The Buddha teaches that when the five aggregates are grasped and insisted on, the wrong view arises that ‘There is no cause or reason for the corruption of sentient beings. Sentient beings are corrupted without cause or reason. There’s no cause or reason for the purification of sentient beings. Sentient beings are purified without cause or reason. There is no power, no energy, no human strength or vigor. All sentient beings, all living creatures, all beings, all souls lack control, power, and energy. Molded by destiny, circumstance, and nature, they experience pleasure and pain in the six classes of rebirth’, and that seeing their impermanence and suffering leads a noble disciple to become a stream-enterer.

SN 24.7 Cause

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

“Kismiṁ nu kho, bhikkhave, sati, kiṁ upādāya, kiṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati: ‘natthi hetu, natthi paccayo sattānaṁ saṅkilesāya. Ahetū appaccayā sattā saṅkilissanti. Natthi hetu, natthi paccayo sattānaṁ visuddhiyā. Ahetū appaccayā sattā visujjhanti. Natthi balaṁ natthi vīriyaṁ natthi purisathāmo natthi purisaparakkamo. Sabbe sattā sabbe pāṇā sabbe bhūtā sabbe jīvā avasā abalā avīriyā niyatisaṅgatibhāvapariṇatā chasvevābhijātīsu sukhadukkhaṁ paṭisaṁvedentī’”ti?

“Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā …pe…

“Rūpe kho, bhikkhave, sati, rūpaṁ upādāya, rūpaṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati: ‘natthi hetu, natthi paccayo …pe… sukhadukkhaṁ paṭisaṁvedentī’ti. Vedanāya sati …pe… saññāya satisaṅkhāresu sativiññāṇe sati, viññāṇaṁ upādāya, viññāṇaṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati: ‘natthi hetu, natthi paccayo …pe… sukhadukkhaṁ paṭisaṁvedentī’ti.

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, rūpaṁ niccaṁ aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“Aniccaṁ, bhante …pe… vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, api nu taṁ anupādāya evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjeyya: ‘natthi hetu, natthi paccayo …pe… sukhadukkhaṁ paṭisaṁvedentī’”ti? “No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Vedanāsaññāsaṅkhārāviññāṇaṁ niccaṁ aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“Aniccaṁ, bhante …pe…

api nu taṁ anupādāya evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjeyya: ‘natthi hetu, natthi paccayo …pe… sukhadukkhaṁ paṭisaṁvedentī’”ti? “No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Yampidaṁ diṭṭhaṁ sutaṁ mutaṁ viññātaṁ pattaṁ pariyesitaṁ anuvicaritaṁ manasā tampi niccaṁ aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“Aniccaṁ, bhante …pe…

api nu taṁ anupādāya evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjeyya: ‘natthi hetu natthi paccayo …pe… sukhadukkhaṁ paṭisaṁvedentī’”ti?

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Yato kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa imesu ca ṭhānesu kaṅkhā pahīnā hoti, dukkhepissa kaṅkhā pahīnā hoti …pe… dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāyapissa kaṅkhā pahīnā hoti ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako sotāpanno avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyano”ti.

Sattamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthī.

“Kismiṁ nu kho, bhikkhave, sati, kiṁ upādāya, kiṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati:

“Mendicants, when what exists, because of grasping what and insisting on what, does the view arise:

‘natthi hetu, natthi paccayo sattānaṁ saṅkilesāya.

‘There is no cause or reason for the corruption of sentient beings.

Ahetū appaccayā sattā saṅkilissanti.

Sentient beings are corrupted without cause or reason.

Natthi hetu, natthi paccayo sattānaṁ visuddhiyā.

There’s no cause or reason for the purification of sentient beings.

Ahetū appaccayā sattā visujjhanti.

Sentient beings are purified without cause or reason.

Natthi balaṁ natthi vīriyaṁ natthi purisathāmo natthi purisaparakkamo.

There is no power, no energy, no human strength or vigor.

Sabbe sattā sabbe pāṇā sabbe bhūtā sabbe jīvā avasā abalā avīriyā niyatisaṅgatibhāvapariṇatā chasvevābhijātīsu sukhadukkhaṁ paṭisaṁvedentī’”ti?

All sentient beings, all living creatures, all beings, all souls lack control, power, and energy. Molded by destiny, circumstance, and nature, they experience pleasure and pain in the six classes of rebirth’?”

“Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā …pe…

“Our teachings are rooted in the Buddha. …”

“Rūpe kho, bhikkhave, sati, rūpaṁ upādāya, rūpaṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati:

“When form exists, because of grasping form and insisting on form, the view arises:

‘natthi hetu, natthi paccayo …pe…

‘There is no cause or reason …

sukhadukkhaṁ paṭisaṁvedentī’ti.

they experience pleasure and pain in the six classes of rebirth.’

Vedanāya sati …pe…

When feeling …

saññāya sati

perception …

saṅkhāresu sati

choices …

viññāṇe sati, viññāṇaṁ upādāya, viññāṇaṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati:

consciousness exists, because of grasping consciousness and insisting on consciousness, the view arises:

‘natthi hetu, natthi paccayo …pe…

‘There is no cause or reason …

sukhadukkhaṁ paṭisaṁvedentī’ti.

they experience pleasure and pain in the six classes of rebirth.’

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,

What do you think, mendicants?

rūpaṁ niccaṁ aniccaṁ vā”ti?

Is form permanent or impermanent?”

“Aniccaṁ, bhante …pe…

“Impermanent, sir.” …

vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, api nu taṁ anupādāya evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjeyya:

‘natthi hetu, natthi paccayo …pe…

sukhadukkhaṁ paṭisaṁvedentī’”ti?

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Vedanā

“Is feeling …

saññā

perception …

saṅkhārā

choices …

viññāṇaṁ niccaṁ aniccaṁ vā”ti?

consciousness permanent or impermanent?”

“Aniccaṁ, bhante …pe…

“Impermanent, sir.” …

api nu taṁ anupādāya evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjeyya:

‘natthi hetu, natthi paccayo …pe…

sukhadukkhaṁ paṭisaṁvedentī’”ti?

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Yampidaṁ diṭṭhaṁ sutaṁ mutaṁ viññātaṁ pattaṁ pariyesitaṁ anuvicaritaṁ manasā tampi niccaṁ aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“That which is seen, heard, thought, known, attained, sought, and explored by the mind: is that permanent or impermanent?”

“Aniccaṁ, bhante …pe…

“Impermanent, sir.” …

api nu taṁ anupādāya evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjeyya:

“But by not grasping what’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, would such a view arise?”

‘natthi hetu natthi paccayo …pe…

sukhadukkhaṁ paṭisaṁvedentī’”ti?

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“No, sir.”

“Yato kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa imesu ca ṭhānesu kaṅkhā pahīnā hoti, dukkhepissa kaṅkhā pahīnā hoti …pe… dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāyapissa kaṅkhā pahīnā hoti

“When a noble disciple has given up doubt regarding these six grounds, and has given up doubt in suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation,

ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako sotāpanno avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyano”ti.

they’re called a noble disciple who is a stream-enterer, not liable to be reborn in the underworld, assured, destined for awakening.”

Sattamaṁ.

Qualities:

Attachment

Attachment

A mental fastening onto people, things, views, or states as “me” or “mine,” unwilling to release them. This clinging can give a sense of security and sweetness.

Also known as: acquisition, bond, clinging, grasping, holding on, possession, entanglement, bound, connected, taking as mine
Pāli: upadhi, upādāna, sakiñcana, mamatta
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Doubt

Doubt

Paralyzing indecision about the path or practice. Doubt obstructs confidence and clarity.

Also known as: confusion, indecisiveness, uncertainty, wavering, perplexity
Pāli: vicikiccha, kaṅkhā, vimati
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Ending

Ending

The complete exhaustion and ending of craving, aversion, and delusion—the three roots of suffering. It refers to both the gradual wearing away of defilements through practice and the final cessation that constitutes Nibbāna.

Also known as: cessation, exhaustion, gradual ending, wearing away
Pāli: khaya, khīṇa, nirodha
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Free from attachment

Free from attachment

Release from grasping, not taking anything as “me” or “mine,” ceasing to appropriate or identify with people, things, views, or experiences.

Also known as: free from grasping, not appropriating, not taking as mine, without acquisitions, not clinging, not grasping, not holding onto
Pāli: nirūpadhi, nānupādāya, asita, anuggaha
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Suffering

Suffering

Unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering that is inherent in conditioned existence.

Also known as: discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentedness, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, distress, affliction
Pāli: dukkha
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Vigour

Vigour

Energetic effort and resilience in practice. It is the refusal to shrink back, the 'uphill' force that initiates and sustains wholesome actions against the gravity of habit.

Also known as: energy, effort, enthusiasm, zeal, application of will, persistence
Pāli: vīriya
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Last updated on July 27, 2026