The Buddha teaches on grounds for knowledge (2nd), presenting an analysis of dependent origination and the causal links that give rise to suffering.

SN 12.34 Grounds for Knowledge (2nd)

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

“Sattasattari vo, bhikkhave, ñāṇavatthūni desessāmi. Taṁ suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti.

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:

“Katamāni, bhikkhave, sattasattari ñāṇavatthūni? Jātipaccayā jarāmaraṇanti ñāṇaṁ; asati jātiyā natthi jarāmaraṇanti ñāṇaṁ; atītampi addhānaṁ jātipaccayā jarāmaraṇanti ñāṇaṁ, asati jātiyā natthi jarāmaraṇanti ñāṇaṁ; anāgatampi addhānaṁ jātipaccayā jarāmaraṇanti ñāṇaṁ, asati jātiyā natthi jarāmaraṇanti ñāṇaṁ; yampissa taṁ dhammaṭṭhitiñāṇaṁ tampi khayadhammaṁ vayadhammaṁ virāgadhammaṁ nirodhadhammanti ñāṇaṁ.

Bhavapaccayā jātīti ñāṇaṁ …pe… upādānapaccayā bhavoti ñāṇaṁtaṇhāpaccayā upādānanti ñāṇaṁvedanāpaccayā taṇhāti ñāṇaṁphassapaccayā vedanāti ñāṇaṁsaḷāyatanapaccayā phassoti ñāṇaṁnāmarūpapaccayā saḷāyatananti ñāṇaṁviññāṇapaccayā nāmarūpanti ñāṇaṁsaṅkhārapaccayā viññāṇanti ñāṇaṁ; avijjāpaccayā saṅkhārāti ñāṇaṁ, asati avijjāya natthi saṅkhārāti ñāṇaṁ; atītampi addhānaṁ avijjāpaccayā saṅkhārāti ñāṇaṁ, asati avijjāya natthi saṅkhārāti ñāṇaṁ; anāgatampi addhānaṁ avijjāpaccayā saṅkhārāti ñāṇaṁ, asati avijjāya natthi saṅkhārāti ñāṇaṁ; yampissa taṁ dhammaṭṭhitiñāṇaṁ tampi khayadhammaṁ vayadhammaṁ virāgadhammaṁ nirodhadhammanti ñāṇaṁ. Imāni vuccanti, bhikkhave, sattasattari ñāṇavatthūnī”ti.

Catutthaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

At Sāvatthī.

“Sattasattari vo, bhikkhave, ñāṇavatthūni desessāmi.

“Mendicants, I will teach seventy-seven grounds for knowledge.

Taṁ suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti.

Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.

“Yes, sir,” they replied.

Bhagavā etadavoca:

The Buddha said this:

“Katamāni, bhikkhave, sattasattari ñāṇavatthūni?

“And what are the seventy-seven grounds for knowledge?

Jātipaccayā jarāmaraṇanti ñāṇaṁ;

The knowledge that rebirth is a requirement for old age and death,

asati jātiyā natthi jarāmaraṇanti ñāṇaṁ;

and the knowledge that when rebirth doesn’t exist, there is no old age and death.

atītampi addhānaṁ jātipaccayā jarāmaraṇanti ñāṇaṁ, asati jātiyā natthi jarāmaraṇanti ñāṇaṁ;

Also regarding the past: the knowledge that rebirth is a requirement for old age and death, and the knowledge that when rebirth doesn’t exist, there is no old age and death.

anāgatampi addhānaṁ jātipaccayā jarāmaraṇanti ñāṇaṁ, asati jātiyā natthi jarāmaraṇanti ñāṇaṁ;

Also regarding the future: the knowledge that rebirth is a requirement for old age and death, and the knowledge that when rebirth doesn’t exist, there is no old age and death.

yampissa taṁ dhammaṭṭhitiñāṇaṁ tampi khayadhammaṁ vayadhammaṁ virāgadhammaṁ nirodhadhammanti ñāṇaṁ.

And also their knowledge that even this knowledge of the stability of natural principles is liable to end, vanish, fade away, and cease.

Bhavapaccayā jātīti ñāṇaṁ …pe…

The knowledge that continued existence is a requirement for rebirth …

upādānapaccayā bhavoti ñāṇaṁ

taṇhāpaccayā upādānanti ñāṇaṁ

vedanāpaccayā taṇhāti ñāṇaṁ

phassapaccayā vedanāti ñāṇaṁ

saḷāyatanapaccayā phassoti ñāṇaṁ

nāmarūpapaccayā saḷāyatananti ñāṇaṁ

viññāṇapaccayā nāmarūpanti ñāṇaṁ

saṅkhārapaccayā viññāṇanti ñāṇaṁ;

avijjāpaccayā saṅkhārāti ñāṇaṁ, asati avijjāya natthi saṅkhārāti ñāṇaṁ;

The knowledge that ignorance is a requirement for choices, and the knowledge that when ignorance doesn’t exist, there are no choices.

atītampi addhānaṁ avijjāpaccayā saṅkhārāti ñāṇaṁ, asati avijjāya natthi saṅkhārāti ñāṇaṁ;

Also regarding the past: the knowledge that ignorance is a requirement for choices, and the knowledge that when ignorance doesn’t exist, there are no choices.

anāgatampi addhānaṁ avijjāpaccayā saṅkhārāti ñāṇaṁ, asati avijjāya natthi saṅkhārāti ñāṇaṁ;

Also regarding the future: the knowledge that ignorance is a requirement for choices, and the knowledge that when ignorance doesn’t exist, there are no choices.

yampissa taṁ dhammaṭṭhitiñāṇaṁ tampi khayadhammaṁ vayadhammaṁ virāgadhammaṁ nirodhadhammanti ñāṇaṁ.

And also their knowledge that even this knowledge of the stability of natural principles is liable to end, vanish, fade away, and cease.

Imāni vuccanti, bhikkhave, sattasattari ñāṇavatthūnī”ti.

These are called the seventy-seven grounds for knowledge.”

Catutthaṁ.

Qualities:

Delusion

Delusion

A fundamental distortion of reality that sustains confusion, clouds discernment, and fuels further doubt.

Also known as: illusion, hallucination, misapprehension, distorted view
Pāli: moha, micchāñāṇa
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Ignorance

Ignorance

A fundamental blindness to the true nature of reality. It is not merely a lack of information, but an active misperception that views the transient as permanent and the unsatisfactory as a source of happiness, thereby fueling the cycle of suffering.

Also known as: illusion of knowing, fundamental unawareness of the true nature of reality, misunderstanding of how things have come to be, not knowing the four noble truths
Pāli: avijjā
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Last updated on July 27, 2026