At Sāvatthi.
“Bhikkhus, before my full awakening, while I was still a |bodhisatta::Buddha before his awakening, aspirant Buddha [bodhisatta]|, this thought occurred to me: ‘This world has indeed fallen into great trouble, in that it is born, it ages, it dies, it passes away and is reborn, yet it does not know the escape from this |suffering::discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering [dukkha]| [headed by] aging and death. When will the escape be discerned from this suffering [headed by] aging and death?’ Then, bhikkhus, this thought occurred to me: ‘What is it that, when present, leads to aging and death? Dependent on what does aging and death arise?’ Then, bhikkhus, through |wise attention::proper attention, prudent use of the mind, wise reflection, attention to the source [yoniso + manasikāra]|, there took place in me a breakthrough by wisdom: ‘When |birth::rebirth, conception, coming into existence [jāti]| is present, it leads to aging and death; dependent on birth, aging and death arise.’
Then, bhikkhus, this thought occurred to me: ‘What is it that, when present, leads to birth? ... leads to |existence::being, becoming [bhava]|? ... leads to |clinging::grasping, acquiring, appropriating, taking possession, identifying [upādāna]|? ... leads to |craving::wanting, yearning, longing, attachment, lit. thirst [taṇha]|? ... leads to |felt experience::pleasant, neutral or painful sensation, feeling, second of the five aggregates [vedanā]|? ... leads to |contact::sense impingement, raw experience, touch [phassa]|? ... leads to |six sense bases::the six internal sense faculties - eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind - that enable sensory experience [saḷāyatana]|? ... leads to |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]|? Dependent on what does name and form arise?’ Then, bhikkhus, through wise attention, there took place in me a breakthrough by wisdom: ‘When |consciousness::quality of awareness — subjective awareness of experiences and the knowing of objects through the six sense doors [viññāṇa]| is present, name and form arise; dependent on consciousness, name and form arise.’ Then, bhikkhus, this thought occured to me: ‘What is it that, when present, leads to consciousness? Dependent on what does consciousness arise?’ Then, bhikkhus, through wise attention, there took place in me a breakthrough by wisdom: ‘When name and form are present, consciousness arises; dependent on name and form, consciousness arises.’
Then, bhikkhus, it occurred to me: ‘This consciousness turns back at name and form; it does not go beyond name and form. It is to this extent that one may be born and age and die, pass away and be reborn—that is, dependent on name and form [of a previous existence], consciousness arises; dependent on consciousness, name and form arise [to form a new existence]; dependent on name and form, the six sense bases arise; dependent on the six sense bases, contact arises ... Thus is the arising of this whole mass of suffering. ‘Arising, arising’—thus, bhikkhus, in regard to things unheard of before, there arose in me vision, insight, wisdom, true knowledge, and clarity.
Then, bhikkhus, it occurred to me: ‘What is it, when absent, aging and death do not occur? With the cessation of what does aging and death cease?’ Then, bhikkhus, through wise attention, there took place in me a breakthrough by wisdom: ‘When birth is absent, aging and death do not occur; with the cessation of birth, aging and death cease.’ Then, bhikkhus, this thought occurred to me: ‘What is it, when absent, birth does not occur? ... existence does not occur? ... clinging does not occur? ... craving does not occur? ... felt experience does not occur? ... contact does not occur? ... the six sense bases do not occur? ... name and form do not occur? With the cessation of what do name and form cease?’ Then, bhikkhus, through wise attention, there took place in me a breakthrough by wisdom: ‘When consciousness is absent, name and form do not occur; with the cessation of consciousness, name and form cease.’
Then, bhikkhus, it occurred to me: ‘What is it, when absent, consciousness does not occur? With the cessation of what does consciousness cease?’ Then, bhikkhus, through wise attention, there took place in me a breakthrough by wisdom: ‘When name and form are absent, consciousness does not occur; with the cessation of name and form, consciousness ceases.’
Then, bhikkhus, it occurred to me: This path to awakening has been realized by me—that is, with the cessation of name and form, consciousness ceases; with the cessation of consciousness, name and form cease; with the cessation of name and form, the six sense bases cease; with the cessation of the six sense bases, contact ceases ... and so on, until there is the cessation of this entire mass of suffering. ‘Cessation, cessation’—thus, bhikkhus, in regard to things unheard of before, there arose in me vision, insight, |wisdom::distinctive knowledge, discernment [paññā]|, true knowledge, and clarity.
Suppose, bhikkhus, a man wandering through a dense forest would see an ancient path, an ancient direct road, traveled upon by people in the past. Following that path, he would discover an ancient city, an old capital, once inhabited by people in the past, rich in parks, full of groves, abundant with lotus ponds, with well-constructed embankments, and delightful. Then that man might go to the king or the royal minister and report: ‘Come, venerable sir! Know this: while wandering through the dense forest, I saw an ancient path, an ancient direct road, traveled upon by people in the past. Following that path, I discovered an ancient city, an old capital, once inhabited by people in the past, rich in parks, full of groves, abundant with lotus ponds, with well-constructed embankments, and delightful. Please restore this city!’ Then, bhikkhus, the king or the royal minister would restore the city, and some time later, that city would become prosperous, flourishing, populous, full of people, and developed to great growth and expansion. In the same way, bhikkhus, I discovered the ancient path, the ancient direct road, traveled upon by the perfectly Awakened Ones in the past.
And what, bhikkhus, is that ancient path, that ancient direct road, traveled upon by the perfectly Awakened Ones in the past? It is just this Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right collectedness. Bhikkhus, I followed that ancient path, that ancient road, traveled upon by the perfectly Awakened Ones in the past.
And following that, I came to |experientially understand::directly know, realize [abbhaññāsi]| aging and death; the arising of aging and death; the ending of aging and death; the way of practice leading to the end of aging and death. Following that, I came to experientially understand birth ... experientially understand existence ... experientially understand clinging ... experientially understand craving ... experientially understand felt experience ... experientially understand contact ... experientially understand the six sense bases ... experientially understand name and form ... experientially understand consciousness. Following that, I came to experientially understand |volitional formations::intentions, choices, decisions, karmic activity [saṅkhāra]|; the arising of volitional formations; the ending of volitional formations; the way of practice leading to the ending of volitional formations.
Having experientially understanding this truth, I declared it to the bhikkhus, bhikkhunīs, the male lay disciples, and the female lay disciples. This spiritual life, bhikkhus, has become prosperous, flourishing, broadly circulated, populous, and widespread among deities and humans.”