#Linked Discourses 12

An analysis of 77 contexts for developing insight with regard to dependent origination.At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, I will teach seventy-seven grounds for knowledge. Listen and pay close attention, I will speak.” “Yes, sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this: “And what are the seventy-seven grounds for knowledge? The knowledge that rebirth is a condition for old age and death, and the knowledge that when rebirth doesn’t exist, there is no old age and death. [Read More]

An analysis of 44 contexts for developing insight with regard to dependent origination. This includes an important distinction between knowledge arising from direct vision of the present, and that derived from inference as to the past and future.At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, I will teach forty-four grounds for knowledge. Listen and pay close attention, I will speak.” “Yes, sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this: “And what are the forty-four grounds for knowledge? [Read More]

A mendicant named Kaḷāra the Khattiya informs Sāriputta that the mendicant Moḷiyaphagguna had disrobed. Overinterpreting Sāriputta’s reply, Kaḷāra reports to the Buddha that Sāriputta had claimed to have ended all defilements. The Buddha calls Sāriputta to clarify his statements, and Sāriputta explains in terms of dependent origination.At Sāvatthī. Then the mendicant Kaḷāra the Aristocrat went up to Venerable Sāriputta and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to him, “Reverend Sāriputta, the mendicant Phagguna of the Top-Knot has rejected the training and returned to a lesser life. [Read More]

The Buddha asks Sāriputta to explain a verse from “The Questions of Ajita” in the Parāyana (Snp 5.2). At first, Sāriputta hesitates, but proceeds when the Buddha indicates he is looking for an answer in terms of conditionality.At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī. Then the Buddha said to Venerable Sāriputta, “Sāriputta, this was said in ‘The Way to the Beyond’, in ‘The Questions of Ajita’: ‘Those who have comprehended the teaching, and the many kinds of trainees here—dear sir, you are alert; when questioned, please tell me their conduct. [Read More]

An ascetic who understands dependent origination may well escape those conditions.At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, there are ascetics and brahmins who don’t understand old age and death, their origin, their cessation, and the practice that leads to their cessation. It’s impossible that they will abide having transcended old age and death. They don’t understand rebirth … continued existence … grasping … craving … feeling … contact … the six sense fields … name and form … consciousness … They don’t understand choices, their origin, their cessation, and the practice that leads to their cessation. [Read More]

An ascetic who understands dependent origination will realize the goal of the ascetic life.At Sāvatthī. “There are ascetics and brahmins who don’t completely understand old age and death, their origin, their cessation, and the practice that leads to their cessation. They don’t completely understand rebirth … continued existence … grasping … craving … feeling … contact … the six sense fields … name and form … consciousness … They don’t completely understand choices, their origin, their cessation, and the practice that leads to their cessation. [Read More]

A mendicant who understands dependent origination is a trainee who is accomplished in view.At Sāvatthī. “A mendicant understands old age and death, their origin, their cessation, and the practice that leads to their cessation. They understand rebirth … continued existence … grasping … craving … feeling … contact … the six sense fields … name and form … consciousness … They understand choices, their origin, their cessation, and the practice that leads to their cessation. [Read More]

Dependent origination is framed within the four noble truths.At Sāvatthī. Ignorance is a condition for choices. Choices are a condition for consciousness. … That is how this entire mass of suffering originates. And what is old age and death? The old age, decrepitude, broken teeth, grey hair, wrinkly skin, diminished vitality, and failing faculties of the various sentient beings in the various orders of sentient beings. This is called old age. [Read More]

The Buddha is asked by Venerable Upavāṇa as to the origin of suffering. He replies that suffering originates by conditions. Moreover, all those who offer opinions as to the source of suffering are themselves part of the web of conditions, as they cannot state their views without contact.At Sāvatthī. Then Venerable Upavāṇa went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Sir, there are some ascetics and brahmins who declare that suffering is made by oneself. [Read More]

Sāriputta is asked by Venerable Bhūmija as to the origin of pleasure and pain. He replies that the Buddha teaches that pleasure and pain originate by conditions. Moreover, all those who offer opinions as to the source of suffering are themselves part of the web of conditions, as they cannot state their views without contact. Ānanda reports the exchange to the Buddha, who praises Sāriputta’s answer.At Sāvatthī. Then in the late afternoon, Venerable Bhūmija came out of retreat, went to Venerable Sāriputta, and exchanged greetings with him. [Read More]