At Sāvatthi.

"Bhikkhus, even before his awakening, while still only a bodhisatta, the thought occurred to the Blessed One, the Arahant, the perfectly Awakened One Vessabhū: 'Alas, this world has fallen into trouble, in that it is born, it ages and dies, it passes away and is reborn, yet it does not understand the escape from this suffering, from aging and death. When indeed will the escape from this suffering, from aging and death, be known?'

Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to the bodhisatta Vessabhū: 'What is it that, when present, leads to aging and death? Dependent on what does aging and death arise?' Then, through wise attention, insight arose for bodhisatta Vessabhū with this breakthrough: 'When birth is present, it leads to aging and death; dependent on birth, aging and death arise.'

Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to the bodhisatta Vessabhū: 'What is it that, when present, leads to birth? Dependent on what does birth arise?' Then, through wise attention, insight arose for bodhisatta Vessabhū with this breakthrough: 'When existence is present, it leads to birth; dependent on existence, birth arises.'

Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to the bodhisatta Vessabhū: 'What is it that, when present, leads to existence? Dependent on what does existence arise?' Then, through wise attention, insight arose for bodhisatta Vessabhū with this breakthrough: 'When clinging is present, it leads to existence; dependent on clinging, existence arises.'

Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to the bodhisatta Vessabhū: 'What is it that, when present, leads to clinging? Dependent on what does clinging arise?' Then, through wise attention, insight arose for bodhisatta Vessabhū with this breakthrough: 'When craving is present, it leads to clinging; dependent on craving, clinging arises.'

Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to the bodhisatta Vessabhū: 'What is it that, when present, leads to craving? Dependent on what does craving arise?' Then, through wise attention, insight arose for bodhisatta Vessabhū with this breakthrough: 'When sensation is present, it leads to craving; dependent on sensation, craving arises.'

Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to the bodhisatta Vessabhū: 'What is it that, when present, leads to sensation? Dependent on what does sensation arise?' Then, through wise attention, insight arose for bodhisatta Vessabhū with this breakthrough: 'When contact is present, it leads to sensation; dependent on contact, sensation arises.'

Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to the bodhisatta Vessabhū: 'What is it that, when present, leads to contact? Dependent on what does contact arise?' Then, through wise attention, insight arose for bodhisatta Vessabhū with this breakthrough: 'When the six sense bases are present, they lead to contact; dependent on the six sense bases, contact arises.'

Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to the bodhisatta Vessabhū: 'What is it that, when present, leads to the six sense bases? Dependent on what do the six sense bases arise?' Then, through wise attention, insight arose for bodhisatta Vessabhū with this breakthrough: 'When name and form are present, they lead to the six sense bases; dependent on name and form, the six sense bases arise.'

Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to the bodhisatta Vessabhū: 'What is it that, when present, leads to name and form? Dependent on what do name and form arise?' Then, through wise attention, insight arose for bodhisatta Vessabhū with this breakthrough: 'When consciousness is present, it leads to name and form; dependent on consciousness, name and form arise.'

Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to the bodhisatta Vessabhū: 'What is it that, when present, leads to consciousness? Dependent on what does consciousness arise?' Then, through wise attention, insight arose for bodhisatta Vessabhū with this breakthrough: 'When volitional formations are present, they lead to consciousness; dependent on volitional formations, consciousness arises.'

Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to the bodhisatta Vessabhū: 'What is it that, when present, leads to volitional formations? Dependent on what do volitional formations arise?' Then, through wise attention, insight arose for bodhisatta Vessabhū with this breakthrough: 'When ignorance is present, it leads to volitional formations; dependent on ignorance, volitional formations arise.'

Thus, dependent on ignorance, volitional formations [arise]; dependent on volitional formations, consciousness arises; dependent on consciousness, name and form arises; dependent on name and form, the six sense bases arise; dependent on the six sense bases, contact arises; dependent on contact, sensation arises; dependent on sensation, craving arises; dependent on craving, clinging arises; dependent on clinging, existence arises; dependent on existence, birth arises; dependent on birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair arise. Thus is the arising of this whole mass of suffering. 'Arising, arising,' thought the bodhisatta Vessabhū, as vision, insight, wisdom, true knowledge, and light arose in him concerning doctrine previously unheard of.

Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to the bodhisatta Vessabhū: 'What is it that, when absent, aging and death do not arise? With the ending of what do aging and death cease?' Then, through wise attention, insight arose for bodhisatta Vessabhū with this breakthrough: 'When birth is absent, aging and death do not arise; with the ending of birth, aging and death cease.'

Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to the bodhisatta Vessabhū: 'What is it that, when absent, birth does not arise? With the ending of what does birth cease?' Then, through wise attention, insight arose for bodhisatta Vessabhū with this breakthrough: 'When existence is absent, birth does not arise; with the ending of existence, birth ceases.'

Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to the bodhisatta Vessabhū: 'What is it that, when absent, existence does not arise? With the ending of what does existence cease?' Then, through wise attention, insight arose for bodhisatta Vessabhū with this breakthrough: 'When clinging is absent, existence does not arise; with the ending of clinging, existence ceases.'

Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to the bodhisatta Vessabhū: 'What is it that, when absent, clinging does not arise? With the ending of what does clinging cease?' Then, through wise attention, insight arose for bodhisatta Vessabhū with this breakthrough: 'When craving is absent, clinging does not arise; with the ending of craving, clinging ceases.'

Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to the bodhisatta Vessabhū: 'What is it that, when absent, craving does not arise? With the ending of what does craving cease?' Then, through wise attention, insight arose for bodhisatta Vessabhū with this breakthrough: 'When sensation is absent, craving does not arise; with the ending of sensation, craving ceases.'

Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to the bodhisatta Vessabhū: 'What is it that, when absent, sensation does not arise? With the ending of what does sensation cease?' Then, through wise attention, insight arose for bodhisatta Vessabhū with this breakthrough: 'When contact is absent, sensation does not arise; with the ending of contact, sensation ceases.'

Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to the bodhisatta Vessabhū: 'What is it that, when absent, contact does not arise? With the ending of what does contact cease?' Then, through wise attention, insight arose for bodhisatta Vessabhū with this breakthrough: 'When the six sense bases are absent, contact does not arise; with the ending of the six sense bases, contact ceases.'

Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to the bodhisatta Vessabhū: 'What is it that, when absent, the six sense bases do not arise? With the ending of what do the six sense bases cease?' Then, through wise attention, insight arose for bodhisatta Vessabhū with this breakthrough: 'When name and form are absent, the six sense bases do not arise; with the ending of name and form, the six sense bases cease.'

Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to the bodhisatta Vessabhū: 'What is it that, when absent, name and form do not arise? With the ending of what do name and form cease?' Then, through wise attention, insight arose for bodhisatta Vessabhū with this breakthrough: 'When consciousness is absent, name and form do not arise; with the ending of consciousness, name and form cease.'

Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to the bodhisatta Vessabhū: 'What is it that, when absent, consciousness does not arise? With the ending of what does consciousness cease?' Then, through wise attention, insight arose for bodhisatta Vessabhū with this breakthrough: 'When volitional formations are absent, consciousness does not arise; with the ending of volitional formations, consciousness ceases.'

Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to the bodhisatta Vessabhū: 'What is it that, when absent, volitional formations do not arise? With the ending of what do volitional formations cease?' Then, through wise attention, insight arose for bodhisatta Vessabhū with this breakthrough: 'When ignorance is absent, volitional formations do not arise; with the ending of ignorance, volitional formations cease.'

Thus, with the complete fading away and ending of ignorance comes ending of volitional formations; with the ending of volitional formations, ending of consciousness; with the ending of consciousness, ending of name and form; with the ending of name and form, ending of the six sense bases; with the ending of the six sense bases, ending of contact; with the ending of contact, ending of sensation; with the ending of sensation, ending of craving; with the ending of craving, ending of clinging; with the ending of clinging, ending of existence; with the ending of existence, ending of birth; with the ending of birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair cease. Thus is the ending of this whole mass of suffering. 'Ending, ending,' thought the bodhisatta Vessabhū, as vision, insight, wisdom, true knowledge, and light arose in him concerning doctrine previously unheard of.