At Sāvatthi.
“I declare, bhikkhus, the ending of |mental defilements::mental outflows, discharges, taints [āsava]| for one who knows and sees, not for one who does not know and does not see. And what, bhikkhus, does one know and see for the ending of mental defilements to occur? ‘Such is |form::materiality, material existence, experience of the material world, i.e. encompassing both one’s body and external objects, whether near or far, gross or subtle, deficient or refined; first of the five aggregates [rūpa]|, such is the |arising::appearance, origination [samudaya]| of form, such is the |passing away::disappearing, vanishing, subsiding [atthaṅgama]| of form; such is |felt experience::pleasant, neutral or painful sensation, feeling felt on contact through eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind; second of the five aggregates [vedanā]|, such is the arising of felt experience, such is the passing away of felt experience; such is |perception::interpretation and recognition of oneself, of things. It can involve concepts, labels, and judgments; third of the five aggregates [sañña]|, such is the arising of perception, such is the passing away of perception; such are |volitional formations::intentions, choices, decisions, karmic activity; fourth of the five aggregates [saṅkhāra]|, such is the arising of volitional formations, such is the passing away of volitional formations; such is |consciousness::quality of awareness — subjective awareness of experiences and the knowing of objects through the six sense doors [sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, and mind]; fifth of the five aggregates [viññāṇa]|, such is the arising of consciousness, such is the passing away of consciousness.‘ This is how, bhikkhus, for one who knows and sees in this way, the ending of mental defilements occurs.
”I declare the knowledge of ending with its proximate cause, not without. And what, bhikkhus, is the proximate cause of knowledge of ending? ’|Liberation::release, deliverance, freedom, emancipation [vimutti]|‘ should be said. Indeed, bhikkhus, I declare liberation with its proximate cause, not without. And what, bhikkhus, is the proximate cause of liberation? ’|Fading of desire::dispassion, detachment [virāga]|‘ should be said. Indeed, bhikkhus, I declare fading of desire with its proximate cause, not without. And what, bhikkhus, is the proximate cause of fading of desire? ’|Disenchantment::de-illusionment, disinterest, dispassion [nibbidā]|‘ should be said. Indeed, bhikkhus, I declare disenchantment with its proximate cause, not without. And what, bhikkhus, is the proximate cause of disenchantment? ’|Understanding and insight into things as they truly are::knowing and seeing reality [yathābhūtañāṇadassana]|‘ should be said. Indeed, bhikkhus, I declare understanding and insight into things as they truly are with its proximate cause, not without. And what, bhikkhus, is the proximate cause of understanding and insight into things as they truly are? ’|Collectedness::stability of mind, stillness of mind, mental composure, concentration [samādhi]|‘ should be said. Indeed, bhikkhus, I declare collectedness with its proximate cause, not without.”
And what, bhikkhus, is the proximate cause for collectedness? ’|Ease::contentment, happiness, pleasant abiding [sukha]|‘ should be said. Indeed, bhikkhus, I declare ease to be with proximate cause, not without proximate cause. And what, bhikkhus, is the proximate cause for ease? ’|Tranquility::peace, serenity, stillness [passaddhi]|‘ should be said. Indeed, bhikkhus, I declare tranquility to be with proximate cause, not without proximate cause. And what, bhikkhus, is the proximate cause for tranquility? ’|Joyful pleasure::heartfelt or intense joy, feeling of love, rapture lit. lovely feeling [pīti]|‘ should be said. Indeed, bhikkhus, I declare rapture to be with proximate cause, not without proximate cause. And what, bhikkhus, is the proximate cause for rapture? ’|Joy::happiness, gladness [pāmojja]|‘ should be said. Indeed, bhikkhus, I declare joy to be with proximate cause, not without proximate cause. And what, bhikkhus, is the proximate cause for joy? ’|Faith::confidence, conviction, devotion, trust [saddhā]|‘ should be said. Indeed, bhikkhus, I declare faith to be with proximate cause, not without proximate cause.
And what, bhikkhus, is the proximate cause for faith? ’|Suffering::discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering [dukkha]|‘ should be said. Indeed, bhikkhus, I declare suffering to be with proximate cause, not without proximate cause. And what, bhikkhus, is the proximate cause for suffering? ’|Birth::rebirth, conception, coming into existence [jāti]|‘ should be said. Indeed, bhikkhus, I declare birth to be with proximate cause, not without proximate cause. And what, bhikkhus, is the proximate cause for birth? ’|Continued existence::being, becoming [bhava]|‘ should be said. Indeed, bhikkhus, I declare continued existence to be with proximate cause, not without proximate cause. And what, bhikkhus, is the proximate cause for continued existence? ’|Clinging::grasping, acquiring, appropriating, taking possession, identifying [upādāna]|‘ should be said. Indeed, bhikkhus, I declare clinging to be with proximate cause, not without proximate cause. And what, bhikkhus, is the proximate cause for clinging? ’|Craving::wanting, yearning, longing, attachment, lit. thirst [taṇha]|‘ should be said. Indeed, bhikkhus, I declare craving to be with proximate cause, not without proximate cause.
And what, bhikkhus, is the proximate cause for craving? ’|Felt experience::pleasant, neutral or painful sensation, feeling, second of the five aggregates [vedanā]|‘ should be said... ’|Contact::sense impingement, raw experience, touch [phassa]|‘ should be said... ’The |six sense bases::the six internal sense faculties - eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind - that enable sensory experience [saḷāyatana]|‘ should be said... ’|Name and form::combination of mental processes [intending, attention, contact, sensation, and perceiving] and physical form that constitute an individual being, the mental and physical objects of consciousness [nāmarūpa]|‘ should be said... ’|Consciousness::quality of awareness — subjective awareness of experiences and the knowing of objects through the six sense doors [sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, and mind] [viññāṇa]|‘ should be said... ’|Volitional formations::intentions, choices, decisions, karmic activity [saṅkhāra]|‘ should be said. Indeed, bhikkhus, I declare formations to be with proximate cause, not without proximate cause. And what, bhikkhus, is the proximate cause for formations? ’|Ignorance::fundamental unawareness or misunderstanding of the true nature of reality, not experientially understanding the four noble truths [avijjā]|‘ should be said.
Thus, bhikkhus, ignorance is the proximate cause for volitional formations, volitional formations are the proximate cause for consciousness, consciousness is the proximate cause for name-and-form, name-and-form is the proximate cause for the six sense bases, the six sense bases are the proximate cause for contact, contact is the proximate cause for felt experience, felt experience is the proximate cause for craving, craving is the proximate cause for clinging, clinging is the proximate cause for continued existence, continued existence is the proximate cause for birth, birth is the proximate cause for suffering, suffering is the proximate cause for faith, faith is the proximate cause for joy, joy is the proximate cause for joyful pleasure, joyful pleasure is the proximate cause for tranquility, tranquility is the proximate cause for ease, ease is the proximate cause for collectedness, collectedness is the proximate cause for understanding and insight into things as they truly are, understanding and insight into things as they truly are is the proximate cause for disenchantment, disenchantment is the proximate cause for fading of desire, fading of desire is the proximate cause for liberation, and liberation is the proximate cause for the knowledge of ending.
Just as, bhikkhus, when a great downpour occurs atop a mountain, the cascading water naturally progresses, filling up the mountain’s hollows, gullies, and crevices. These, once filled, replenish the small ponds. The small ponds, upon reaching their capacity, replenish the larger ponds. The larger ponds, once full, replenish the streams. The streams, having been replenished, fill the rivers. The rivers, upon being filled, replenish the great ocean.
In the same way, bhikkhus, ignorance is the proximate cause for volitional formations, volitional formations are the proximate cause for consciousness, consciousness is the proximate cause for name-and-form, name-and-form is the proximate cause for the six sense bases, the six sense bases are the proximate cause for contact, contact is the proximate cause for felt experience, felt experience is the proximate cause for craving, craving is the proximate cause for clinging, clinging is the proximate cause for continued existence, continued existence is the proximate cause for birth, birth is the proximate cause for suffering, suffering is the proximate cause for faith, faith is the proximate cause for joy, joy is the proximate cause for joyful pleasure, joyful pleasure is the proximate cause for tranquility, tranquility is the proximate cause for ease, ease is the proximate cause for collectedness, collectedness is the proximate cause for understanding and insight into things as they truly are, understanding and insight into things as they truly are is the proximate cause for disenchantment, disenchantment is the proximate cause for fading of desire, fading of desire is the proximate cause for liberation, and liberation is the proximate cause for the knowledge of ending.