Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthi.
“Pañcimāni, bhikkhave, bījajātāni. Katamāni pañca? Mūlabījaṁ, khandhabījaṁ, aggabījaṁ, phalubījaṁ, bījabījaññeva pañcamaṁ.
“Bhikkhus, there are these five kinds of seeds. What five? The root-propagated seed, the stem-propagated seed, the cutting-propagated seed, the joint-propagated seed, and the seed-propagated seed as the fifth.
Imāni cassu, bhikkhave, pañca bījajātāni akhaṇḍāni apūtikāni avātātapahatāni sārādāni sukhasayitāni, pathavī ca nāssa, āpo ca nāssa; api numāni, bhikkhave, pañca bījajātāni vuddhiṁ virūḷhiṁ vepullaṁ āpajjeyyun”ti?
Bhikkhus, suppose these five kinds of seeds were unbroken, unspoiled, undamaged by wind or heat, fertile, securely planted. Yet if there were no earth and no water, would these five kinds of seeds grow, sprout, and reach maturity?”
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“No, venerable sir.”
“Imāni cassu, bhikkhave, pañca bījajātāni akhaṇḍāni apūtikāni avātātapahatāni sārādāni sukhasayitāni, pathavī ca assa, āpo ca assa; api numāni, bhikkhave, pañca bījajātāni vuddhiṁ virūḷhiṁ vepullaṁ āpajjeyyun”ti?
“Bhikkhus, suppose these five kinds of seeds were unbroken, unspoiled, undamaged by wind or heat, fertile, securely planted, and there were earth and water. Would these five kinds of seeds grow, sprout, and reach maturity?”
“Evaṁ, bhante”.
“Yes, venerable sir.”
“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, pathavīdhātu, evaṁ catasso viññāṇaṭṭhitiyo daṭṭhabbā. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, āpodhātu, evaṁ nandirāgo daṭṭhabbo. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, pañca bījajātāni, evaṁ viññāṇaṁ sāhāraṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ.
“Bhikkhus, the four |planes of consciousness::stations of consciousness [viññāṇaṭṭhiti]| should be seen as like the |earth element::whatever internal or external that is solid, hard, resistant, appears stable and supporting, which can be considered as belonging to oneself, and can be clung to [pathavīdhātu]|. |Delight and passion::pleasure and desire [nandirāga]| should be seen as like the |water element::whatever internal or external, that is liquid, cohesive, flowing, binding, moist, which can be considered as belonging to oneself, and can be clung to [āpodhātu]|. Consciousness together |with its nutriment::with its fuel [sāhāra]| should be seen as like the five kinds of seeds.
Rūpupayaṁ, bhikkhave, viññāṇaṁ tiṭṭhamānaṁ tiṭṭheyya, rūpārammaṇaṁ rūpappatiṭṭhaṁ nandūpasecanaṁ vuddhiṁ virūḷhiṁ vepullaṁ āpajjeyya.
Consciousness, bhikkhus, while |persisting::remaining [tiṭṭhamāna]|, might persist |attached to form::attracted to form, engaged with materiality [rūpupaya]|, based on [the field of] form, with |form::a visible object such as a beautiful sight, a face, an expression, art, ornament, possession, status symbol, admired appearance, or enticing scenery—anything seen that can produce desire, attachment, or self-view [rūpa]| as a support—and there, with a sprinkling of |delight::pleasure, enjoyment, relish [nandi]|—it comes to growth, increase, and full maturation.
Vedanupayaṁ vā, bhikkhave, viññāṇaṁ tiṭṭhamānaṁ tiṭṭheyya …pe…
Consciousness, bhikkhus, while persisting, might persist attached to |felt experience::pleasant, neutral, or painful sensation, feeling, second of the five aggregates [vedanā]|, based on [the field of] felt experience, with felt experience as a support—and there, with a sprinkling of delight—it comes to growth, increase, and full maturation.
saññupayaṁ vā, bhikkhave, viññāṇaṁ tiṭṭhamānaṁ tiṭṭheyya …pe…
Consciousness, bhikkhus, while persisting, might persist attached to |perception::The mental process of recognizing and giving meaning to experience. It marks sensory information by signs, labels, or associations drawn from memory and the field of contact. Perception shapes how one experiences the world; third of the five aggregates [sañña]|, based on [the field of] perception, with perception as a support—and there, with a sprinkling of delight—it comes to growth, increase, and full maturation.
saṅkhārupayaṁ vā, bhikkhave, viññāṇaṁ tiṭṭhamānaṁ tiṭṭheyya, saṅkhārārammaṇaṁ saṅkhārappatiṭṭhaṁ nandūpasecanaṁ vuddhiṁ virūḷhiṁ vepullaṁ āpajjeyya.
Consciousness, bhikkhus, while persisting, might persist attached to |intentional constructs::intentions, volitions, choices; mental and bodily volitional activities; thought formations and constructed experiences (including proliferative tendencies); kamma-producing processes [saṅkhāra]|, based on [the field of] intentional constructs, with intentional constructs as a support—and there, with a sprinkling of delight—it comes to growth, increase, and full maturation.
Yo, bhikkhave, evaṁ vadeyya: ‘ahamaññatra rūpā aññatra vedanāya aññatra saññāya aññatra saṅkhārehi viññāṇassa āgatiṁ vā gatiṁ vā cutiṁ vā upapattiṁ vā vuddhiṁ vā virūḷhiṁ vā vepullaṁ vā paññāpessāmī’ti, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
If anyone, bhikkhus, were to speak thus: ‘Apart from form, apart from felt experience, apart from perception, apart from intentional constructs, I will point out the |coming::descent, incoming trajectory [āgati]|, the |trajectory::going, passing on, path, course, destination [gati]|, the |passing away::falling away, death [cuti]|, the |rebirth::re-arising, reappearance [upapatti]|, the growth, the increase, or the full maturation of consciousness’ — that is not possible.
Rūpadhātuyā ceva, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno rāgo pahīno hoti. Rāgassa pahānā vocchijjatārammaṇaṁ patiṭṭhā viññāṇassa na hoti.
When for a bhikkhu, |passion::intense desire, strong emotion, infatuation, obsession, lust [rāga]| for the |form element::field of material phenomena, including the four great elements (earth, water, fire, air) and forms derived from them; the visible and tangible basis of sensory experience [rūpadhātu]| is abandoned, with the abandoning of passion, the support for the establishment of consciousness is completely cut off.
Vedanādhātuyā ce …
When for a bhikkhu, passion for the |feeling element::field of felt experiences, including pleasant, painful, and neutral feeling-tones [vedanādhātu]| is abandoned, with the abandoning of passion, the support for the establishment of consciousness is completely cut off.
saññādhātuyā ce …
When for a bhikkhu, passion for the |perception element::field of cognitive recognition, including the discernment of signs, features, and patterns; the faculty that marks and identifies experiences as “this” or “that” [saññādhātu]| is abandoned, with the abandoning of passion, the support for the establishment of consciousness is completely cut off.
saṅkhāradhātuyā ce …
When for a bhikkhu, passion for the |element of intentional constructs::field of intentions, decisions, choices, volitional activities, and other intentional constructs that shape experience and produce kamma [saṅkhāradhātu]| is abandoned, with the abandoning of passion, the support for the establishment of consciousness is completely cut off.
viññāṇadhātuyā ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno rāgo pahīno hoti. Rāgassa pahānā vocchijjatārammaṇaṁ patiṭṭhā viññāṇassa na hoti. Tadappatiṭṭhitaṁ viññāṇaṁ avirūḷhaṁ anabhisaṅkhacca vimuttaṁ.
Bhikkhus, when for a bhikkhu, passion for the |consciousness element::field of awareness and sentience, including the knowing of an object through the six sense domains—eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind [viññāṇadhātu]| is abandoned, with the abandoning of passion, the support for the establishment of consciousness is completely cut off. That consciousness, being unestablished, does not grow, and by |not intentionally constructing::not producing dark or bright kamma [anabhisaṅkhacca]|, is liberated.
Vimuttattā ṭhitaṁ. Ṭhitattā santusitaṁ. Santusitattā na paritassati. Aparitassaṁ paccattaññeva parinibbāyati.
By being liberated, there is stability; being stable, there is contentment; being content, there is |no perturbation::no agitation, no mental uneasiness [aparitassa]|. Unperturbed, one personally attains final Nibbāna.
‘Khīṇā jāti …pe… nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānātī”ti.
One understands: ‘Birth is ended, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of existence.’”