“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?
“Bhikkhus, even before my awakening, while I was still only a |Bodhisatta::Buddha before his awakening, aspirant Buddha [bodhisatta]|, the thought occurred to me: ‘Alas, this world has fallen into |trouble::difficulty, problem [kiccha]|, in that it is born, ages, and dies, it passes away and is reborn, yet it does not understand the escape from this |suffering::discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering [dukkha]|, from aging and death. When indeed will the escape from this suffering, from aging and death, be known?‘
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, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to me: ‘What is it that, when present, leads to aging and death? Dependent on what does aging and death arise?’ Then, through |wise attention::proper attention, prudent use of the mind, wise reflection, attention to the source [yoniso + manasikāra]|, insight arose in me with this |breakthrough::complete comprehension, total understanding [abhisamaya]|: ‘When |birth::rebirth, conception, coming into existence [jāti]| is present, aging and death arise; dependent on birth, aging and death arise.’
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘kimhi nu kho sati jāti hoti, kiṁpaccayā jātī’ti? Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo: ‘bhave kho sati jāti hoti, bhavapaccayā jātī’ti.
Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to me: ‘What is it that, when present, leads to birth? Dependent on what does birth arise?‘ Then, through wise attention, insight arose in me with this breakthrough: ‘When |existence::being, becoming; continued conditional existence, the karmically conditioned mode of being that leads to future rebirth [bhava]| is present, it leads to birth; dependent on existence, birth arises.’
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘kimhi nu kho sati bhavo hoti, kiṁpaccayā bhavo’ti? Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo: ‘upādāne kho sati bhavo hoti, upādānapaccayā bhavo’ti.
Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to me: ‘What is it that, when present, leads to existence? Dependent on what does existence arise?’ Then, through wise attention, insight arose in me with this breakthrough: ‘When |clinging::grasping, acquiring, appropriating, taking possession, identifying [upādāna]| is present, it leads to existence; dependent on clinging, existence arises.’
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘kimhi nu kho sati upādānaṁ hoti, kiṁpaccayā upādānan’ti? Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo: ‘taṇhāya kho sati upādānaṁ hoti, taṇhāpaccayā upādānan’ti.
Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to me: ‘What is it that, when present, leads to clinging? Dependent on what does clinging arise?‘ Then, through wise attention, insight arose in me with this breakthrough: ‘When |craving::wanting, yearning, longing, attachment, lit. thirst [taṇhā]| is present, it leads to clinging; dependent on craving, clinging arises.’
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘kimhi nu kho sati taṇhā hoti, kiṁpaccayā taṇhā’ti? Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo: ‘vedanāya kho sati taṇhā hoti, vedanāpaccayā taṇhā’ti.
Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to me: ‘What is it that, when present, leads to craving? Dependent on what does craving arise?’ Then, through wise attention, insight arose in me with this breakthrough: ‘When |felt experience::pleasant, neutral, or painful sensation, feeling, second of the five aggregates [vedanā]| is present, it leads to craving; dependent on felt experience, craving arises.’
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘kimhi nu kho sati vedanā hoti, kiṁpaccayā vedanā’ti? Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo: ‘phassena kho sati vedanā hoti, phassapaccayā vedanā’ti.
Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to me: ‘What is it that, when present, leads to felt experience? Dependent on what does felt experience arise?‘ Then, through wise attention, insight arose in me with this breakthrough: ‘When |contact::sense impingement, raw experience, touch [phassa]| is present, it leads to felt experience; dependent on contact, felt experience arises.’
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘kimhi nu kho sati phasso hoti, kiṁpaccayā phasso’ti? Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo: ‘saḷāyatane kho sati phasso hoti, saḷāyatanapaccayā phasso’ti.
Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to me: ‘What is it that, when present, leads to contact? Dependent on what does contact arise?’ Then, through wise attention, insight arose in me with this breakthrough: ‘When the |six sense bases::The six internal sense bases—eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind—are the faculties that enable sensory contact and experience. They are not the physical organs themselves, but the functional conditions that enable consciousness to meet an object [saḷāyatana]| are present, it leads to contact; dependent on the six sense bases, contact arises.’
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘kimhi nu kho sati saḷāyatanaṁ hoti, kiṁpaccayā saḷāyatanan’ti? Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo: ‘nāmarūpe kho sati saḷāyatanaṁ hoti, nāmarūpapaccayā saḷāyatanan’ti.
Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to me: ‘What is it that, when present, leads to the six sense bases? Dependent on what do the six sense bases arise?‘ Then, through wise attention, insight arose in me with this breakthrough: ‘When |name and form::mentality and materiality—the integrated structure of mental capacities (intention, attention, contact, feeling, perception) and physical form that together constitute and sustain an individual being [nāmarūpa]| are present, it leads to the six sense bases; dependent on name and form, the six sense bases arise.’
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘kimhi nu kho sati nāmarūpaṁ hoti, kiṁpaccayā nāmarūpan’ti? Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo: ‘viññāṇe kho sati nāmarūpaṁ hoti, viññāṇapaccayā nāmarūpan’ti.
Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to me: ‘What is it that, when present, leads to name and form? Dependent on what do name and form arise?’ Then, through wise attention, insight arose in me with this breakthrough: ‘When |consciousness::quality of awareness — distinctive knowing that arises in dependence on the meeting of eye and form, ear and sound, nose and odor, tongue and taste, body and tangible object, mind and mind object [viññāṇa]| is present, it leads to name and form; dependent on consciousness, name and form arise.’
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘kimhi nu kho sati viññāṇaṁ hoti, kiṁpaccayā viññāṇan’ti? Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo: ‘saṅkhāresu kho sati viññāṇaṁ hoti, saṅkhārapaccayā viññāṇan’ti.
Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to me: ‘What is it that, when present, leads to consciousness? Dependent on what does consciousness arise?‘ Then, through wise attention, insight arose in me with this breakthrough: ‘When |intentional constructs::intentions, volitions, and choices expressed as mental, verbal, and bodily activities; thought formations and constructed experiences (including proliferative tendencies); processes that produce kamma [saṅkhāra]| are present, it leads to consciousness; dependent on intentional constructs, consciousness arises.’
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘kimhi nu kho sati saṅkhārā honti, kiṁpaccayā saṅkhārā’ti? Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo: ‘avijjāya kho sati saṅkhārā honti, avijjāpaccayā saṅkhārā’ti.
Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to me: ‘What is it that, when present, leads to intentional constructs? Dependent on what do intentional constructs arise?’ Then, through wise attention, insight arose in me with this breakthrough: ‘When |ignorance::fundamental unawareness or misunderstanding of the true nature of reality, not experientially understanding the four noble truths [avijjā]| is present, it leads to intentional constructs; dependent on ignorance, intentional constructs arise.’
Iti hidaṁ avijjāpaccayā saṅkhārā; saṅkhārapaccayā viññāṇaṁ; viññāṇapaccayā nāmarūpaṁ; nāmarūpapaccayā saḷāyatanaṁ; saḷāyatanapaccayā phasso; phassapaccayā vedanā; vedanāpaccayā taṇhā; taṇhāpaccayā upādānaṁ; upādānapaccayā bhavo; bhavapaccayā jāti; jātipaccayā jarāmaraṇaṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā sambhavanti. Evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti. ‘Samudayo, samudayo’ti kho me, bhikkhave, pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhuṁ udapādi, ñāṇaṁ udapādi, paññā udapādi, vijjā udapādi, āloko udapādi.
Thus, dependent on ignorance, intentional constructs [arise]; dependent on intentional constructs, consciousness arises; dependent on consciousness, name and form arise; dependent on name and form, the six sense bases arise; dependent on the six sense bases, contact arises; dependent on contact, felt experience arises; dependent on felt experience, craving arises; dependent on craving, clinging arises; dependent on clinging, existence arises; dependent on existence, birth arises; dependent on birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair arise. Thus is the arising of this whole mass of suffering. ‘Arising, arising,’ bhikkhus, vision, insight, wisdom, true knowledge, and clarity arose in me concerning |doctrine::tradition, discourses, teachings [dhammesu]| previously unheard of.
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, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to me: ‘What is it that, when absent, leads to aging and death not arising? With the ending of what do aging and death cease?‘ Then, through wise attention, insight arose in me with this breakthrough: ‘When birth is absent, aging and death do not arise; with the ending of birth, aging and death cease.’
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘kimhi nu kho asati jāti na hoti, kissa nirodhā jātinirodho’ti? Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo: ‘bhave kho asati jāti na hoti, bhavanirodhā jātinirodho’ti.
Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to me: ‘What is it that, when absent, leads to birth not arising? With the ending of what does birth cease?’ Then, through wise attention, insight arose in me with this breakthrough: ‘When existence is absent, birth does not arise; with the ending of existence, birth ceases.’
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘kimhi nu kho asati bhavo na hoti, kissa nirodhā bhavanirodho’ti? Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo: ‘upādāne kho asati bhavo na hoti, upādānanirodhā bhavanirodho’ti.
Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to me: ‘What is it that, when absent, leads to existence not arising? With the ending of what does existence cease?‘ Then, through wise attention, insight arose in me with this breakthrough: ‘When clinging is absent, existence does not arise; with the ending of clinging, existence ceases.’
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘kimhi nu kho asati upādānaṁ na hoti, kissa nirodhā upādānanirodho’ti? Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo: ‘taṇhāya kho asati upādānaṁ na hoti, taṇhānirodhā upādānanirodho’ti.
Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to me: ‘What is it that, when absent, leads to clinging not arising? With the ending of what does clinging cease?’ Then, through wise attention, insight arose in me with this breakthrough: ‘When craving is absent, clinging does not arise; with the ending of craving, clinging ceases.’
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘kimhi nu kho asati taṇhā na hoti, kissa nirodhā taṇhānirodho’ti? Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo: ‘vedanāya kho asati taṇhā na hoti, vedanānirodhā taṇhānirodho’ti.
Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to me: ‘What is it that, when absent, leads to craving not arising? With the ending of what does craving cease?‘ Then, through wise attention, insight arose in me with this breakthrough: ‘When felt experience is absent, craving does not arise; with the ending of felt experience, craving ceases.’
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘kimhi nu kho asati vedanā na hoti, kissa nirodhā vedanānirodho’ti? Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo: ‘phassena kho asati vedanā na hoti, phassanirodhā vedanānirodho’ti.
Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to me: ‘What is it that, when absent, leads to felt experience not arising? With the ending of what does felt experience cease?’ Then, through wise attention, insight arose in me with this breakthrough: ‘When contact is absent, felt experience does not arise; with the ending of contact, felt experience ceases.’
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘kimhi nu kho asati phasso na hoti, kissa nirodhā phassanirodho’ti? Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo: ‘saḷāyatane kho asati phasso na hoti, saḷāyatananirodhā phassanirodho’ti.
Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to me: ‘What is it that, when absent, leads to contact not arising? With the ending of what does contact cease?‘ Then, through wise attention, insight arose in me with this breakthrough: ‘When the six sense bases are absent, contact does not arise; with the ending of the six sense bases, contact ceases.’
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘kimhi nu kho asati saḷāyatanaṁ na hoti, kissa nirodhā saḷāyatananirodho’ti? Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo: ‘nāmarūpe kho asati saḷāyatanaṁ na hoti, nāmarūpanirodhā saḷāyatananirodho’ti.
Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to me: ‘What is it that, when absent, leads to the six sense bases not arising? With the ending of what do the six sense bases cease?’ Then, through wise attention, insight arose in me with this breakthrough: ‘When name and form are absent, the six sense bases do not arise; with the ending of name and form, the six sense bases cease.’
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘kimhi nu kho asati 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, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to me: ‘What is it that, when absent, leads to name and form not arising? With the ending of what do name and form cease?‘ Then, through wise attention, insight arose in me with this breakthrough: ‘When consciousness is absent, name and form do not arise; with the ending of consciousness, 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: ‘saṅkhāresu kho asati viññāṇaṁ na hoti, saṅkhāranirodhā viññāṇanirodho’ti.
Then, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to me: ‘What is it that, when absent, leads to consciousness not arising? With the ending of what does consciousness cease?’ Then, through wise attention, insight arose in me with this breakthrough: ‘When intentional constructs are absent, consciousness does not arise; with the ending of intentional constructs, consciousness ceases.’
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘kimhi nu kho asati 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, bhikkhus, the thought occurred to me: ‘What is it that, when absent, leads to intentional constructs not arising? With the ending of what do intentional constructs cease?’ Then, through wise attention, insight arose in me with this breakthrough: ‘When ignorance is absent, intentional constructs do not arise; with the ending of ignorance, intentional constructs cease.’
Iti hidaṁ avijjānirodhā saṅkhāranirodho; saṅkhāranirodhā viññāṇanirodho; viññāṇanirodhā nāmarūpanirodho; nāmarūpanirodhā saḷāyatananirodho; saḷāyatananirodhā phassanirodho; phassanirodhā vedanānirodho; vedanānirodhā taṇhānirodho; taṇhānirodhā upādānanirodho; upādānanirodhā bhavanirodho; bhavanirodhā jātinirodho; jātinirodhā jarāmaraṇaṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā nirujjhanti. 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.
Thus, with the ending of ignorance, intentional constructs cease; with the ending of intentional constructs, consciousness ceases; with the ending of consciousness, name and form cease; with the ending of name and form, the six sense bases cease; with the ending of the six sense bases, contact ceases; with the ending of contact, felt experience ceases; with the ending of felt experience, craving ceases; with the ending of craving, clinging ceases; with the ending of clinging, existence ceases; with the ending of existence, birth ceases; with the ending of birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair cease. Thus is the ending of this whole mass of suffering. ‘Ending, ending,’ bhikkhus, vision, insight, wisdom, true knowledge, and clarity arose in me concerning doctrine previously unheard of.”