha. Imesaṁ kho, Ānanda, dhammānaṁ uppādo paññāyittha, vayo paññāyittha, ṭhitassa aññathattaṁ paññāyittha.

6Yaṁ kho, Ānanda, rūpaṁ ajātaṁ apātubhūtaṁ; tassa uppādo paññāyissati, vayo paññāyissati, ṭhitassa aññathattaṁ paññāyissati. Yā vedanā … yā saññā … ye saṅkhārā … yaṁ viññāṇaṁ ajātaṁ apātubhūtaṁ; tassa uppādo paññāyissati, vayo paññāyissati, ṭhitassa aññathattaṁ paññāyissati. Imesaṁ kho, Ānanda, dhammānaṁ uppādo paññāyissati, vayo paññāyissati, ṭhitassa aññathattaṁ paññāyissati.

7Yaṁ kho, Ānanda, rūpaṁ jātaṁ pātubhūtaṁ; tassa uppādo paññāyati, vayo paññāyati, ṭhitassa aññathattaṁ paññāyati. Yā vedanā jātā pātubhūtā … yā saññā … ye saṅkhārā … yaṁ viññāṇaṁ jātaṁ pātubhūtaṁ; tassa uppādo paññāyati, vayo paññāyati, ṭhitassa aññathattaṁ paññāyati. Imesaṁ kho, Ānanda, dhammānaṁ uppādo paññāyati, vayo paññāyati, ṭhitassa aññathattaṁ paññāyatīti. Evaṁ puṭṭho tvaṁ, Ānanda, evaṁ byākareyyāsī"ti.

Chaṭṭhaṁ.