SN 12.65

Nagarasutta

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati. “Pubbe me, bhikkhave, sambodhā anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato etadahosi: ‘kicchā 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? 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.

The City

At Sāvatthī. “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?’ 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 hoti … upādānaṁ hoti … taṇhā hoti … vedanā hoti … phasso hoti … saḷāyatanaṁ hoti … nāmarūpaṁ hoti … kiṁpaccayā nāmarūpan’ti? Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo: ‘viññāṇe kho sati nāmarūpaṁ hoti, viññāṇapaccayā nāmarūpan’ti. Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘kimhi nu kho sati viññāṇaṁ hoti, kiṁpaccayā viññāṇan’ti? Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo: ‘nāmarūpe kho sati viññāṇaṁ hoti, nāmarūpapaccayā viññāṇan’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 … What is a requirement for name and form?’ Then, through rational application of mind, I penetrated with wisdom: ‘When consciousness exists there are name and form. Consciousness is a requirement for name and form.’ Then it occurred to me: ‘When what exists is there consciousness? What is a requirement for consciousness?’ Then, through rational application of mind, I penetrated with wisdom: ‘When name and form exist there’s consciousness. Name and form are requirements for consciousness.’

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi— paccudāvattati kho idaṁ viññāṇaṁ nāmarūpamhā na paraṁ gacchati. Ettāvatā jāyetha vā jīyetha vā mīyetha vā cavetha vā upapajjetha vā, yadidaṁ nāmarūpapaccayā viññāṇaṁ; viññāṇapaccayā nāmarūpaṁ; nāmarūpapaccayā saḷāyatanaṁ; saḷāyatanapaccayā phasso …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.

Then it occurred to me: This consciousness turns back from name and form, and doesn’t go beyond that. This is the extent to which one may be reborn, grow old, die, pass away, or reappear. That is: name and form are requirements for consciousness. Consciousness is a requirement for name and form. Name and form are requirements for the six sense fields. The six sense fields are requirements for contact. … 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. Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘kimhi nu kho asati jāti na hoti …pe… bhavo na hoti … upādānaṁ na hoti … taṇhā na hoti … vedanā na hoti … phasso na hoti … saḷāyatanaṁ na hoti … nāmarūpaṁ na hoti. Kissa nirodhā nāmarūpanirodho’ti? Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo: ‘viññāṇe kho asati, nāmarūpaṁ na hoti; viññāṇanirodhā nāmarūpanirodho’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 is no old age and death. When rebirth ceases old age and death cease.’ Then it occurred to me: ‘When what doesn’t exist is there no rebirth … continued existence … grasping … craving … feeling … contact … six sense fields … name and form? When what ceases do name and form cease?’ Then, through rational application of mind, I penetrated with wisdom: ‘When consciousness doesn’t exist there is no name and form. When consciousness ceases name and form cease.’

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘kimhi nu kho asati viññāṇaṁ na hoti; kissa nirodhā viññāṇanirodho’ti? Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo: ‘nāmarūpe kho asati, viññāṇaṁ na hoti; nāmarūpanirodhā viññāṇanirodho’ti.

Then it occurred to me: ‘When what doesn’t exist is there no consciousness? When what ceases does consciousness cease?’ Then, through rational application of mind, I penetrated with wisdom: ‘When name and form don’t exist, there is no consciousness. When name and form cease, consciousness ceases.’

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi— adhigato kho myāyaṁ maggo bodhāya yadidaṁ— nāmarūpanirodhā viññāṇanirodho; viññāṇanirodhā nāmarūpanirodho; nāmarūpanirodhā saḷāyatananirodho; saḷāyatananirodhā phassanirodho …pe… evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hoti. ‘Nirodho, nirodho’ti kho me, bhikkhave, pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhuṁ udapādi ñāṇaṁ udapādi paññā udapādi vijjā udapādi āloko udapādi.

Then it occurred to me: I have discovered the path to awakening. That is: When name and form cease, consciousness ceases. When consciousness ceases, name and form cease. When name and form cease, the six sense fields cease. When the six sense fields cease, contact 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.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso araññe pavane caramāno passeyya purāṇaṁ maggaṁ purāṇañjasaṁ pubbakehi manussehi anuyātaṁ. So tamanugaccheyya. Tamanugacchanto passeyya purāṇaṁ nagaraṁ purāṇaṁ rājadhāniṁ pubbakehi manussehi ajjhāvuṭṭhaṁ ārāmasampannaṁ vanasampannaṁ pokkharaṇīsampannaṁ uddhāpavantaṁ ramaṇīyaṁ. Atha kho so, bhikkhave, puriso rañño vā rājamahāmattassa vā āroceyya: ‘yagghe, bhante, jāneyyāsi—ahaṁ addasaṁ araññe pavane caramāno purāṇaṁ maggaṁ purāṇañjasaṁ pubbakehi manussehi anuyātaṁ tamanugacchiṁ. Tamanugacchanto addasaṁ purāṇaṁ nagaraṁ purāṇaṁ rājadhāniṁ pubbakehi manussehi ajjhāvuṭṭhaṁ ārāmasampannaṁ vanasampannaṁ pokkharaṇīsampannaṁ uddhāpavantaṁ ramaṇīyaṁ. Taṁ, bhante, nagaraṁ māpehī’ti. Atha kho so, bhikkhave, rājā vā rājamahāmatto vā taṁ nagaraṁ māpeyya. Tadassa nagaraṁ aparena samayena iddhañceva phītañca bāhujaññaṁ ākiṇṇamanussaṁ vuddhivepullappattaṁ. Evameva khvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, addasaṁ purāṇaṁ maggaṁ purāṇañjasaṁ pubbakehi sammāsambuddhehi anuyātaṁ.

Suppose a person was walking through a forest. They’d see an ancient path, an ancient route traveled by humans in the past. Following it along, they’d see an ancient city, an ancient capital, inhabited by humans in the past. It was lovely, complete with parks, groves, lotus ponds, and embankments. Then that person would inform a king or their chief minister: ‘Please sir, you should know this. While walking through a forest I saw an ancient path, an ancient route traveled by humans in the past. Following it along I saw an ancient city, an ancient capital, inhabited by humans in the past. It was lovely, complete with parks, groves, lotus ponds, and embankments. Sir, you should rebuild that city!’ Then that king or their chief minister would have that city rebuilt. And after some time that city was successful and prosperous, populous and full of people, attained to growth and expansion. In the same way, I saw an ancient path, an ancient route traveled by fully awakened Buddhas in the past.

Katamo ca so, bhikkhave, purāṇamaggo purāṇañjaso pubbakehi sammāsambuddhehi anuyāto? Ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, seyyathidaṁ— sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi. Ayaṁ kho so, bhikkhave, purāṇamaggo purāṇañjaso pubbakehi sammāsambuddhehi anuyāto, tamanugacchiṁ; tamanugacchanto jarāmaraṇaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ; jarāmaraṇasamudayaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ; jarāmaraṇanirodhaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ; jarāmaraṇanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ. Tamanugacchiṁ; tamanugacchanto jātiṁ abbhaññāsiṁ …pe… bhavaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ … upādānaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ … taṇhaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ … vedanaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ … phassaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ … saḷāyatanaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ … nāmarūpaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ … viññāṇaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ. Tamanugacchiṁ; tamanugacchanto saṅkhāre abbhaññāsiṁ; saṅkhārasamudayaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ; saṅkhāranirodhaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ; saṅkhāranirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ. Tadabhiññāya ācikkhiṁ bhikkhūnaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ upāsakānaṁ upāsikānaṁ. Tayidaṁ, bhikkhave, brahmacariyaṁ iddhañceva phītañca vitthārikaṁ bāhujaññaṁ puthubhūtaṁ yāva devamanussehi suppakāsitan”ti.

And what is that ancient path, the ancient route traveled by fully awakened Buddhas in the past? It is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion. This is that ancient path, the ancient route traveled by fully awakened Buddhas in the past. Following it along, I directly knew old age and death, their origin, their cessation, and the practice that leads to their cessation. Following it along, I directly knew rebirth … continued existence … grasping … craving … feeling … contact … the six sense fields … name and form … consciousness … Following it along, I directly knew choices, their origin, their cessation, and the practice that leads to their cessation. Having directly known this, I told the monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen. And that’s how this spiritual life has become successful and prosperous, extensive, popular, widespread, and fully revealed among gods and humans.”