1At Sāvatthī.

“Mendicants, dragons grow and wax strong supported by the Himalayas, the king of mountains. When they’re strong they dive into the pools. Then they dive into the lakes, the streams, the rivers, and finally the ocean. There they acquire a great and abundant body.

In the same way, a mendicant develops and cultivates the seven awakening factors depending on and grounded on ethics, acquiring great and abundant good qualities.

And how does a mendicant develop the seven awakening factors depending on and grounded on ethics, acquiring great and abundant good qualities?

It’s when a mendicant develops the awakening factor of mindfulness, which relies on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripens as letting go. They develop the awakening factor of investigation of principles … They develop the awakening factor of energy … They develop the awakening factor of rapture … They develop the awakening factor of tranquility … They develop the awakening factor of immersion … They develop the awakening factor of equanimity, which relies on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripens as letting go.

That’s how a mendicant develops and cultivates the seven awakening factors depending on and grounded on ethics, acquiring great and abundant good qualities.”

1Sāvatthi­nidānaṁ.

"Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, himavantaṁ pabbatarājānaṁ nissāya nāgā kāyaṁ vaḍḍhenti, balaṁ gāhenti; te tattha kāyaṁ vaḍḍhetvā balaṁ gāhetvā kusobbhe otaranti, kusobbhe otaritvā mahāsobbhe otaranti, mahāsobbhe otaritvā kunnadiyo otaranti, kunnadiyo otaritvā mahānadiyo otaranti, mahānadiyo otaritvā mahāsamuddasāgaraṁ otaranti; te tattha mahantattaṁ vepullattaṁ āpajjanti kāyena;

evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sīlaṁ nissāya sīle patiṭṭhāya satta bojjhange bhāvento satta bojjhange bahulīkaronto mahantattaṁ vepullattaṁ pāpuṇāti dhammesu.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sīlaṁ nissāya sīle patiṭṭhāya satta bojjhange bhāvento satta bojjhange bahulīkaronto mahantattaṁ vepullattaṁ pāpuṇāti dhammesūti?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu satisambojjhangaṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodha­nissitaṁ vossaggapari­ṇāmiṁ; dhammavicayasambojjhangaṁ bhāveti … pe … vīriyasambojjhangaṁ bhāveti … pe … pītisambojjhangaṁ bhāveti … pe … passaddhisambojjhangaṁ bhāveti … pe … samādhisambojjhangaṁ bhāveti … pe … upekkhāsambojjhangaṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodha­nissitaṁ vossaggapari­ṇāmiṁ.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sīlaṁ nissāya sīle patiṭṭhāya satta bojjhange bhāvento satta bojjhange bahulīkaronto mahantattaṁ vepullattaṁ pāpuṇāti dhammesū"ti.

Paṭhamaṁ.