Sāvatthiyaṁ …
At Sāvatthi.
“Catucattārīsaṁ vo, bhikkhave, ñāṇavatthūni desessāmi, taṁ suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti.
“I will teach you|, bhikkhus,::::| the forty-four bases of knowledge. Listen well and pay close attention; I will speak.”
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:
“Yes, venerable sir,” those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this:
Fourty-Four Bases of Knowledge
“Katamāni, bhikkhave, catucattārīsaṁ ñāṇavatthūni? Jarāmaraṇe ñāṇaṁ, jarāmaraṇasamudaye ñāṇaṁ, jarāmaraṇanirodhe ñāṇaṁ, jarāmaraṇanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya ñāṇaṁ; jātiyā ñāṇaṁ, jātisamudaye ñāṇaṁ, jātinirodhe ñāṇaṁ, jātinirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya ñāṇaṁ; bhave ñāṇaṁ, bhavasamudaye ñāṇaṁ, bhavanirodhe ñāṇaṁ, bhavanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya ñāṇaṁ; upādāne ñāṇaṁ, upādānasamudaye ñāṇaṁ, upādānanirodhe ñāṇaṁ, upādānanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya ñāṇaṁ; taṇhāya ñāṇaṁ, taṇhāsamudaye ñāṇaṁ, taṇhānirodhe ñāṇaṁ, taṇhānirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya ñāṇaṁ; vedanāya ñāṇaṁ, vedanāsamudaye ñāṇaṁ, vedanānirodhe ñāṇaṁ, vedanānirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya ñāṇaṁ; phasse ñāṇaṁ …pe… saḷāyatane ñāṇaṁ … nāmarūpe ñāṇaṁ … viññāṇe ñāṇaṁ … saṅkhāresu ñāṇaṁ, saṅkhārasamudaye ñāṇaṁ, saṅkhāranirodhe ñāṇaṁ, saṅkhāranirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya ñāṇaṁ. Imāni vuccanti, bhikkhave, catucattārīsaṁ ñāṇavatthūni.
“What|, bhikkhus,::::| are the forty-four bases of knowledge? Knowledge of aging and death, knowledge of the arising of aging and death, knowledge of the cessation of aging and death, knowledge of the way of practice leading to the cessation of aging and death; knowledge of birth, knowledge of the arising of birth, knowledge of the cessation of birth, knowledge of the way of practice leading to the cessation of birth; knowledge of continued existence, knowledge of the arising of continued existence, knowledge of the cessation of continued existence, knowledge of the way of practice leading to the cessation of continued existence; knowledge of clinging, knowledge of the arising of clinging, knowledge of the cessation of clinging, knowledge of the way of practice leading to the cessation of clinging; knowledge of craving, knowledge of the arising of craving, knowledge of the cessation of craving, knowledge of the way of practice leading to the cessation of craving; knowledge of feeling, knowledge of the arising of feeling, knowledge of the cessation of feeling, knowledge of the way of practice leading to the cessation of feeling; knowledge of contact, knowledge of the arising of contact, knowledge of the cessation of contact, knowledge of the way of practice leading to the cessation of contact; knowledge of the six sense bases, knowledge of the arising of the six sense bases, knowledge of the cessation of the six sense bases, knowledge of the way of practice leading to the cessation of the six sense bases; knowledge of name-and-form, knowledge of the arising of name-and-form, knowledge of the cessation of name-and-form, knowledge of the way of practice leading to the cessation of name-and-form; knowledge of consciousness, knowledge of the arising of consciousness, knowledge of the cessation of consciousness, knowledge of the way of practice leading to the cessation of consciousness; knowledge of intentional constructs, knowledge of the arising of intentional constructs, knowledge of the cessation of intentional constructs, knowledge of the way of practice leading to the cessation of intentional constructs. These are called|, bhikkhus,::::| the forty-four bases of knowledge.
Aging and Death
Katamañca, bhikkhave, jarāmaraṇaṁ? Yā tesaṁ tesaṁ sattānaṁ tamhi tamhi sattanikāye jarā jīraṇatā khaṇḍiccaṁ pāliccaṁ valittacatā āyuno saṁhāni indriyānaṁ paripāko, ayaṁ vuccati jarā. Yā tesaṁ tesaṁ sattānaṁ tamhā tamhā sattanikāyā cuti cavanatā bhedo antaradhānaṁ maccu maraṇaṁ kālakiriyā khandhānaṁ bhedo kaḷevarassa nikkhepo. Idaṁ vuccati maraṇaṁ. Iti ayañca jarā, idañca maraṇaṁ; idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, jarāmaraṇaṁ.
And what|, bhikkhus,::::| is aging and death? The aging is the aging of various beings in their respective species, the wear and tear, the breaking down, the falling apart, the wrinkling, and the decline of life, the maturity of the faculties. This is called aging. The cutting off from, the passing away from, the dissolution of, the disappearance of, the dying, the completion of time, the breaking up of the aggregates, the laying down of the body, of various beings in their respective species. This is called death. Thus, this is aging and this is death; this is called|, bhikkhus,::::| aging and death.
Jātisamudayā jarāmaraṇasamudayo; jātinirodhā jarāmaraṇanirodho; ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo jarāmaraṇanirodhagāminī paṭipadā, seyyathidaṁ — sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi.
The arising of birth is the arising of aging and death; the cessation of birth is the cessation of aging and death; this very Noble Eightfold Path is the way of practice leading to the cessation of aging and death, namely—right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right collectedness.
Yato kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako evaṁ jarāmaraṇaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ jarāmaraṇasamudayaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ jarāmaraṇanirodhaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ jarāmaraṇanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ pajānāti, idamassa dhamme ñāṇaṁ. So iminā dhammena diṭṭhena viditena akālikena pattena pariyogāḷhena atītānāgatena yaṁ neti.
When|, bhikkhus,::::| a disciple of the Noble Ones understands aging and death, understands the arising of aging and death, understands the cessation of aging and death, understands the way of practice leading to the cessation of aging and death, this is his knowledge of the Dhamma. By this Dhamma seen and known directly, immediately, attained and grasped, he transcends the past and the future.
Ye kho keci atītamaddhānaṁ samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā jarāmaraṇaṁ abbhaññaṁsu, jarāmaraṇasamudayaṁ abbhaññaṁsu, jarāmaraṇanirodhaṁ abbhaññaṁsu, jarāmaraṇanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ abbhaññaṁsu, sabbete evameva abbhaññaṁsu, seyyathāpāhaṁ etarahi.
‘Whatever ascetics or brahmins in the past fully understood aging and death, the arising of aging and death, the cessation of aging and death, the way of practice leading to the cessation of aging and death, all fully understood in the same way as I do now.
Yepi hi keci anāgatamaddhānaṁ samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā jarāmaraṇaṁ abhijānissanti, jarāmaraṇasamudayaṁ abhijānissanti, jarāmaraṇanirodhaṁ abhijānissanti, jarāmaraṇanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ abhijānissanti, sabbete evameva abhijānissanti, seyyathāpāhaṁ etarahīti. Idamassa anvaye ñāṇaṁ.
And whatever ascetics or brahmins in the future will fully understand aging and death, the arising of aging and death, the cessation of aging and death, the way of practice leading to the cessation of aging and death, all will fully understand in the same way as I do now.’ This is his knowledge by way of inference.
Endowed with Right View
Yato kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa imāni dve ñāṇāni parisuddhāni honti pariyodātāni— dhamme ñāṇañca anvaye ñāṇañca. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako diṭṭhisampanno itipi, dassanasampanno itipi, āgato imaṁ saddhammaṁ itipi, passati imaṁ saddhammaṁ itipi, sekkhena ñāṇena samannāgato itipi, sekkhāya vijjāya samannāgato itipi, dhammasotaṁ samāpanno itipi, ariyo nibbedhikapañño itipi, amatadvāraṁ āhacca tiṭṭhati itipīti.
When|, bhikkhus,::::| a disciple of the Noble Ones’s these two knowledges are purified and cleansed—knowledge of the |Dhamma::clear apprehension of how things have come to be| and knowledge by way of inference—this is called|, bhikkhus,::::| a disciple of the Noble Ones endowed with right view, endowed with right vision, arrived at this good Dhamma, seeing this good Dhamma, equipped with the trainee’s knowledge, equipped with the trainee’s wisdom, attained to the stream of the Dhamma, a noble one with penetrative wisdom, stands touching the door to the deathless.”
Intentional Constructs
Katamā ca, bhikkhave, jāti … katamo ca, bhikkhave, bhavo … katamañca, bhikkhave, upādānaṁ … katamā ca, bhikkhave, taṇhā … katamā ca, bhikkhave, vedanā … katamo ca, bhikkhave, phasso … katamañca, bhikkhave, saḷāyatanaṁ … katamañca, bhikkhave, nāmarūpaṁ … katamañca, bhikkhave, viññāṇaṁ … katame ca, bhikkhave, saṅkhārā? Tayome, bhikkhave, saṅkhārā — kāyasaṅkhāro, vacīsaṅkhāro, cittasaṅkhāroti. Ime vuccanti, bhikkhave, saṅkhārā.
And what|, bhikkhus,::::| is birth... what|, bhikkhus,::::| is continued existence... what|, bhikkhus,::::| is clinging... what|, bhikkhus,::::| is craving... what|, bhikkhus,::::| is feeling... what|, bhikkhus,::::| is contact... what|, bhikkhus,::::| are the six sense bases... what|, bhikkhus,::::| is name-and-form... what|, bhikkhus,::::| is consciousness... what|, bhikkhus,::::| are intentional constructs? There are these three intentional constructs: bodily constructs, verbal constructs, mental constructs. These are called|, bhikkhus,::::| intentional constructs.
Avijjāsamudayā saṅkhārasamudayo; avijjānirodhā saṅkhāranirodho; ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo saṅkhāranirodhagāminī paṭipadā, seyyathidaṁ — sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi.
The arising of ignorance is the arising of intentional constructs; the cessation of ignorance is the cessation of intentional constructs; this very Noble Eightfold Path is the way of practice leading to the cessation of intentional constructs, namely—right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right collectedness.
Yato kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako evaṁ saṅkhāre pajānāti, evaṁ saṅkhārasamudayaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ saṅkhāranirodhaṁ pajānāti, evaṁ saṅkhāranirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ pajānāti, idamassa dhamme ñāṇaṁ. So iminā dhammena diṭṭhena viditena akālikena pattena pariyogāḷhena atītānāgatena yaṁ neti.
When|, bhikkhus,::::| a disciple of the Noble Ones understands intentional constructs, understands the arising of intentional constructs, understands the cessation of intentional constructs, understands the way of practice leading to the cessation of intentional constructs, this is his knowledge of the Dhamma. By this Dhamma seen and known directly, immediately, attained and grasped, he transcends the past and the future.
Ye kho keci atītamaddhānaṁ samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā saṅkhāre abbhaññaṁsu, saṅkhārasamudayaṁ abbhaññaṁsu, saṅkhāranirodhaṁ abbhaññaṁsu, saṅkhāranirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ abbhaññaṁsu, sabbete evameva abbhaññaṁsu, seyyathāpāhaṁ etarahi.
Whatever ascetics or brahmins in the past fully understood intentional constructs, the arising of intentional constructs, the cessation of intentional constructs, the way of practice leading to the cessation of intentional constructs, all fully understood in the same way as I do now.
Ye hipi keci anāgatamaddhānaṁ samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā saṅkhāre abhijānissanti, saṅkhārasamudayaṁ abhijānissanti, saṅkhāranirodhaṁ abhijānissanti, saṅkhāranirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ abhijānissanti, sabbete evameva abhijānissanti, seyyathāpāhaṁ etarahi. Idamassa anvaye ñāṇaṁ.
And whatever ascetics or brahmins in the future will fully understand intentional constructs, the arising of intentional constructs, the cessation of intentional constructs, the way of practice leading to the cessation of intentional constructs, all will fully understand in the same way as I do now. This is his knowledge by way of inference.
Yato kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa imāni dve ñāṇāni parisuddhāni honti pariyodātāni— dhamme ñāṇañca anvaye ñāṇañca. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako diṭṭhisampanno itipi, dassanasampanno itipi, āgato imaṁ saddhammaṁ itipi, passati imaṁ saddhammaṁ itipi, sekkhena ñāṇena samannāgato itipi, sekkhāya vijjāya samannāgato itipi, dhammasotaṁ samāpanno itipi, ariyo nibbedhikapañño itipi, amatadvāraṁ āhacca tiṭṭhati itipī”ti.
When|, bhikkhus,::::| a disciple of the Noble Ones’s these two knowledges are purified and cleansed—knowledge of the |Dhamma::clear apprehension of how things have come to be| and knowledge by way of inference—this is called|, bhikkhus,::::| a disciple of the Noble Ones endowed with right view, endowed with right vision, arrived at this good Dhamma, seeing this good Dhamma, equipped with the trainee’s knowledge, equipped with the trainee’s wisdom, attained to the stream of the Dhamma, a noble one with penetrative wisdom, stands touching the door to the deathless.”