At Sāvatthi.
“Bhikkhus, the |Tathāgata::one who has arrived at the truth, an epithet of a perfectly Awakened One [tathāgata]|, |endowed with the ten powers::The ten Tathāgata powers are described in [MN 12 discourse](/mn12#the-ten-tath-gata-powers). [dasabala + samannāgata]| and the four |assurances::intrepedities, confidences [vesārajja]|, claims the foremost position, roars the lion‘s roar in the assemblies, and sets the wheel of the |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]| in motion:
‘Such is |form::materiality, material existence, experience of the material world, i.e. encompassing both one’s body and external objects, whether near or far, gross or subtle, deficient or refined; first of the five aggregates [rūpa]|, such is the |arising::appearance, origination [samudaya]| of form, such is the |passing away::disappearance, vanishing, subsiding [atthaṅgama]| of form; such is |felt experience::pleasant, neutral, or painful sensation, feeling felt on contact through eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind; second of the five aggregates [vedanā]|, such is the arising of felt experience, such is the passing away of felt experience; such is |perception::The mental process of recognizing and giving meaning to experience. It marks things 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]|, such is the arising of perception, such is the passing away of perception; such are |intentional constructions::intentions, volitions, choices; mental and bodily volitional activities; thought formations and constructed experiences (including proliferative tendencies); kamma-producing processes; fourth of the five aggregates [saṅkhāra]|, such is the arising of intentional constructions, such is the passing away of intentional constructions; such is |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; fifth of the five aggregates [viññāṇa]|, such is the arising of consciousness, such is the passing away of consciousness.
When this exists, that comes to be; with the arising of this, that arises. When this does not exist, that does not come to be; with the cessation of this, that ceases.
Namely, |dependent on::contingent on, supported by, grounded on [paṭicca]| |ignorance::fundamental unawareness or misunderstanding of the true nature of reality, not experientially understanding the four noble truths [avijjā]|, bhikkhus, |intentional constructions::intentions, volitions, and choices expressed as mental, verbal, and bodily activities; thought formations and constructed experiences (including proliferative tendencies); processes that produce kamma [saṅkhāra]| [arise]; dependent on intentional constructions, |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]| arises; dependent on consciousness, |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]| arise; dependent on name and form, 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]| arise; dependent on the six sense bases, |contact::sense impingement, raw experience, touch [phassa]| arises; dependent on contact, |felt experience::pleasant, neutral, or painful sensation, feeling, second of the five aggregates [vedanā]| arises; dependent on felt experience, |craving::wanting, yearning, longing, attachment, lit. thirst [taṇha]| arises; dependent on craving, |clinging::grasping, acquiring, appropriating, taking possession, identifying [upādāna]| arises; dependent on clinging, |existence::continued conditional existence, the karmically conditioned mode of being that leads to future rebirth [bhava]| arises; dependent on existence, |birth::rebirth, conception, coming into existence [jāti]| arises; dependent on birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair arise. Thus is the arising of this whole mass of suffering.
With the |complete fading away and ending::remainderless dispassion and cessation [asesavirāganirodha]| of ignorance comes ending of intentional constructions; with the ending of intentional constructions, ending of consciousness; with the ending of consciousness, ending of name and form; with the ending of name and form, ending of the six sense bases; with the ending of the six sense bases, ending of contact; with the ending of contact, ending of felt experience; with the ending of felt experience, ending of craving; with the ending of craving, ending of clinging; with the ending of clinging, ending of existence; with the ending of existence, ending of birth; with the ending of birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair cease. Thus is the ending of this whole mass of suffering.’
Bhikkhus, the Dhamma well proclaimed by me thus is clear, open, evident, and free of patchwork. In the Dhamma well proclaimed by me thus, which is clear, open, evident, and free of patchwork, it is truly fitting for a son of good family who has gone forth out of faith to stir up energy, thinking: ‘Even if my skin, sinews, and bones remain, and my flesh and blood dry up, I will not let the energy for striving slacken until I have attained what can be attained by human strength, human energy, and human persistence.’
Bhikkhus, the |lazy::procrastinating, inactive person, indolent [kusīta]| person dwells in |suffering::discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering [dukkha]|, mixed up with |harmful::injurious, destructive, bad, or evil [pāpaka]| and |unwholesome::unhealthy, unskillful, unbeneficial, or karmically unprofitable [akusala]| qualities, and neglects his own |true welfare::highest good, spiritual welfare [sadattha]|. But one with aroused energy dwells in |contentment::ease, happiness, pleasant abiding [sukha]|, secluded from harmful and unwholesome qualities, and accomplishes his own true welfare.
Bhikkhus, the highest is not attained through what is inferior. But through what is supreme, the highest is attained. This spiritual life, bhikkhus, is |of the best quality::lit. to be drunk like cream [maṇḍapeyya]|, and the |Teacher::The Buddha [satthā]| is present before you.
Therefore, bhikkhus, arouse energy for the accomplishment of what has not yet been accomplished, for the attainment of what has not yet been attained, for the |personal realization::intimate experience [sacchikiriyā]| of what has not yet been personally realized. ‘In this way, this going forth of ours will not be barren, but fruitful and beneficial. And those whose robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicinal requisites we make use of, their actions towards us will bear great fruit and great benefits,’ thus, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves.
Bhikkhus, one who considers one‘s own welfare should strive with |diligence::quality of wishing to do one’s work or duty well, with alertness, carefulness and care [appamāda]|. One who considers the welfare of others should likewise strive with diligence. And one who considers the welfare of both should likewise strive with diligence.”