Through a simile of a tree, the Buddha describes the importance of the sense of right and wrong and fear of wrongdoing as the foundation for cultivating wholesome qualities and the path to liberation.
“Hirottappe, bhikkhave, asati hirottappavipannassa hatūpaniso hoti indriyasaṁvaro; indriyasaṁvare asati indriyasaṁvaravipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti sīlaṁ; sīle asati sīlavipannassa hatūpaniso hoti sammāsamādhi; sammāsamādhimhi asati sammāsamādhivipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ; yathābhūtañāṇadassane asati yathābhūtañāṇadassanavipannassa hatūpaniso hoti nibbidāvirāgo; nibbidāvirāge asati nibbidāvirāgavipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti vimuttiñāṇadassanaṁ.
“Bhikkhus, when there is no |sense of right and wrong and fear of wrongdoing::conscience and concern, respect for oneself and others, sense of shame and moral dread [hirottappa]|, for one who lacks sense of right and wrong and fear of wrongdoing, the vital condition for |sense restraint::guarding the sense faculties [indriyasaṁvara]| is destroyed. When there is no sense restraint, for one who lacks sense restraint, the vital condition for |ethical conduct::virtue, moral integrity [sīla]| is destroyed. When there is no ethical conduct, for one who lacks ethical conduct, the vital condition for |right collectedness::perfect stability of mind, correct mental composure [sammāsamādhi]| is destroyed. When there is no right collectedness, for one who lacks right collectedness, the vital condition for |knowledge and vision of things as they truly are::knowing and seeing reality, knowledge and vision into things as they truly are [yathābhūtañāṇadassana]| is destroyed. When there is no knowledge and vision of things as they truly are, for one who lacks knowledge and vision of things as they truly are, the vital condition for |disenchantment and fading of desire::de-illusionment and dispassion, disinterest and detachment [nibbidāvirāga]| is destroyed. When there is no disenchantment and fading of desire, for one who lacks disenchantment and fading of desire, the vital condition for the |knowledge and vision of liberation::understanding and realization of liberation, total understanding of emancipation [vimuttiñāṇadassana]| is destroyed.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, rukkho sākhāpalāsavipanno. Tassa papaṭikāpi na pāripūriṁ gacchati, tacopi pheggupi sāropi na pāripūriṁ gacchati.
Suppose, bhikkhus, there is a tree without branches and leaves. Then its shoots do not grow to fullness; also its bark, sapwood, and heartwood do not grow to fullness.
Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, hirottappe asati hirottappavipannassa hatūpaniso hoti indriyasaṁvaro; indriyasaṁvare asati indriyasaṁvaravipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti sīlaṁ; sīle asati sīlavipannassa hatūpaniso hoti sammāsamādhi; sammāsamādhimhi asati sammāsamādhivipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ; yathābhūtañāṇadassane asati yathābhūtañāṇadassanavipannassa hatūpaniso hoti nibbidāvirāgo; nibbidāvirāge asati nibbidāvirāgavipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti vimuttiñāṇadassanaṁ.
In the same way, bhikkhus, when there is no sense of right and wrong and fear of wrongdoing, for one who lacks sense of right and wrong and fear of wrongdoing, the vital condition for sense restraint is destroyed. When there is no sense restraint, for one who lacks sense restraint, the vital condition for ethical conduct is destroyed. When there is no ethical conduct, for one who lacks ethical conduct, the vital condition for right collectedness is destroyed. When there is no right collectedness, for one who lacks right collectedness, the vital condition for knowledge and vision of things as they truly are is destroyed. When there is no knowledge and vision of things as they truly are, for one who lacks knowledge and vision of things as they truly are, the vital condition for disenchantment and fading of desire is destroyed. When there is no disenchantment and fading of desire, for one who lacks disenchantment and fading of desire, the vital condition for the knowledge and vision of liberation is destroyed.
Hirottappe, bhikkhave, sati hirottappasampannassa upanisasampanno hoti indriyasaṁvaro; indriyasaṁvare sati indriyasaṁvarasampannassa upanisasampannaṁ hoti sīlaṁ; sīle sati sīlasampannassa upanisasampanno hoti sammāsamādhi; sammāsamādhimhi sati sammāsamādhisampannassa upanisasampannaṁ hoti yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ; yathābhūtañāṇadassane sati yathābhūtañāṇadassanasampannassa upanisasampanno hoti nibbidāvirāgo; nibbidāvirāge sati nibbidāvirāgasampannassa upanisasampannaṁ hoti vimuttiñāṇadassanaṁ.
Bhikkhus, when there is the sense of right and wrong and fear of wrongdoing, for one who is endowed with the sense of right and wrong and fear of wrongdoing, the vital condition for sense restraint is fulfilled. When there is sense restraint, for one who is endowed with sense restraint, the vital condition for ethical conduct is fulfilled. When there is ethical conduct, for one who is endowed with ethical conduct, the vital condition for right collectedness is fulfilled. When there is right collectedness, for one who is endowed with right collectedness, the vital condition for knowledge and vision of things as they truly are is fulfilled. When there is knowledge and vision of things as they truly are, for one who is endowed with knowledge and vision of things as they truly are, the vital condition for disenchantment and fading of desire is fulfilled. When there is disenchantment and fading of desire, for one who is endowed with disenchantment and fading of desire, the vital condition for the knowledge and vision of liberation is fulfilled.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, rukkho sākhāpalāsasampanno. Tassa papaṭikāpi pāripūriṁ gacchati, tacopi pheggupi sāropi pāripūriṁ gacchati.
Suppose, bhikkhus, there is a tree abundant in branches and leaves. Then its shoots grow to fullness; also its bark, sapwood, and heartwood grow to fullness.
Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, hirottappe sati hirottappasampannassa upanisasampanno hoti …pe… vimuttiñāṇadassanan”ti.
In the same way, bhikkhus, when there is the sense of right and wrong and fear of wrongdoing, for one who is endowed with the sense of right and wrong and fear of wrongdoing, the vital condition for sense restraint is fulfilled. When there is sense restraint, for one who is endowed with sense restraint, the vital condition for ethical conduct is fulfilled. When there is ethical conduct, for one who is endowed with ethical conduct, the vital condition for right collectedness is fulfilled. When there is right collectedness, for one who is endowed with right collectedness, the vital condition for knowledge and vision of things as they truly are is fulfilled. When there is knowledge and vision of things as they truly are, for one who is endowed with knowledge and vision of things as they truly are, the vital condition for disenchantment and fading of desire is fulfilled. When there is disenchantment and fading of desire, for one who is endowed with disenchantment and fading of desire, the vital condition for the knowledge and vision of liberation is fulfilled.”
“Bhikkhus, when there is no |sense of right and wrong and fear of wrongdoing::conscience and concern, respect for oneself and others, sense of shame and moral dread [hirottappa]|, for one who lacks sense of right and wrong and fear of wrongdoing, the vital condition for |sense restraint::guarding the sense faculties [indriyasaṁvara]| is destroyed. When there is no sense restraint, for one who lacks sense restraint, the vital condition for |ethical conduct::virtue, moral integrity [sīla]| is destroyed. When there is no ethical conduct, for one who lacks ethical conduct, the vital condition for |right collectedness::perfect stability of mind, correct mental composure [sammāsamādhi]| is destroyed. When there is no right collectedness, for one who lacks right collectedness, the vital condition for |knowledge and vision of things as they truly are::knowing and seeing reality, knowledge and vision into things as they truly are [yathābhūtañāṇadassana]| is destroyed. When there is no knowledge and vision of things as they truly are, for one who lacks knowledge and vision of things as they truly are, the vital condition for |disenchantment and fading of desire::de-illusionment and dispassion, disinterest and detachment [nibbidāvirāga]| is destroyed. When there is no disenchantment and fading of desire, for one who lacks disenchantment and fading of desire, the vital condition for the |knowledge and vision of liberation::understanding and realization of liberation, total understanding of emancipation [vimuttiñāṇadassana]| is destroyed.
Suppose, bhikkhus, there is a tree without branches and leaves. Then its shoots do not grow to fullness; also its bark, sapwood, and heartwood do not grow to fullness.
In the same way, bhikkhus, when there is no sense of right and wrong and fear of wrongdoing, for one who lacks sense of right and wrong and fear of wrongdoing, the vital condition for sense restraint is destroyed. When there is no sense restraint, for one who lacks sense restraint, the vital condition for ethical conduct is destroyed. When there is no ethical conduct, for one who lacks ethical conduct, the vital condition for right collectedness is destroyed. When there is no right collectedness, for one who lacks right collectedness, the vital condition for knowledge and vision of things as they truly are is destroyed. When there is no knowledge and vision of things as they truly are, for one who lacks knowledge and vision of things as they truly are, the vital condition for disenchantment and fading of desire is destroyed. When there is no disenchantment and fading of desire, for one who lacks disenchantment and fading of desire, the vital condition for the knowledge and vision of liberation is destroyed.
Bhikkhus, when there is the sense of right and wrong and fear of wrongdoing, for one who is endowed with the sense of right and wrong and fear of wrongdoing, the vital condition for sense restraint is fulfilled. When there is sense restraint, for one who is endowed with sense restraint, the vital condition for ethical conduct is fulfilled. When there is ethical conduct, for one who is endowed with ethical conduct, the vital condition for right collectedness is fulfilled. When there is right collectedness, for one who is endowed with right collectedness, the vital condition for knowledge and vision of things as they truly are is fulfilled. When there is knowledge and vision of things as they truly are, for one who is endowed with knowledge and vision of things as they truly are, the vital condition for disenchantment and fading of desire is fulfilled. When there is disenchantment and fading of desire, for one who is endowed with disenchantment and fading of desire, the vital condition for the knowledge and vision of liberation is fulfilled.
Suppose, bhikkhus, there is a tree abundant in branches and leaves. Then its shoots grow to fullness; also its bark, sapwood, and heartwood grow to fullness.
In the same way, bhikkhus, when there is the sense of right and wrong and fear of wrongdoing, for one who is endowed with the sense of right and wrong and fear of wrongdoing, the vital condition for sense restraint is fulfilled. When there is sense restraint, for one who is endowed with sense restraint, the vital condition for ethical conduct is fulfilled. When there is ethical conduct, for one who is endowed with ethical conduct, the vital condition for right collectedness is fulfilled. When there is right collectedness, for one who is endowed with right collectedness, the vital condition for knowledge and vision of things as they truly are is fulfilled. When there is knowledge and vision of things as they truly are, for one who is endowed with knowledge and vision of things as they truly are, the vital condition for disenchantment and fading of desire is fulfilled. When there is disenchantment and fading of desire, for one who is endowed with disenchantment and fading of desire, the vital condition for the knowledge and vision of liberation is fulfilled.”
“Hirottappe, bhikkhave, asati hirottappavipannassa hatūpaniso hoti indriyasaṁvaro; indriyasaṁvare asati indriyasaṁvaravipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti sīlaṁ; sīle asati 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 pheggupi sāropi na pāripūriṁ gacchati.
Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, hirottappe asati hirottappavipannassa hatūpaniso hoti indriyasaṁvaro; indriyasaṁvare asati indriyasaṁvaravipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti sīlaṁ; sīle asati sīlavipannassa hatūpaniso hoti sammāsamādhi; sammāsamādhimhi asati sammāsamādhivipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ; yathābhūtañāṇadassane asati yathābhūtañāṇadassanavipannassa hatūpaniso hoti nibbidāvirāgo; nibbidāvirāge asati nibbidāvirāgavipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti vimuttiñāṇadassanaṁ.
Hirottappe, bhikkhave, sati hirottappasampannassa upanisasampanno hoti indriyasaṁvaro; indriyasaṁvare sati indriyasaṁvarasampannassa upanisasampannaṁ hoti sīlaṁ; sīle sati 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 pheggupi sāropi pāripūriṁ gacchati.
Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, hirottappe sati hirottappasampannassa upanisasampanno hoti …pe… vimuttiñāṇadassanan”ti.
