Bahudhātukasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 115

Many Elements · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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“But sir, how is a mendicant qualified to be called ‘skilled in dependent origination’?” “It’s when a mendicant understands: ‘When this exists, this comes to be; due to the arising of this, this arises. When this doesn’t exist, this doesn’t come to be; due to the cessation of this, this ceases. That is: ignorance is a requirement for choices. Choices are a condition for consciousness. Consciousness is a requirement for name and form. Name and form are requirements for the six sense fields. The six sense fields are requirements for contact. Contact is a requirement for feeling. Feeling is a requirement for craving. Craving is a requirement for grasping. Grasping is a requirement for continued existence. Continued existence is a requirement for rebirth. Rebirth is a requirement for old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress to come to be. That is how this entire mass of suffering originates. When ignorance fades away and ceases no residue left behind, choices cease. When choices cease, consciousness ceases. When consciousness ceases, name and form cease. When name and form cease, the six sense fields cease. When the six sense fields cease, contact ceases. When contact ceases, feeling ceases. When feeling ceases, craving ceases. When craving ceases, grasping ceases. When grasping ceases, continued existence ceases. When continued existence ceases, rebirth ceases. When rebirth ceases, old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress cease. That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.’ That’s how a mendicant is qualified to be called ‘skilled in dependent origination’.”

to what extent“Kittāvatā thenpana, sirbhante, skilled in the possible and impossible‘ṭhānāṭhānakusalo a mendicantbhikkhū’ti to be calledalaṁvacanāyā”ti?
here, Ānanda“Idhānanda, a mendicantbhikkhu this is impossible‘aṭṭhānametaṁ no opportunityanavakāso thatyaṁ view + accomplisheddiṭṭhisampanno an individualpuggalo anykañci conditionsaṅkhāraṁ as permanentniccato would take upupagaccheyya, not + thisnetaṁ possibleṭhānaṁ is foundvijjatī’ti understandspajānāti;
but it is possible‘ṭhānañca indeedkho thisetaṁ is foundvijjati thatyaṁ ordinary + personputhujjano anykañci conditionsaṅkhāraṁ as permanentniccato would take upupagaccheyya, possible + thisṭhānametaṁ is foundvijjatī’ti understandspajānāti;
this is impossible‘aṭṭhānametaṁ no opportunityanavakāso thatyaṁ view + accomplisheddiṭṭhisampanno an individualpuggalo anykañci conditionsaṅkhāraṁ as pleasantsukhato would take upupagaccheyya, not + thisnetaṁ possibleṭhānaṁ is foundvijjatī’ti understandspajānāti;
but it is possible‘ṭhānañca indeedkho thisetaṁ is foundvijjati thatyaṁ ordinary + personputhujjano anykañci conditionsaṅkhāraṁ as pleasantsukhato would take upupagaccheyya, possible + thisṭhānametaṁ is foundvijjatī’ti understandspajānāti.
this is impossible‘Aṭṭhānametaṁ no opportunityanavakāso thatyaṁ view + accomplisheddiṭṭhisampanno an individualpuggalo anykañci dhammadhammaṁ as selfattato would take upupagaccheyya, not + thisnetaṁ possibleṭhānaṁ is foundvijjatī’ti understandspajānāti,
but it is possible‘ṭhānañca indeedkho thisetaṁ is foundvijjati thatyaṁ ordinary + personputhujjano anykañci dhammadhammaṁ as selfattato would take upupagaccheyya, possible + thisṭhānametaṁ is foundvijjatī’ti understandspajānāti.

“But sir, how is a mendicant qualified to be called ‘skilled in the possible and impossible’?” “It’s when a mendicant understands: ‘It’s impossible for an individual accomplished in view to take any condition as permanent. That is not possible. But it’s possible for an ordinary person to take some condition as permanent. That is possible.’ They understand: ‘It’s impossible for an individual accomplished in view to take any condition as pleasant. But it’s possible for an ordinary person to take some condition as pleasant.’ They understand: ‘It’s impossible for an individual accomplished in view to take anything as self. But it’s possible for an ordinary person to take something as self.’

They understand: ‘It’s impossible for an individual accomplished in view to murder their mother. But it’s possible for an ordinary person to murder their mother.’ They understand: ‘It’s impossible for an individual accomplished in view to murder their father … or murder a perfected one. But it’s possible for an ordinary person to murder their father … or murder a perfected one.’ They understand: ‘It’s impossible for an individual accomplished in view to injure a Realized One with malicious intent. But it’s possible for an ordinary person to injure a Realized One with malicious intent.’ They understand: ‘It’s impossible for an individual accomplished in view to cause a schism in the Saṅgha. But it’s possible for an ordinary person to cause a schism in the Saṅgha.’ They understand: ‘It’s impossible for an individual accomplished in view to dedicate themselves to another teacher.

and (it is) possible‘ṭhānañca indeedkho thisetaṁ there isvijjati thatyaṁ an ordinary personputhujjano anotheraññaṁ teachersatthāraṁ might dedicate oneselfuddiseyya, it is possible (that) thisṭhānametaṁ there isvijjatī’ti understandspajānāti.

But it’s possible for an ordinary person to dedicate themselves to another teacher.’

impossibility + this‘Aṭṭhānametaṁ not·occasionanavakāso thatyaṁ in oneekissā world·elementlokadhātuyā twodve perfected onesarahanto fully·awakenedsammāsambuddhā not·beforeapubbaṁ not·afteracarimaṁ would ariseuppajjeyyuṁ, not·thisnetaṁ a possibilityṭhānaṁ is foundvijjatī’ti they understandpajānāti;
possibility + but‘ṭhānañca indeedkho thisetaṁ is foundvijjati thatyaṁ in oneekissā world·elementlokadhātuyā just oneeko perfected onearahaṁ fully·awakenedsammāsambuddho would ariseuppajjeyya, possibility + thisṭhānametaṁ is foundvijjatī’ti they understandpajānāti.
impossibility + this‘Aṭṭhānametaṁ not·occasionanavakāso thatyaṁ in oneekissā world·elementlokadhātuyā twodve wheel-turning monarchsrājāno wheel·turningcakkavattino not·beforeapubbaṁ not·afteracarimaṁ would ariseuppajjeyyuṁ, not·thisnetaṁ a possibilityṭhānaṁ is foundvijjatī’ti they understandpajānāti;
possibility + but‘ṭhānañca indeedkho thisetaṁ is foundvijjati thatyaṁ in oneekissā world·elementlokadhātuyā just oneeko monarchrājā wheel·turningcakkavattī would ariseuppajjeyya, possibility + thisṭhānametaṁ is foundvijjatī’ti they understandpajānāti.

They understand: ‘It’s impossible for two perfected ones, fully awakened Buddhas to arise in the same solar system at the same time. But it is possible for just one perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha, to arise in one solar system.’ They understand: ‘It’s impossible for two wheel-turning monarchs to arise in the same solar system at the same time. But it is possible for just one wheel-turning monarch to arise in one solar system.’

impossibility + this‘Aṭṭhānametaṁ an impossibilityanavakāso thatyaṁ a womanitthī a perfected onearahaṁ might beassa a fully awakened Buddha,sammāsambuddho, not thisnetaṁ groundṭhānaṁ is found’ thusvijjatī’ti understands;pajānāti;
but the ground‘ṭhānañca indeedkho thisetaṁ is foundvijjati thatyaṁ a manpuriso a perfected onearahaṁ might beassa a fully awakened Buddha,sammāsambuddho, ground + thisṭhānametaṁ is found’ thusvijjatī’ti understands.pajānāti.
impossibility + this‘Aṭṭhānametaṁ an impossibilityanavakāso thatyaṁ a womanitthī a wheel-turning monarchrājā might beassa wheel·turningcakkavattī, not thisnetaṁ groundṭhānaṁ is found’ thusvijjatī’ti understands;pajānāti;
but the ground‘ṭhānañca indeedkho thisetaṁ is foundvijjati thatyaṁ a manpuriso a wheel-turning monarchrājā might beassa wheel·turningcakkavattī, ground + thisṭhānametaṁ is found’ thusvijjatī’ti understands.pajānāti.
impossibility + this‘Aṭṭhānametaṁ an impossibilityanavakāso thatyaṁ a womanitthī the role of Sakkasakkattaṁ might performkareyya …… the role of Māramārattaṁ might performkareyya …… the role of Brahmābrahmattaṁ might perform,kareyya, not thisnetaṁ groundṭhānaṁ is found’ thusvijjatī’ti understands;pajānāti;
but the ground‘ṭhānañca indeedkho thisetaṁ is foundvijjati thatyaṁ a manpuriso the role of Sakkasakkattaṁ might performkareyya …… the role of Māramārattaṁ might performkareyya …… the role of Brahmābrahmattaṁ might perform,kareyya, ground + thisṭhānametaṁ is found’ thusvijjatī’ti understands.pajānāti.

They understand: ‘It’s impossible for a woman to be a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha. But it is possible for a man to be a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha.’ They understand: ‘It’s impossible for a woman to be a wheel-turning monarch. But it is possible for a man to be a wheel-turning monarch.’ They understand: ‘It’s impossible for a woman to perform the role of Sakka, Māra, or the Divinity. But it is possible for a man to perform the role of Sakka, Māra, or the Divinity.’

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