SN 12.10

Gotamasutta

“Pubbeva me, bhikkhave, sambodhā anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato etadahosi: ‘kicchaṁ vatāyaṁ loko āpanno jāyati ca jīyati ca mīyati ca cavati ca upapajjati ca. Atha ca panimassa dukkhassa nissaraṇaṁ nappajānāti jarāmaraṇassa. Kudāssu nāma imassa dukkhassa nissaraṇaṁ paññāyissati jarāmaraṇassā’ti?

Gotama

“Mendicants, before my awakening—when I was still unawakened but intent on awakening—I thought: ‘Alas, this world has fallen into trouble. It’s born, grows old, dies, passes away, and is reborn, yet it doesn’t understand how to escape from this suffering, from old age and death. Oh, when will an escape be found from this suffering, from old age and death?’

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘kimhi nu kho sati jarāmaraṇaṁ hoti, kiṁpaccayā jarāmaraṇan’ti? Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo: ‘jātiyā kho sati jarāmaraṇaṁ hoti, jātipaccayā jarāmaraṇan’ti.

Then it occurred to me: ‘When what exists is there old age and death? What is a requirement for old age and death?’ Then, through rational application of mind, I penetrated with wisdom: ‘When rebirth exists there’s old age and death. Rebirth is a requirement for old age and death.’

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘kimhi nu kho sati jāti hoti …pe… bhavo … upādānaṁ … taṇhā … vedanā … phasso … saḷāyatanaṁ … nāmarūpaṁ … viññāṇaṁ … saṅkhārā honti, kiṁpaccayā saṅkhārā’ti? Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo: ‘avijjāya kho sati saṅkhārā honti, avijjāpaccayā saṅkhārā’ti.

Then it occurred to me: ‘When what exists is there rebirth? … continued existence … grasping … craving … feeling … contact … the six sense fields … name and form … consciousness … ‘When what exists are there choices? What is a requirement for choices?’ Then, through rational application of mind, I penetrated with wisdom: ‘When ignorance exists there are choices. Ignorance is a requirement for choices.’

Iti hidaṁ avijjāpaccayā saṅkhārā; saṅkhārapaccayā viññāṇaṁ …pe… evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti. ‘Samudayo, samudayo’ti kho me, bhikkhave, pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhuṁ udapādi, ñāṇaṁ udapādi, paññā udapādi, vijjā udapādi, āloko udapādi.

And so, ignorance is a requirement for choices. Choices are a requirement for consciousness. … That is how this entire mass of suffering originates. ‘Origination, origination.’ Such was the vision, knowledge, wisdom, realization, and light that arose in me regarding teachings not learned before from another.

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘kimhi nu kho asati jarāmaraṇaṁ na hoti, kissa nirodhā jarāmaraṇanirodho’ti? Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo: ‘jātiyā kho asati jarāmaraṇaṁ na hoti, jātinirodhā jarāmaraṇanirodho’ti.

Then it occurred to me: ‘When what doesn’t exist is there no old age and death? When what ceases do old age and death cease?’ Then, through rational application of mind, I penetrated with wisdom: ‘When rebirth doesn’t exist there’s no old age and death. When rebirth ceases, old age and death cease.’

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘kimhi nu kho asati jāti na hoti …pe… bhavo … upādānaṁ … taṇhā … vedanā … phasso … saḷāyatanaṁ … nāmarūpaṁ … viññāṇaṁ … saṅkhārā na honti, kissa nirodhā saṅkhāranirodho’ti? Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo: ‘avijjāya kho asati saṅkhārā na honti, avijjānirodhā saṅkhāranirodho’ti.

Then it occurred to me: ‘When what doesn’t exist is there no rebirth? … continued existence … grasping … craving … feeling … contact … the six sense fields … name and form … consciousness … ‘When what doesn’t exist are there no choices? When what ceases do choices cease?’ Then, through rational application of mind, I penetrated with wisdom: ‘When ignorance doesn’t exist there are no choices. When ignorance ceases, choices cease.’

Iti hidaṁ avijjānirodhā saṅkhāranirodho; saṅkhāranirodhā viññāṇanirodho …pe… evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hoti. ‘Nirodho, nirodho’ti kho me, bhikkhave, pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhuṁ udapādi, ñāṇaṁ udapādi, paññā udapādi, vijjā udapādi, āloko udapādī”ti. Dasamo.

And so, when ignorance ceases, choices cease. When choices cease, consciousness ceases. … That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases. ‘Cessation, cessation.’ Such was the vision, knowledge, wisdom, realization, and light that arose in me regarding teachings not learned before from another.”